With so many extreme performance cars in the works, it can be hard to keep them all straight. And it’s about to get even more confusing, as McLaren reportedly has been secretly developing a no-holds-barred “track weapon” that will debut later this year.
McLaren currently is developing what will be the third model in its Ultimate Series, alongside the P1 and track-only P1 GTR, and is expected to unveil it late 2017, Autocar reports, citing anonymous sources. The car, codenamed “P15,” will be less-powerful than the Ultimate models, as its engine won’t be mated to an electric motor, but it’s still expected to match the P1’s 2.7-second zero to 60 mph time.
The “P15,” like all McLaren’s, will feature a mid-mounted 3.8-liter V-8, though it will be tuned to produce 789 horsepower, compared to the 727 horsepower you get from the P1’s internal combustion engine. What’s more, at 1,300 kilograms (2,866 pounds), it will weigh 247 kilograms (545 pounds) less than the P1 and have a power-to-weight ratio of 607 horsepower per metric ton.
Its lighter weight, while partly due to a lack of batteries, is largely the result of a bare-bones design, which reportedly prioritizes on-track performance ahead of road-going utility. Apart from slightly padded light-weight racing seats, it will have no excess fat, with one of Autocar’s sources claiming it only has bodywork in places where it provides a performance advantage.
“This is the ultimate distillation of form following function,” they told Autocar. “Whichever part of the car you look at, you will visually understand the function of the components.”
The other major similarities between the “P15” and the rest of the McLaren’s Ultimate Series are expected to be its exclusivity and price. McLaren is only expected to make 500 examples of the “P15” and it reportedly will have a starting price of £840,00 ($1,101,710).
Thumbnail photo via McLaren
