McLaren P1

[RicerDude]

Does anyone know for sure if the P1 will lap the topgear track tonight?

They last time it was on they said it would go head-2-head with the 918 after Hammond drives it...and that's definitely tonight

5/7. Richard Hammond visits Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina circuit to drive the Porsche 918 Spyder, a four-wheel-drive hybrid hypercar capable of astonishing speeds thanks to the 886 horsepower it can generate from its screaming V8 petrol engine and electric motors. Jeremy Clarkson and James May join forces to create a public information film to promote safer cycling, with their efforts presented to a panel of experts including members of Westminster Council and Olympic gold medal-winning rider Chris Boardman. Meanwhile, Jeremy - who has promised to change his name to Jennifer if the Porsche is faster around the test track than the McLaren P1 driven earlier in the series - compares the seventh-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI to BMW's critically acclaimed M135i. Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul fires up the Reasonably Priced Car to see what lap time he can achieve.

This is the official programme description.

[piast9]

And they are going to show the P1 and 918 laps MORE LATE than JUST after Hammond drives it... :/

[Juzh]

acceleration run:
http://youtu.be/zj29plvUkqA?t=5m22s

[George-Jung]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGJqQN8ZJds[/youtube]

[krisfx]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGJqQN8ZJds

The most impressive part of this video is the Nissan GTR that can still keep up with it from launch....

[johnsonwax]

The most impressive part of this video is the Nissan GTR that can still keep up with it from launch....

We don't know if it's stock or not (I would assume not, given the setting). There's a GTR tuning shop near my house, and they can push the HP up north of 700. But it's the AWD that gets it (and the Veyron) off the line. It's why the 918 is faster 0-60. With enough HP you're going to become traction limited. Until you can start generating downforce you have no choice but to increase the contact patch you transfer power through.

So, a RWD keeping up with a high-horsepower AWD off the line is actually rather amazing.

[popovic94]

GTR haves 850hp, writes in the information below the video

[johnsonwax]

GTR haves 850hp, writes in the information below the video

Well, that would definitely explain keeping up with the P1 on 0-100.

[Powerslide]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlgJV37KUz4[/youtube]
somewhere in that video it compares a P1 and 918 Spyder

[lks]

So 918 faster of the line, but P1 faster on a 1/4 mile.

[johnsonwax]

So 918 faster of the line, but P1 faster on a 1/4 mile.

Yeah. AWD helps get all that torque to the road, but the 918 is heavier enough that the P1 has better power/weight and takes off once the torque is no longer a problem. I'm not sure the LaFerrari will be any faster than the P1 0-60 due to the same issues. The tires are the limiting factor, and both cars weight the same, so they'll probably be even. LaFerrari should beat it given a sufficiently long stretch of road, though. That HP will eventually win.

The bigger question is on the turns. Does the 918 AWD get the car out of the turn faster (probably does on the slower turns), or does the P1 downforce do the job (probably does on the fast turns)? I think the LaFerrari might be the loser in that game.

It's pretty interesting how the designers handled trade-offs in these vehicles, and my guess is that fans of each car will proclaim their measure of speed to be the proper one. Looking forward to finally getting head-head matchups between the vehicles. That's proving surprisingly difficult to get published.

[George-Jung]

Want to buy a brand new, but 'cheaper' P1?

http://www.mclarenstore.com/en/uk/model ... nvt/amc054

[Powerslide]

this would have been my choice. there is a youtube video of it at goodwood and it is very quick

[George-Jung]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4LUOE7p7c8[/youtube]

[Pierce89]

So 918 faster of the line, but P1 faster on a 1/4 mile.

Yeah. AWD helps get all that torque to the road, but the 918 is heavier enough that the P1 has better power/weight and takes off once the torque is no longer a problem. I'm not sure the LaFerrari will be any faster than the P1 0-60 due to the same issues. The tires are the limiting factor, and both cars weight the same, so they'll probably be even. LaFerrari should beat it given a sufficiently long stretch of road, though. That HP will eventually win.

The bigger question is on the turns. Does the 918 AWD get the car out of the turn faster (probably does on the slower turns), or does the P1 downforce do the job (probably does on the fast turns)? I think the LaFerrari might be the loser in that game.

It's pretty interesting how the designers handled trade-offs in these vehicles, and my guess is that fans of each car will proclaim their measure of speed to be the proper one. Looking forward to finally getting head-head matchups between the vehicles. That's proving surprisingly difficult to get published.

The LaFerrari is supposed to have more down force than the Mclaren. I read the latest print edition of Top Gear and it said LaFerrari moved the supercar goalposts. I think Ferrari and Mclaren will be virtually identical in acceleration tests, while the Ferrari will be quicker on the racetrack. Both will murder the Porsche on a high speed racetrack like Spa or Suzuka.