And the W1 needs one to do its best work. Even in a world where the new generation of electric hypercars has changed expectations, this is a phenomenally fast machine. The W1 can accelerate to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds, 124 mph in 5.8 and 186 mph in “less than 12.7 seconds.” That makes it faster than the highly aerodynamic Speedtail, and the W1 is also three seconds per lap faster around McLaren’s benchmark test track, at the Italian Nardo proving ground, than the aggressively aerodynamic Senna. Its top speed is an electronically limited 217 mph.
Powertrain options in Race mode include a GP setting for consistency over longer races, or Sprint for the 1,258bhp. Custom-made Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires are standard, 265/35 at the front and 335/30 at the rear (there are also less extreme Pirellis R and Winter 2).
The steering is also fully hydraulic, a key McLaren USP, while virtually everyone else adopts an all-electric setup. The brakes use the McLaren Carbon Ceramic-Racing+ setup, with 390-millimeter discs front and rear, and six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston calipers at the rear. There are F1-style ducts and aerodynamic wheel appendages to optimize cooling. The W1 can stop from 200 km/h in 100 meters.
InnoKnit interior
Inside, fixed seats and raised footwell give the W1 the feel of a well-bred racing car. The pedals, flat-bottom steering wheel and primary controls are adjusted to fit the driver. The W1 has the narrowest A-pillars of any McLaren, slim sun visors and a rear-view camera to compensate for the lack of over-the-shoulder visibility.
Courtesy of McLaren
The steering wheel now has two buttons, one for the Boost function and the other to modify the aerodynamics, but it’s still less busy than a Ferrari steering wheel. As in the McLaren Artura and 750 S, chassis and powertrain modes can be adjusted via rocker switches at the top of the instrument binnacle. The binnacle itself has a streamlined shape.
There is a high-resolution central touchscreen, as in other McLarens, although in the W1 these considerations are surely secondary. There is a modest amount of storage space behind the seats. McLaren is also pioneering an interior finish called InnoKnit, an ultra-light sustainable material that can be customized in various colors and integrates audio and ambient lighting. Your Special Operations division is ready and waiting to customize the car.
For this, the £2 million cost of the W1 ($2.6 million) is just the starting point. It’s academic anyway, because production is limited to 399 cars, all of which are announced. McLaren Automotive has had a turbulent few years, but the W1 is a once-in-a-generation technological marvel.