Compared to the controllable yet vivacious characters of the cars it met when it emerged in production in 2013 – the Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder – the P1 delivered an altogether more sinister side, gaining it a reputation for having more of a bite. As much as it’s a driver’s car, this is a car that demand the respect of the person behind the wheel.
At launch, the McLaren P1 had an astronomical price tag that suited its astronomical capabilities. In the US, a 2013 P1 Coupe would set you back $1,350,000 for an example out of the showroom. That sum would net you the one and only trim level, which itself includes some niche styling details that only grace a car of this caliber. Gold heat shields adorn the engine bay – a nod back to the car’s spiritual predecessor, the McLaren F1, as well as providing the P1 with excellent heat dissipation capabilities.
Buyers seeking a factory-fresh example had to act fast however – the P1’s run was limited to just 375 units to preserve exclusivity, and all of those were accounted for by November 2013 after order books opened that October. Buyers at this level can spec all the exclusivity they want, and through McLaren’s MSO division around 75% of new P1’s featured some form of exclusive customization – pushing the average order price to closer to $1.6 million.
This Pearl White McLaren P1 currently offered on Collecting Cars might give you the best chance of owning a highly-revered modern hypercar. Chassis SBM12ABB7EW000043, which as the number states, is number out of the 375 examples ever made and has only 7100 km (4411 miles) since new. So, this means that this car is barely used after 8 years; there might be even lower mileage ones out there, but this one is very close to being brand new anyway.
This specific McLaren P1 was originally delivered new to Qatar and went through two private owners before it ended up being listed for auction now. The car is finished in Pearl White with Stealth lightweight alloy wheels, a matte black bonnet, and comes with plenty of carbon-fibre across the door mirror covers, bumper inserts, side panels, front splitter, rear diffuser, side skirts, rear clam insert, and rear wing.
Moving to the interior, you’ll find an Almond White leather cabin with Carbon Black Alcantara upholstery and Harissa Red stitching. Carbon-fibre seat backs and extensive carbon-fibre trim are also present inside. Additional factory specifications include front and rear parking sensors, a leather and carbon-fibre-trimmed multifunctional steering wheel, launch control, a built-in touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, push-button start, ‘E-mode’, a digital dashboard, a Meridian surround sound system, and electrically adjustable folding door mirrors.
Power comes mostly from a twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 – the same as used across the McLaren range, but tweaked to output 727hp and 531lb ft of torque – combined with a lightweight and KERS-fed electric motor, that puts a further 176hp and 192lb ft at the driver’s disposal. That power reaches the rear wheels via seven-speed twin clutch gearbox. The top speed may be below the F1 – an electronically limited 217mph to the F1’s 240+mph VMax – but absolute maximum speed is not what P1 is about. A 1547kg car with 903hp is not going to hang about off the line, and the P1 makes the dash from 0-62mph in 2.8 seconds. 186mph comes up in just 16.5 seconds from standstill.
Don’t miss this rare chance of becoming the next owner of this superbly and eye-catching example of a McLaren P1 before the auction closes tomorrow, so head over to Collecting Cars now and get a bid in now before this one gets away from you.
Note: All photos are courtesy of Collecting Cars
