It’s difficult to argue that McLaren doesn’t go all-out when they build a supercar. The company announced the W1 as the name for its upcoming flagship supercar, tying its lineage to the F1 and the P1. The W1 is rumored to be a hybrid-V8-powered, all-wheel-drive monster. The car will be revealed on October 6, the fifth anniversary of the company’s first Formula One World Championship.
McLaren has been working on the W1 for a long time, and information occasionally trickled out about development. In 2019, then-CEO Mike Flewitt stated that the next flagship car would be all-wheel-drive and be equipped with a hybrid system. Flewitt also said the supercar would have a 0-to-60 time of 2.3 seconds. McLaren confirmed in a 2023 global retailer meeting that it was working on this hybrid system, which would be 70 percent lighter than its previous systems.
While speculating on the potential numbers on the spec sheet is all we have for now, the W1 will have to be an evocative machine to live up to the expectations set by its forebearers. The F1 was the fastest production car on the planet and the first modern road car effort for McLaren, a championship-winning F1 team. The P1 adapted modern Formula 1 technology into a supercar form, featuring active suspension, adjustable aerodynamics and hybrid power. What will the W1 be remembered for?