The first digital scribble of the 986bhp track-only hyper-hybrid. For when a normal P1 just isn’t enough

Last month McLaren confirmed it will build a track-only variant of the ballistic P1. In essence, Ron Dennis unfurled his carbon fibre quill, and wrote a letter to all 375 owners of the ‘normal’ P1 wondering if they’d be interested in a yet-faster race version of the hyper-hybrid. And the owners said, ‘Do bears defecate in arboreal regions? Get a wriggle on!’
So here it is, is the first official design rendering of the McLaren P1 GTR. The chaps from Woking will be taking a full design concept to Pebble Beach’s Concours d’Elegance next month. Don’t worry, we’ll be there.
From the initial sketch, it seems the ‘hardcore’ brief wasn’t taken too lightly. There’s a one-piece fixed wing, wider track and double-barrel bazooka exhausts. Oh yes.
As we’ve only seen the car in render form so far, performance figures remain unconfirmed. What we do know is that it’s aiming for a 1,000PS output (986bhp, a gain of 83bhp over the current model), though it’s not clear if that’s from electrical enhancement or simply turning the wick up further on the twin turbo 3.8-litre V8.
The aerodynamics will also be enhanced to deliver more downforce, and the GTR will feature ‘race-proven’ slicks.
Considering the standard P1 is capable of pulling 2.15 lateral g and batting past 60mph and 100mph in 2.5sec and 5.0sec respectively, just how much faster will the GTR be? Could 2.0sec to 60mph be possible? Sub-4.5sec to 100mph? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Fancy one? Well, you’re only eligible if you’ve got a road-going P1. So if you’ve been down the pub telling your mates you put off buying the normal P1 because you’re waiting for a faster one, that one won’t rub.
You’ll also need a lot of money – £1.98 million to be precise. Which is a pretty hefty increase on the £866,000 charged for the ‘boggo’ P1.
For that money you’ll also be enrolled in McLaren’s P1 GTR program, which includes track days at current Formula One circuits around the world, as well as advice and consultations with important McLaren people and access to the F1 team’s fabled racing simulators.
The limited run of P1 GTRs will go into production when the 375th and final P1 drops off the line. That’ll be in June 2015, exactly two decades after McLaren’s victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a McLaren F1 GTR.
Wouldn’t that make rather convenient timing for a McLaren return to Le Mans? It’s not like they don’t have skills, expertise or hybrid hardware to compete…