McLaren is therefore announcing this October 6 the characteristics of its new hybrid supercar which will ensure the succession of the fabulous F1 and P1, the latter having appeared just 10 years ago. Already. Why this October 6? Because it is the anniversary of the first coronation, just 50 years ago, of the brand in the 1974 F1 world championship and its favorite driver at the time, Emerson Fittipaldi. A W1 for a double title, therefore. It was therefore a matter of pulling out all the stops.
Specifications McLaren W1 (2024)
The W1 must therefore do better than its glorious predecessors and ensure mastery of the technology used in F1 to develop a supercar of all superlatives. It is a hybrid, like the P1, which relies on a brand new specifically developed thermal engine. With a displacement of 4 liters, this 90° V8 benefits from a “flat” crankshaft, an architecture which we know favors high revs. In this case, it takes 9200 rpm here, which is becoming rare, even more so when it comes to a hybrid. It is supercharged by two classic Twin Scroll turbos, the option of electric turbines (as with Porsche for the 911 T-Hybrid) not having been chosen for the additional weight that this would have induced. “And then, with the immediate response of the electric motor and its torque, we had no problem with response time,” an engineer assured us. This “MHP-8” block alone develops 928 hp. It is therefore associated with a radial flow electric motor (capable of 24,000 rpm), developing 347 hp attached to the 8-speed robotic gearbox and powered by a small 1.4 kWh battery, allowing approximately 2 km in zero emission mode. But it is also he who provides the reverse function. And since it must also fulfill the role of starter and alternator, the system ensures that there is always enough energy in the battery to power it. The unit develops 1275 hp and 1340 Nm sent directly to the rear wheels via a new electro-hydraulic differential. The total mass of the hybrid system has been reduced by 40 kg compared to that of the P1… while it develops 40% more power. Although equipped with hybrid technology, the W1 manages to limit its mass to 1,399 kg.
In line with a chassis from the racing world, the W1 is faster than a Speedtail up to 300 km/h and takes 3 seconds per lap to a Senna on the Nardo track.
Active aerodynamics McLaren W1 (2024)
Capable of driving up to 350 km/h (but where is that?) while having to be able to ensure daily journeys with a minimum of comfort, the W1 is equipped with particularly careful active aerodynamics. The most radical configuration of which generates downforce of more than a ton (350 kg at the front, 650 kg at the rear). The central part of the front splitter can extend or retract, while at the rear, the Active Long Tail can stretch the car by 30 cm. The movable fin housed there can be retracted to favor speed without degrading finesse, raised to provide support, or even turned at almost 90° to act as an airbrake. By observing the contours of the car, we see that they are largely perforated to channel the air flows as best as possible along the sides, particularly downstream of the wings to ensure the clearance of air in the wheel arches. . In Race mode, the ride height is lowered by 37 mm at the front and 17 mm at the rear to limit variations in trim, always harmful for a ground effect car. But that’s not all…
Versatile chassis McLaren W1 (2024)
Indeed, on the W1, equipped with McLaren Race Active Chassis Control III, the shock absorbers (the front of which are mounted directly on the chassis cell, horizontally, and actuated by pushers), are interconnected by a hydraulic circuit whose the pressure is electronically controlled in real time. Thus, in a left curve for example, the compression characteristics of the front right shock absorber are reinforced, those of the relaxation of the front left and rear left wheels being increased to constantly ensure optimal control of the relationship between the tire and the road. Basically, we have known this system since the birth of the 12C, in 2011. But here it goes further. Indeed, if this interconnection makes it possible to do without mechanical anti-roll bars, here, a magnesium bar is connected between the front wheels in Race mode in order to reduce to nothing the tendency to roll required by a car with ground effect, generated in this case mainly by the base. Thus, in “daily” mode the suspension is supposed to be comfortable and accommodating, but can radically change depending on the circumstances, to the point of practically becoming that of a single-seater in the most extreme situations.
Competition hull McLaren W1 (2024)
All this technology is integrated into a carbon monocoque structure which has the particularity of housing both the small high-voltage battery and… the seats, which are therefore fixed. The driving position is adjusted via a manually sliding pedal assembly, steering column and instrument cluster. This saves 7 cm on the wheelbase compared to a traditional slide system. The monocoque structure also houses the joints of the gullwing doors on the roof. A solution chosen to facilitate the flow of air on the sides and direct it more efficiently towards more compact and therefore lighter side radiators.
Performances McLaren W1 (2024)
0 to 100 km/h completed in 2.5 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h in 5.8 seconds and 0 to 300 km/h under 12.7 seconds, the W1 sets the bar high. Very high. How many of the 399 owners will be able to master such potential, especially ground effect pushed to this point, always destabilizing for the average person, unaccustomed to a machine which grips the ground even more the faster it goes in curves, this which disrupts the bearings of a clientele just accustomed to a “mechanical grip”? Very few, no doubt. But after all, do the owners of a Patek Philippe or a Richard Mille really appreciate the complexity that makes them so popular?
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