Introduced in early 2013, the P1 was McLaren's second production supercar and the spiritual successor to the iconic F1 of the 1990s. Arguably the quickest and most powerful road-going McLaren to date, the P1 was also the company's first vehicle to use a hybrid drivetrain. Like its predecessor, it was built around a carbon-fiber monocoque and roof structure and employs various technologies that the British brand had developed for Formula One. Discontinued in 2016 after 375 units were built, the P1 spawned a race-only version named the P1 GTR. Developed at the request of P1 owners who wanted a more extreme version of the supercar, the GTR received a more powerful hybrid drivetrain and production was limited to only 35 examples, all of which were made available exclusively to P1 owners.

A little more than a year has passed since the P1 GTR made its official debut at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, and its owners are already enjoying its racing abilities on race tracks around the world. However, one certain rumor has been disturbing P1 owners and supercar enthusiasts alike since 2015: that McLaren was secretly working on a street-legal GTR. Come 2016 and it's no longer just hearsay. McLaren has revealed that a road-going P1 GTR will be showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The vehicle was converted to road specification by Lanzante Limited, a British company that won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans with a McLaren F1 GTR with its Motorsport division. Later it became a service center for road and race-spec McLarens and currently restores classic vehicles. The road-going GTR will be displayed alongside regular GTR (sounds weird, I know) fitted with a special livery inspired by James Hunt's race helmet, in honor of the 40th anniversary of his Formula One championship win in a McLaren M23.

The Lanzante team will attempt to set the fastest time of the weekend for a road car with 1999 Indy 500 winner and McLaren test driver, Kenny Bräck, behind the wheel.

Continue reading to learn more about the McLaren P1 GTR By Lanzante.

2016 McLaren P1 GTR By Lanzante

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2016 McLaren P1 GTR By Lanzante
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 986
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

What makes the McLaren P1 GTR By Lanzante special

McLaren didn't provide many details of the unique road-going P1 GTR, but did say that the supercar features a black exterior paint with red, yellow, and blue stripes that echo those of James Hunt's racing helmet. The colors represent Wellington College, the school Hunt attended before becoming a racing driver. The colored stripes have been carefully placed on the body to highlight the P1 GTR's intricate aerodynamic shape and vents on the front hood, doors, and side skirts. They also wrap around the headlamps and taillights, giving the P1 a more aggressive stance. The massive rear wing is adorned by the same colors, as well as "James Hunt" lettering and the number 11, the same on the driver's championship-winning McLaren M23 race car.

McLaren also said that the Lanzante car "resembles a McLaren P1 GTR but with modifications for road use," but didn't release specific details. The only picture publishes as of this writing show that the front bumper canards have been removed and that the engine hood has been redesigned. More details will become available when the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed kicks in so make sure you stick around for updates.

Under the hood, Lanzante's P1 GTR is identical to the standard model. The drivetrain is an enhanced version of the standard P1's, which brings together a twin-turbo, 3.8-liter V-8 and a powerful electric motor. Output is rated at 986 horsepower, a 83-horsepower improvement over the stock P1. Sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed, twin-clutch automatic, the oomph enables the P1 GTR to hit 60 mph from a standing start in around 2.4 seconds, toward a top speed of 217 mph.

Although only one was built, the road-legal P1 GTR can be considered a spiritual successor of the F1 GT, a homologation special that featured the body and most of the drivetrain of the F1 GTR "Longtail" race car, but was legal for street use. Only five were built.

McLaren P1 GTR

The McLaren P1 GTR was unveiled in 2015, exactly 20 years after McLaren won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the F1 GTR. Made available to the 375 P1 owners only, the GTR was built in a very limited edition of 35 units. There is no information as to how the 35 owners were selected, but each had to pay around £2 million (about $2.82 million as of June 2016) for one, which made the GTR twice as expensive than its street-spec brother. The track-only P1 GTR also came with its very own Driver Program, joining the exclusive ranks of the Ferrari FXX K. The program kicked off at Circuit de Catalunya in Spain in 2015, after an initial test session at the Silverstone track in England, as well as individual driver profiling sessions at the McLaren Technology Centre. These sessions included a race seat fitting, a Human Performance Centre assessment, and final discussions in regard to the design and livery of each model with McLaren Automotive Design Director Frank Stephenson. Additionally, each driver experienced the McLaren P1 GTR through the company’s advanced simulator for the first time.

Read our full review on the McLaren P1 GTR here.