Mclaren P1
Mclaren.
The McLaren P1™ is a stunning piece of automotive design, but you won’t find any needless ornaments or frivolous styling features on it. Every surface has been designed to work, every part given the same aerodynamic consideration as if it was part of an aircraft or a Formula 1™ car.
The bodywork is ‘shrink-wrapped’ as tightly as possible over the mechanical hard points of the car and the cockpit sits right at the centre. This approach helps to reduce frontal surface area, but also makes it easier to manage airflow over the surface of the bodywork and into the engine’s roof snorkel intake and to the active aero components. It looks awesome, and it works very efficiently.
The mid-mounted twin-turbo V8 engine is derived from the one fitted to
the 12C, but with numerous and significant differences. A unique block
casting is used to incorporate the IPAS electric motor, and the use of
new larger high-pressure turbochargers. By itself, the V8 produces an
already astonishing 737PS, but it has been designed to work in
conjunction with the electric motor, which gives seamless performance
and takes the powertrain’s combined output to a dizzying 916PS.
RACE ACTIVE CHASSIS CONTROL
Probably the most advanced suspension system ever fitted to a road car, RCC uses independent hydro-pneumatic control of spring rate and damping at each wheel. This enables both roll and pitch to be countered and controlled, allowing the McLaren P1™ to combine outstanding body control and flat cornering. RCC also enables the car’s ride height to be altered when required, with Race mode lowering the body by 50mm and increasing spring stiffness by 300 per cent.
IPAS
The Instant Power Assist System is a powerful electric motor integrated into the powertrain. The motor weighs just 26kg and produces 179PS – more than double the power of a Formula 1™ KERS unit. It boosts performance, whether deployed through the IPAS button on the steering wheel or working automatically, but it also dramatically sharpens throttle response by filling the torque gap as the V8’s twin turbochargers spool up.
ACTIVE AERODYNAMICS
The importance of high-speed stability means the McLaren P1™ has been designed to produce more downforce than any other road car. Moveable front and rear wings can produce a peak of 600kg of downforce in Race mode, increasing both grip and driver confidence. The rear wing also incorporates a Formula 1™ inspired DRS (Drag Reduction System), which reduces the wing element’s angle to zero degrees when the DRS button on the steering wheel is pressed, reducing drag by 23 per cent.
CARBON CERAMIC BRAKES
The astonishing performance of the McLaren P1™ requires equally powerful brakes. The system is closer to the performance offered by a GT3 race car than any road-going rival. A new type of ceramic carbon is used in the brake discs that can absorb 50 per cent more energy than conventional ceramic rotors. The McLaren P1™ also has Brake Steer – a McLaren-designed technology that has now been banned from Formula 1™ for providing us too much of an advantage. The system applies brake force to the inner rear wheel on fast corner entry to bring the car’s nose tighter to the apex. The same wheel is trimmed again on the exit of the corner, pushing the torque to the outer wheel for increased traction during acceleration.source:http://cars.mclaren.com/P1/Design-and-Innovation
