McLaren W1 set as P1 successor, debuts Oct. 6

A new McLaren hypercar is just around the corner, and not just any old hypercar, but the successor to the P1.

McLaren on Friday revealed the car's name as W1, and confirmed the debut will take place on Oct. 6.

The naming format, which combines a letter and the number one, links the new car to McLaren's P1 and F1, and is reserved for the pinnacle of the automaker's road car lineup.

The “W” here is a nod to what McLaren calls its “World Championship mindset." The new car's debut marks the 50th anniversary of McLaren winning its first Formula 1 Constructors' Championship and Emerson Fittipaldi winning the 1974 F1 Drivers’ Championship for the team. While the F1 name needs no explanation (OK, it's based on Formula 1), the P1 name signified both pole position and being in the lead spot, or P1, during a race.

The W1 was previously referred to under the code name P18. It's the next installment in McLaren's Ultimate Series, whose last addition was the Speedtail grand tourer. According to a report from last year, it may start deliveries in 2026.

The W1 is expected to feature a plug-in hybrid powertrain using a newly developed twin-turbocharged V-8 as its gas component. While the configuration is the same as what McLaren used in the P1 launched more than a decade ago, the new car is expected to benefit from a much lighter hybrid system. Peak output should also be higher than the 1,055 hp of the Speedtail, which was also a V-8 plug-in hybrid. That should result in a significant boost in performance compared to the P1, which had 903 hp.

Other features are tipped to include a newly developed carbon-fiber tub, gullwing doors (instead of McLaren's typical butterfly doors), and F1 race car-inspired styling. Production is expected to be limited to less than 400 units, just like the P1 whose production was capped at 375 units.