McLaren draws on the past to launch a new P1 GTR

McLaren has drawn on its illustrious past to launch one of its most exciting cars for the future. A production-ready P1 GTR will be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show, finished in the same color scheme that adorned its famous namesake, the F1 GTR. The P1 GTR is a fully stripped out, tuned up, track-only version of the McLaren's insane hybrid P1 hypercar, designed to showcase just how far Woking's finest engineers can push the performance envelope.

For those who haven't been following the P1 GTR's gestation, McLaren displayed a "design study" at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance which gave most details away about the GTR's spec. Since then, the company has made a number of changes to the GTR's aerodynamics package that it claims will facilitate cooling and downforce, both of which are key when your car produces 986 hp (735 kW).

You read that right, just like the design study promised, the production GTR's 3.8-liter V8 petrol engine will produce 789 hp (588 kW), while its electric companion provides a supplementary 197 hp (148 kW) from standstill. As you'd expect of something this fast, the GTR can't be driven on the roads. Instead, owners will work with McLaren to create an individual driver program based on fitness tests, a special seat fitting and a personal consultation with McLaren's Design Director, Frank Stephenson to tailor the GTR's livery to each owner's preferences.

If it were us, we'd stick with the throwback paintjob that McLaren has chosen for the car's Geneva debut. The green and gold livery harks back to the F1 GTR that raced in 1995 and 1996 and achieved a podium at the 1995 Le Mans 24 Hours, and looks absolutely fantastic on the P1 GTR's shrink wrapped carbon fiber bodywork.

That carbon fiber bodywork includes the car's massive rear wing, which sits 40 cm (16 in) clear of the rear body and contributes to the 660 kg (1,455 lb) of downforce the GTR's aero package makes at 150 mph (241 km/h), a significant increase over the downforce produced by the standard car's less aggressive package.

The P1 GTR will make its formal debut at the Geneva Motor Show, where Gizmag will be on the ground to cover all the action. Owners will get to drive their cars for the first time at Circuit de Catalunya later this year.

Source: McLaren