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: McLaren was secretly working on a street-legal GTR. Come 2016 and it’s no longer just hearsay. McLaren has revealed a road-going P1 GTR that will be showcased at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. It goes by the name P1 LM -- as a tribute to the iconic F1 LM and was conceived by Lanzante Limited, a British company that won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans with a McLaren F1 GTR through its Motorsport division and later became a service center for road and race-spec McLarens.
Following the prototype's introduction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, McLaren will build five production cars, a figure that matches the production run of the original F1 LM, also a road-legal version of a race car.
Updated 06/23/2016: McLaren dropped the official details on the P1 LM with just a few hours before its official debut at the 2016 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 McLaren P1 LM.
2017 McLaren P1 LM
- Make: Array
- Model: 2017 McLaren P1 LM
- Engine/Motor: V8
- Horsepower: 986
- [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Exterior
When we first talked about the P1 LM back in April 2015, we speculated that the road-legal supercar will feature a few modifications compared to the GTR it is based on. Our rendering artist removed the rivets from the cars nose and front lid, along with the race-spec tow hook and revised the canards on the front bumper. Lastly, the supercar was painted Papaya Orange, the trademark color of the F1 LM, while the carbon-fiber aero kit of the GTR remained unaltered for a striking contrast.
For the most part, we pretty much nailed it.
Granted, the prototype shown at Goodwood is finished in dark grey rather than orange, but four of the five production models McLaren plans to build will be finished in the same color as the F1 LM. The only things we missed are the modified rear wing, which sits taller than the GTR's, and the larger front splitter and canards. These changes give the LM a predicted increase in downforce of 40 percent compared to the GTR, making it the most aerodynamic McLaren to date. Impressive!
The LM also comes with a fully exposed carbon-fiber roof and orange brake calipers on the orange examples and silver calipers on the remaining grey model.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Rendering Vs. Reality
Interior
The LM's interior is as race-oriented as the GTR's, but features a number of additional details that set it apart from its track-only sibling. Highlights include Orange Alcantara insets for the seats and door pulls on the orange cars, and black on the grey example. The Alcantara-trimmed steering wheel is unique to the P1 LM and is a modified version of that used in the championship-winning McLaren MP4/23 driven by Lewis Hamilton. Unlike the GTR, the LM has floor mats. Other than that, it's mostly identical to the GTR, featuring exposed carbon-fiber on the entire dashboard, instrument cowl, seat backs, roof, door panels, and center console, standard air conditioning, and five-point seat belts.
Drivetrain
Under the hood, the P1 LM features the same hybrid drivetrain as the standard P1, but tuned to deliver the same amount of power as the GTR. The system brings together the twin-turbo, 3.8-liter, V-8 and a powerful electric motor, which sends 986 horsepower, a 83-horsepower improvement over the stock P1, to the wheels. The same race-spec, seven-speed, twin-clutch automatic transmission is used, enabling the LM to hit 60 mph from a standing start in around 2.4 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 217 mph.
The engine bay features gold plated heat shielding while the catalytic converter pipes and exhaust headers are made using the exotic ’super-alloy’ Inconel, saving 10 pounds. Furthermore, the charge coolers were produced with even more efficient cores to maintain power at higher run temperatures. The wheels and tires are unique to the P1 LM, but the Race Active Chassis Control and major parts of the McLaren P1 GTR are retained.
By using various newly developed lightweight components and removing race parts such as the air-jack system, McLaren managed to make the LM 132 pounds lighter than the P1 GTR.
Prices
Pricing is obviously a mystery at this point, but the initial tweet that reported McLaren's intention to build a road-legal GTR mentioned it might be sold for £2 million ($3 million). This sticker would make the LM the priciest P1 yet, as it would fetch a bit more than the GTR, which retails from £1.98 million ($2.94 million). However, we think that the LM will be sold for at least £2.5 million ($3.7 million) due to the five-unit production run, which makes it the most exclusive P1 ever built.
Competition
Ferrari LaFerrari
Currently the most powerful supercar of the awesome LaFerrari/->ke4626, P1/->ke4608 and 918 trio,->ke3629 Maranello's hybrid->ke147 will lose its position once the P1 LM arrives. Of course, that doesn't make the LaFerrari any less spectacular, as its 963 horsepower and 663 pound-feet of torque are nothing to sneeze at, but the extra 23 horses will bestow bragging rights in its class to the P1 LM. Ferrari could fight back by launching a road-legal version of the FXX K,->ke5022 also based on the LaFerrari, but it's currently unknown whether the Italians are planning to expand the LaFerrari family anytime soon. The FXX K shares its drivetrain with the LaFerrari, but benefits from an extra 87 horses for a total output of 1,050 horsepower.
Find out more about the Ferrari LaFerrari in our full review here.
Conclusion
Having revived the GTR name with a track-only version of the P1, it was just a matter of time until McLaren found a way to pay tribute to another iconic F1 model. That time has come and the P1 LM is arguably McLaren's best choice for a name. The similarities to the F1 LM, including the overall design, the color, and five-unit production run are proof that McLaren is very proud of its heritage and that the British firm will do all it can to keep the cars from its glorious past alive. The P1 LM is the perfect example of what McLaren can deliver nowadays and unless Ferrari comes up with a road-legal version of the FXX K, this orange beast will remain of the most exclusive, mainstream supercars for many years to come.