McLaren releases new hypercar successor, the McLaren W1

McLaren has pulled the covers off its latest hybrid hypercar — and also its most powerful roadgoing machine to date: The McLaren W1. 

The new McLaren W1 is billed to be the innovative successor to two of the greatest supercars, the McLaren F1 and McLaren P1, and is supposed to elevate the McLaren '1' car series to new heights in every aspect of performance.

The W1 was designed according to the core principles of every McLaren supercar, with modern aerodynamics and a lightweight chassis, aiming to create the perfect environment for any driving situation, coupled with a brilliant visual.

Speaking of which, that lightweight claim is no exaggeration. McLaren states that the W1 tips the scales at just 1,399kg (dry weight), which is an impressive figure considering its hybrid powertrain (more on that in a bit).  

The centrepiece of the car's weight savings is its Aerocell monocoque chassis — which isn't just superlatively stiff and lightweight, but also features integrated seating, and was specially designed to facilitate the car's aerodynamics.

The aerodynamically-led design is clear when you set eyes on the W1: A large amount of lower bodywork layering is designed to glide the flow of air towards aerodynamic surfaces heading to its rear. Visible carbon fibres aerodynamic structures and exposed suspension components are a also a recurring visual.

Another highlight for the W1? Instead of the typical dihedral doors found on recent production McLarens like the Artura and 750S, the W1 gets what McLaren has dubbed 'McLaren Anhedral Doors' or gullwing doors, in effect. The decision wasn't motivated by pure vanity, mind you; the firm states that design was dictated by aerodynamic requirements "demanding a door design that is hinged only from the roof". 

In part thanks to this new high-downforce, low-drag, ground-effect aerodynamics design, the W1 is currently the fastest-lapping and accelerating McLaren road-legal supercar. 

By switching from Road mode to Race mode, the W1's ride height lowers by 37mm at the front, and 17mm at the rear. The front and rear active wings are also deployed, with the McLaren Active Long Tail extending rearwards by up to 300mm to help in generating 350kg of front downforce and 650kg of rear downforce, resulting in a total of 1,000kg of downforce available.

But it's not just all that active aero technology and the car's lightweight build that contribute to its speed. 

Like the its predecessor, the P1, the W1 also sports a hybrid powertrain capable of immense firepower.

An all-new MHP-8 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine makes its debut here, and is paired with a power-dense E-module. With a combined total value of 1,258bhp, this makes it the highest-ever output for any McLaren.

The large amount of power is combined with a total torque of 1,340Nm and instant throttle response from the E-module, made possible thanks to Formula One know-how that only McLaren can deliver. McLaren states that the E-motor element, found in the E-module, is capable of spinning up to 24,000rpm with a specific output of 23bhp/kg, which is comparable to Formula One E-motors.

Paired to a newly developed eight-speed transmission with an electronic differential and electronic reverse gear, McLaren claims that the W1 is able to achieve 0-100km/h in just 2.7 seconds, 0-200km/h in 5.8 seconds, and 0-300km/h in under 12.7 seconds. Making all these figures even more impressive perhaps is that all of that insane power is sent solely to the W1's rear wheels. 

As for other engineering feats, McLaren has revealed that the car's twin-turbocharged 3,988cc unit is made up of a lightweight block, cylinder heads and pistons in aluminium displaying McLaren's expertise in engineering combustion engines, such as plasma spray-coated cylinder bores allowing for engine speeds of up to 9,200rpm.

A 350bar Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) system enables the W1 to achieve the highest-ever specific power output in a McLaren, with a whopping 230bhp per litre. Even with this focus on maximising power, it can be driven in zero-emission, electric-only mode for up to 2km.

Braking on the W1 is also an improvement on McLaren's renowned high-performance hydraulic system. The car will come to a stop from 100km/h in 29m, and 200km/h in just 100m.

Only 399 customer cars for the McLaren W1 will be produced, and all of them have already been allocated to the various purchasers.

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This article was first published in sgCarMart.