The P1 may still be regarded as the crown jewel of McLaren’s current model lineup, but an all-new, limited-edition supercar could take its place alongside the P1 hypercar as there are reports that the British automaker is in the development stages of building a modern iteration of the brand’s iconic F1 supercar. The model, referred to within McLaren as the “Hyper GT,” will take plenty of styling cues from the F1, most notably the legendary supercar’s three-seat layout, dihedral doors, and the roof snorkel.

To be clear, the proposed model isn’t technically going to be a successor to the F1. It may be in spirit, but this model is being prepared as it’s own model, one that will put a premium on comfort and luxury, or like what a true GT should be. The car is also reportedly getting a bespoke version of McLaren’s carbon fiber monocage, the same component that was first developed for the P1.

McLaren’s goal, it seems, is to use this model as a showcase for McLaren Special Operations, the personalized arm of the company that’s become known in supercar circles for its outstanding iterations of the automaker’s current model lineup to go with special one-offs like the McLaren X1.

There’s no word on the exact output of the Hyper GT, although it is believed that it will eventually possess a tuned version of the automaker’s 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine with no electrical motors. That setup will be good for at least 700 horsepower, making it slightly more powerful than the McLaren 675LT. Top speed has been pegged at over 200 mph on account of having a better power-to-weight ratio than the McLaren 650S.

It's not known if McLaren plans to name the Hyper GT in the vein of the F1, but given the influence of the iconic supercar on this model, don't be surprised if the name doesn't fall too far from the F1's tree.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Why it matters

Is there anything other than “wow” that needs to be said here? I mean, McLaren is known for some incredible surprises – raise your hand, X1! – but this one has to be right up there as one of the most exciting things to come out of Woking in recent years.

Granted, McLaren has not confirmed it, but the details Autocar divulged in its reports are pretty revealing, pointing to what could one of those supercars that really leaves an imprint on the segment. The mere mention of the F1 is reason enough to get excited, especially when you consider how important supercar has been to the industry as a whole.

We’re going to have a separate speculative review on the Hyper GT so I’m not going to dive into too many details. What’s important to remember here is that if the Hyper GT, or whatever name it ends up getting, does come to fruition, it would add to the prestige of McLaren both as a brand and as a pioneer for the supercar industry.

I can’t wait to see what the car ends up looking like, but first, how about a confirmation, McLaren? It seems clear based on the details Autocar divulged that there’s more to this supposed supercar than meets the eye.

Autocar0}

Read our full review on the McLaren F1 here.