McLaren released details of the engine that is inside the P1 car. This car has been long awaited, as the follow up to the successful F1. It will sport a 3.8 liter twin turbo V8 petrol engine and an electric motor, combining to deliver 903 bhp and 900 nm of torque.

The McLaren P1 twin turbo V8 engine is a new version of the M838T that was in the McLaren MP4-12C. It has been uprated and pushes out 727 bhp at 7,500 rpm with 720 nm of torque from 4,000 rpm.

They have nabbed their Formula 1 technology including their IPAS (Instant Power Assist System) and DRS (Drag Reduction System). These help improve power and straight line speed.

The IPAS system enhances the power by 176bhp instantly and the DRS system works with the rear wing to reduce drag by 23 percent. Both of these features are available on the steering wheel.

The talking point is the further adoption of an electric motor which delivers 176bhp and 260nm of torque.

The company say that  electric motors can deliver incredible torque and when combined with a combustion engine the rewards are noticeable.

The P1's electric motor interacts with the engine via a dual clutch seven speed gearbox which drives the rear wheels and will deliver faster upshifts due to instant negative torque at the point of shift. Full electric mode will only deliver a range of 6.2 miles. There has been no mention of top speed yet or acceleration figures, but we would expect them to be class leading.

You can read more over here.

Kitguru says: An innovative design from McLaren, if you can afford it.

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