McLaren Unveils 1,258bhp W1 Hypercar at £2.0 Million as RWD Layout Defies AWD Trend
Updated
Updated · Autocar · Jun 26
McLaren Unveils 1,258bhp W1 Hypercar at £2.0 Million as RWD Layout Defies AWD Trend
1 articles · Updated · Autocar · Jun 26
Summary
McLaren’s new W1 arrives as the third ‘1’ car after the F1 and P1, pairing 1,258bhp with rear-wheel drive in a segment where rivals increasingly use all-wheel drive to manage four-figure power.
1,399kg dry weight sits at the center of the W1’s engineering brief: McLaren says it rejected plug-in hybrid hardware and other weight-adding systems to keep the car as light as possible.
The W1 keeps core McLaren hypercar cues—carbonfibre tub, mid-engined layout and hybrid assistance—while positioning itself as the P1’s successor with a more minimalist mechanical setup.
That approach highlights McLaren’s broader bet that lower mass and mechanical simplicity can offset the traction advantages many competitors seek through front-axle electric motors and four driven wheels.