It’s only February, but already there’s a contender for the year’s best super car. And not just any top-end speed monster, either – the McLaren P1 is a green machine. And since the press shots show a yellow paint-job, this can only mean ‘green’ as in eco-friendly.
Even though it can hit 62mph in three seconds, the impact of revving it up can be consolidated by the P1’s innovative energy-saving technology. Running on petrol with an additional electric motor, its CO2 emissions will be way below that of most other super cars. At 200g/km, it’s 10-20% greener than its competitors, and even includes an electric-only mode with zero emissions, which runs for around six miles.
Then take a look at the thing – a snarling speed buggy that outstrips even the “best car in the world,” McLaren’s own 12C Spider, in the cosmetics department. True, it’s almost exactly the same as the prototypes revealed last year – the only difference being a couple of air vents ahead of the front wheels. But with the look of a Lotus Elise reimagined by George Lucas, this is the motor that really looks like it’s operating in another dimension. Unfortunately, this kind of whizz-bang doesn’t come cheap, even by super-car standards.
Limited to a fleet of 375, the McLaren P1 will set you back £866,000 when it hits the mega-exclusive forecourts this Autumn. A first glimpse of the P1 is being offered to attendees of the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Ask a mechanic nicely and he may let you take one for a spin – or not.
