To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Amelia Island event, 8 - 9
March 2019.
Estimate:
$1,400,000 - $1,600,000
- One of only 375 examples built
- Two owners from new; less than 750 miles
- Finished in striking Volcano Red, a $10,850 option
- Timed at 205.296 mph in the standing mile at the John F.
Kennedy Space Center
- Recently serviced by McLaren Tampa; fitted with a new primary
battery
By 2013, almost 10 years after the last Ferrari Enzo, Porsche
Carrera GT, and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren had left their respective
factories, it was clear to most enthusiasts that a new supercar war
was brewing. Test mules were spotted out and about, and from what
one could see and hear from these heavily camouflaged beasts
sprinting around test tracks, or in extreme locales for hot or cold
weather testing, the hypercar had come a long way in the ensuing
decade.
"Hybrid" was the word on everyone's mind, and supercar marques
would be developing their own hybrid technology to serve as
testbeds for similar systems appearing in future production cars.
These hybrid systems not only served to offset carbon emissions due
to tightening regulations, but also used the technology to increase
performance to a level that was never thought possible.
Having just returned to road-car production with the spectacular
MP4-12C, McLaren was poised to produce a "new F1," a car that would
proudly reaffirm the McLaren's place atop the supercar world. This
new car would go head-to-head with the likes of Ferrari and Porsche
and show that McLaren was at the forefront of automotive
performance, design, and technology.
THE McLAREN P1
Built around a carbon monocoque chassis weighing just 90 kg and
carbon-fiber body panels, McLaren followed a relentless pursuit to
make the P1 as light as possible. The wheels, 19 in. up front and
20 in. at the rear, weigh just 7.94 kg and 9.27 kg, respectively.
They are made of a high-strength aluminum alloy, offering
incredible strength at minimal weight. McLaren reengineered the
car's windscreen glass to be only 3.2-mm thick, reinforcing it with
a plastic interlayer and saving 3.5 kg over the windshield in the
MP12-4C. The interior carpet was deemed a luxury too costly in
terms of weight and was deleted entirely. McLaren even chose to
leave the carbon fiber in the cockpit non-lacquered, saving a
further 1.5 kg. The P1 weighs in at a total dry weight of just
1,395 kg.
Sporting adjustable front and rear wings, the latter a Formula
1-style Drag Reduction system, aerodynamics followed a similar
pursuit of perfection. The P1 develops as much as 600 kg of
downforce at 160 mph. The unique carbon-fiber disc brakes,
developed in conjunction with Akebono, are infused with
silicon-carbide, helping to dissipate heat and absorbing 50 percent
more energy than those on the MP4-12C. Adding to the effectiveness
of the brakes, the McLaren P1 utilizes Brake Steer, a technology
originally developed by McLaren for the 1997 F1 season before it
was banned. This system applies the brakes to the car's inside rear
wheel when cornering too quickly, which brings the P1's nose closer
to the apex.
While the combustion engine appears nearly identical to that seen
in the earlier MP4-12C, there is in fact nothing further from the
truth. The block is a completely different unit from entirely new
casting and boasts dry-sump lubrication with a low-sited flat plane
crankshaft. The mid-mounted 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 itself
produces 727 hp at 7,300 rpm and 720 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm.
As in most other hybrids, the electric motor is intended to provide
an alternate source of power to provide for greater fuel
efficiency. However, the McLaren P1 is certainly not "most
hybrids." The electric motor in the P1 serves to "torque-fill" or
supplement the normal gaps where the conventional engine would fail
to produce peak performance, such as during gearshifts or at low
rpms while the turbochargers are spooling up, to provide the driver
with maximum power at all times. The electric motor produces 176
hp, bringing total output to an incredible 903 hp.
Needless to say, performance is astounding. The P1 takes just 2.8
seconds to reach 100 km/h and 6.8 seconds to reach 200 km/h. The P1
will reach a quarter-mile in an astounding 9.8 seconds. The
speedometer will read 300 km/h in 16.5 seconds, a full five seconds
faster than the F1, on its way to an electronically limited top
speed of 350 km/h (217 mph). Incredibly, aside from the world-class
performance figures, the McLaren's average combined fuel
consumption is 34 mpg.
STANDING MILE - 205.296 MPH
Purchased new by its original owner, Florida-based super car
collector Don Wallace, Mr. Wallace worked directly with McLaren's
Special Operations (MSO) department to create not one, but two cars
built to his demanding specifications. McLaren's Volcano Red was
chosen for the exterior color, an eye-catching and eye-watering
$10,850 option. Further accentuated by black "stealth" finished
wheels, the car's Volcano Red finish is also featured on certain
elements on the car's interior, including the switches, vent
bezels, door inserts, and contrasting red seat stitching. Upon
selling the car in 2015, Mr. Wallace commented that "of all the
cars I have raced over the years and the supercars that I have had
the pleasure of owning, this P1 is by far the fastest street-legal
machine I have ever driven. It is terrifyingly quick, and
performance is absolutely incredible. Many thanks go to McLaren and
the extra efforts they made on my behalf."
In 2015, the P1 was acquired by its second owner, also based in
Florida, and it has been very well kept and maintained in his
collection since. In March 2016, the P1 participated in a standing
mile competition at the Shuttle Landing Facility at the John F.
Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida. At the
competition, the P1 handedly earned the fastest run of the day and
was the only car to break the 200-mph barrier, clocking an
impressive 205.296 mph at the mile marker. The car continued to
accelerate, topping 214 mph at 1.25 miles before slowing down at
the end of the runway. It is believed that this was the fastest
standing mile ever completed for an unmodified car. More recently,
the P1 has been fully serviced at McLaren Tampa where it was fitted
with a new primary battery.
Only 375 P1s were built, making it the rarest of the hybrid
hypercar trio. As such, it will surely remain collectable not only
for its rarity, but for its innovative performance and stunning
good looks. Benefitting from just two owners, less than 750 miles,
and following a fresh service, this P1 is ready to be driven (at
top speed!) and enjoyed by its next custodian.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction,
please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/am19.