Eleven years have passed since McLaren took the wraps off the P1. Although there have been many special models from Woking since then, a true P1 successor has yet to see the light of day. But by year's end, we may finally see a new flagship from the exotic British marque—and it'll still have a large-displacement combustion engine.
According to Automotive News Europe, the new McLaren hypercar is internally codenamed "P18" and uses a plug-in hybrid V8 setup. The gasoline engine and electric motor(s) are expected to deliver a combined output of over 1,000 horsepower with an all-new carbon fiber chassis. The seats are reportedly bolted onto the chassis to cut weight and boost rigidity, while some of the suspension components are said to be 3D-printed.
While McLarens are known for their dihedral doors, the P18 is supposedly going to represent a break from the norm by adopting gullwing doors. ANE cites sources close to the matter saying the long-overdue follow-up to the P1 is getting an active rear spoiler along with other aero features derived from Formula 1 cars. At the front, the future member of the "Ultimate Series" lineup is said to have recessed headlights in the same vein as Artura's.
The new crown jewel will break cover before the end of 2024. Meanwhile, Nicolas Brown, President of the Americas region, told ANE the engineers are currently "fine-tuning" the new hypercar. It is believed the hybrid setup is a new development as much as 70 percent lighter than what the company currently uses in the Artura. The fact it's not going to be a pure electric model is no surprise since CEO Michael Leiters said "real supercars" without a combustion engine won't materialize before 2030.
But there are already a few electric high-performance vehicles: Rimac Nevera, Lotus Evija, and the Pininfarina Battista, just to name a few. The new Tesla Roadster is supposedly coming by year's end while Ferrari's first EV has been confirmed for a 2025 launch.
Porsche is expected to green light a production version of the Mission X concept in the months to come. Over in China, BYD recently launched the Yangwang U9. Notable mentions include the Nio EP9, also from China, along with Japan's Aspark Owl. 2030 is still six years away, which gives other automakers plenty of time to hop on the electric performance bandwagon.
