More than 11 years after ripping the covers off its P1 flagship hypercar, McLaren has unveiled its successor, the W1.

Just 399 examples of the W1 will be produced, at a price tag of £2 million British pounds (or R45 million at today’s exchange rate) but don’t bother allocating those lotto winnings just yet as they’ve all been spoken for.

As you would expect, McLaren’s information pack for the new hypercar uses the word “most” more than just a few times, but very importantly the W1 is the most powerful road car that the British sports car maker has ever conceived.

At its heart is a brand new V8 hybrid powertrain that thunders out 938kW and 1,340Nm, allowing it to surge from 0-100km/h in a claimed 2.7 seconds and to 300km/h in 12.7 seconds, which is less than what your average compact SUV needs to get to 100..

Just 399 examples of the McLaren W1 will be produced. Picture: Supplied

The combustion component of the hybrid system is a new ‘MHP-8’ twin-turbo V8 that produces 682kW and revs to a screaming 9,000rpm. It pairs up with a 255kW electric motor.

Power and torque go to the rear wheels only, through a new eight-speed transmission and electronic differential.

And while the powertrain is certainly impressive in its own right, McLaren’s obsessive weight trimming is perhaps the real secret to its scintillating performance.

Tipping the scales at 1,399kg, thanks largely to its carbon fibre structure, the McLaren W1 weighs less than a Golf GTI, making for a power-to-weight ratio of 670kW per tonne, the highest ever for a McLaren road car.

The vehicle’s suspension works in conjunction with the front and rear active aero systems that are integrated into a unique underfloor design whose ground effect aerodynamics are said to mitigate the need for all-wheel drive.

“Formula 1-derived aerodynamics, pure rear-wheel drive and McLaren hydraulic performance steering showcase McLaren’s approach to purposeful innovation as a racing company that always delivers the best possible performance,” Michael Leiters, Chief Executive of McLaren Automotive, enthused.

“It is therefore no surprise that the new W1 is our fastest-lapping and fastest accelerating road-legal car ever. It also provides the purest driver connection by remaining true to the principles that underpin the ultimate supercar driving experience. This really is a car that only McLaren could create.”

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