RE: McLaren P1: powertrain

[bass2rez]

Is it just me that thinks electric motors and hybrid technology have no place on a supercar?

I can understand that the technology may be beneficial for a mass market car designed for commuting, but surely there are so few supercars in existence that their effect on "global warning" and pollution are negligible. In my mind hybrid technology is spoiling modern supercars.

[CraigyMc]

Galileo said:

ikarl said:

737bhp and it needs 179bhp electric assist to overtake??? WTF??

My thoughts exactly. What the hell do they think it might need to pass? A Eurofighter?

It'd be quite interesting to have a "delete" option on the electric system.

McLaren would never offer it, of course - they are practically jesuit in doing something once they've set their minds to it (that's Ron for you).

I still wonder what it'd be like though, even with inferior response due to the missing electric gubbins.

C

[Andy ap]

Sorry I'm confused. your have over 700bhp to play with and you need the equivalent power output of an Ibiza cupra to overtake those dawdling micras and volvos etc.
LOL anyway love it what an amazing car it must be one day someone will make electric motors sound as good as a boxer engine at full pelt then ill be happy.

[bnracing]

I am wondering if it's just me or have most supercars lost their character these days, with the exceptions of a Pagani Zonda?

This car just doesn’t do much for me no wow factory. When I am reading about motors and batteries in this car all I can think about is all that extra weight to lug around.

I know I am going on like I am 70+ but I am only 35 lol.

[Dazed & Confused]

I don't know why, but I just cannot warm to this car.

I know it's an amazing piece of engineering, but like the Veyron, it just leaves me cold. I loved the F1, however.

I don't think it's helped by the self-congratulatory, anal, back patting they put in an earler release about modelling the steering wheel on the grips of past world champions. It somehow feels a bit like they've disappeared up their own exhaust pipe - it reminds me of the South Park 'smug' episode.

It even looks smug.

(I'm sure it will be amazing to drive, but it feels like the Veyron - an engineering exercise. If it was German, I don't think it would be getting the same reception.)

[Evo]

It doesn't sound amazing either, I've heard it a few times now and the original F1 is in a different league, sorry McLaren.

I'm warming to it's looks but the original F1 was a stunner from the day it was revealed.

[Grenoble]

Amirhussain said:

Still don't like the fact that it shares the same engine as the 12C. Special car should have its own unique engine, IMO.

It might have vaguely the same block but that looks about it?

[mat205125]

Galileo said:

ikarl said:

737bhp and it needs 179bhp electric assist to overtake??? WTF??

My thoughts exactly. What the hell do they think it might need to pass? A Eurofighter?

.... for when you've become baulked by the Veyron driver through Becketts, and you want to fire down the hanger straight and "do 'im" on the brakes.

On the road it's 100% "because you can" .... even billionaire Russian gangsters and Saudi oil tycoons watch the Fast and the Furious films.

[AndyS2]

Those compressor housings look substantially bigger than stock, I wonder who will be the first to 'chip' one to 1000bhp!

[nickfrog]

Stupid question : they say the battery can be plugged in to be recharged, but can it also recharge itself through recovering energy, KERS style ?

[kambites]

nickfrog said:

Stupid question : they say the battery can be plugged in to be recharged, but can it also recharge itself through recovering energy, KERS style ?

It would be completely crazy to build a hybrid that couldn't regenerate through braking. Whether it's just through the rear axle, or they have some kind of generation capability on the front axle, I don't know. Probably rear axle only looking at the picture, which will limit it somewhat.

[IDrinkPetrol]

Meh, needs more power.

(well, someone had to say it: this is PistonHeads.)

[StottyZr]

Thats quite a lot more power than I was expecting from what Mclaren initially said.

I am worried about the battery packs extra weight, 96kg is a big trade off against the extra HP. That said, the benefits of the electric motors are quite interesting, the effect of reduced turbo lag, 6miles of eletric only driving and the rev matching. Could make for quite an interesting package.

[Warwick67]

mat205125 said:

On the road it's 100% "because you can" .... even billionaire Russian gangsters and Saudi oil tycoons watch the Fast and the Furious films.

With this I recon they are all candidates for a Darwin Award....

[HeMightBeBanned]

This car is *EXCITING*

[wst]

This KERS thing is all unleashed by a button... I hope they feed the power in sensibly. Just instantly adding 179hp to whatever the rear wheels are doing already... does seem a bit like suicide.

[ritch7]

Ok let’s see here....

Is this car going to give better acceleration figures than the Bugatti Veyron? No I don't think so.
Is this car going to be faster in a straight line (top end speed) than the Bugatti Veyron? No I don't think so.

Is this car going to be quicker than the Pagani Huayra around a track with its super-efficient little 179hp electric surprise? No I don't think so.

Is this car going to be flawed in every way possible when comparing to the new Ferrari Enzo/Enzo's replacement? Most definitely so.

[pagani1]

I put this on my wish list with Amazon and the site crashed-Ha! Ha!
A serious hypercar for the affordistas. I reckon secondhand in 2033 would be affordable-but I'll be uninsurable by then, or maybe somewhere else!
What a technology fest. Yes please! I hope it's as emotional inside as a Huyara.

[405dogvan]

As an option, the IPAS button can have hand-engraved custom labels such as "ridiculous speed, engage" and voice samples can be played through the ICE including "To Infinity and Beyond" or "Maximum Warp Mr Sulu"...

or is that the next M5?

[Krikkit]

ritch7 said:

Ok let’s see here....

Is this car going to give better acceleration figures than the Bugatti Veyron? No I don't think so.
Is this car going to be faster in a straight line (top end speed) than the Bugatti Veyron? No I don't think so.

Is this car going to be quicker than the Pagani Huayra around a track with its super-efficient little 179hp electric surprise? No I don't think so.

Is this car going to be flawed in every way possible when comparing to the new Ferrari Enzo/Enzo's replacement? Most definitely so.

How can you know any of that (save the Veyron speed) yet?