It’s starting to look as if the McLaren X-1 – revealed at Pebble Beach – could actually be the new McLaren F1 under the skin.
After much digging and many phone calls over the weekend, it looks like the McLaren X-1 was built for a member of a Middle East Royal family and cost somewhere in the region of £3 million to create.
Now if you were a clued-up petrolhead Royal with very deep pockets, and a knowledge of what McLaren were planning with the new F1, would you fork out serious money for a one-off supercar based on McLaren’s ‘Lesser’ car?
Of course, the new F1 is expected to be very similar under the skin to the MP4-12C with the same carbon fibre tub and 3.8 litre V8. The difference is in the detail, with the new F1 expected to yield as much as 800bhp from the same V8 and an additional 200bhp from a KERS power boost.
McLaren did say in the press release that the X-1 ‘shares the same the major mechanical components as the 12C, including the twin-turbo 625PS engine‘ but we know the X-1 is heading back to Woking before it heads off to its new owner.
It could be that the claim the X-1 has the new F1’s powerplant is just a bit of bragging (especially as the X-1’s secrets are between McLaren and its owner) but could that trip back to Woking before the X-1 heads off to its new owner be to turn the volume up on the V8 to 800bhp?
We’ve tried asking McLaren what they think, but we’ve had no response. Still, it’s interesting to think we might have seen the new F1 and didn’t realise it.
Update: McLaren has been in touch to say that the underpinnings of the X-1 really are a 2013 MP4-12C and not the new F1. Oh, well. Still, we’re sure the McBatmobile has given some deep-pocketed buyers with ‘individual’ tastes lots of ideas of what they could get McLaren to do with the new F1.
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Peloton25 says
In the future, you can always try asking me something before you go to press when it comes to McLaren content. If I know the answer and can tell you I’d much rather your reporting was as factual as possible rather than just based on some amount of rumor or supposition.
In this case the project to build X-1 is three years in the making and development of P12 is still ongoing from a functional standpoint. That fact alone makes it unlikely this car would have the underpinnings of P12. Also the car’s designer, Hong Yeo, and I had a couple of good conversations in Monterey and he along with one other person from MSO stated the powertrain was equivalent to a 2013 12C in every respect. This was necessary so that the X-1 conforms to all currently existing worldwide emissions regulations which P12 is probably still awaiting sign-offs on.
The trip back to Woking is just for some final tweaking to the suspension as X-1 does handle somewhat differently than the 12C given there is a small shift in the overall weight balance with all the changes made. I am sure they also plan to ensure the trip to America didn’t cause any issues with the car before they deliver it to its eagerly waiting owner who was very kind to allow them to show it off here at Quail.
Also, if you want to share some better photos than the studio shots, here are a pair of mine. 🙂
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peloton25/7814196498/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peloton25/7827881028/
Cheers!
>8^)
Erik
Cars UK says
Thanks, Erik. Much appreciated.