Currently using a 720S test mule in development, today we have the first insight into the future of McLaren P1 and it’s certainly an exciting time. First and foremost, we should say the five years since the P1 was released has flow by; in this time, it has become the pinnacle of performance for road cars by McLaren and many others. However, the next generation of hypercars is just around the corner and the market looks as though it’ll be led by the Mercedes-AMG Project One as well as the Aston Martin Valkyrie.
Now, McLaren has started the development process on the BP23 Hyper-GT and the manufacturers have already hinted at this being the fastest McLaren of all time. So far, we’ve seen some teaser sketches but some new details have now been released from the automaker. At first, the photos look like replicas of the 720S and, well, this is because they are. Right now, McLaren and their Special Operations division is using the 720S shell in order to develop the BP23 Hyper-GT. Once you get a look inside, this is where the similarities end. For one thing, there are three seats available with the driver seated in the middle much like the classic McLaren F1.
According to McLaren, the interior was actually only confirmed a couple of months ago and the model release will boast the 1+2 seating design. Furthermore, McLaren has been quick to suggest the model isn't just built for the track despite being aerodynamically-optimized, powerful, and (understatement of the year coming up) fast. In fact, McLaren doesn’t want their performance measured in lap times at all. With this, it makes you wonder where the bold claim of ‘fastest McLaren ever’ comes from. For now, Andy Palmer, Line Director for McLaren’s Ultimate Series, is playing the cards close to his chest by saying ‘It’s just faster and this is all we’re saying for the moment’.
In a recent interview, Palmer was asked numerous questions and he noted the goal of the model as providing customers with high-speed, high-performance, and a high level of luxury. In terms of track models, it looks as though McLaren has chosen the P15 Ultimate Series which is set to arrive before the BP23 and this is due to the complexity of the latter’s seating arrangement. Despite not being legal across the globe yet, it’s thought the side mirrors on the BP23 will be replaced by cameras. Additionally, a hybrid powertrain will be at the core of the car and should pull all the possible power from the twin-turbocharged V8 engine.
With the P1, we had horsepower of over 900 which allowed 0-62mph in just 2.8 seconds; can the BP23 really beat this? With everything we’ve heard so far, McLaren certainly seem confident and we can’t wait to see the result. Unfortunately, we still have a couple of years to wait since deliveries are due to start in 2019. To double the bad news, 106 models are set to be released and all of them are now accounted for. However, that doesn’t mean we won’t see the model and we look forward to bringing you more news in the future.
Tags: McLaren, Breaking News, New Model, Spy Photos, supercars