McLaren has officially confirmed the P1's hybrid powertrain will be able to give a combined output of 916 hp and a maximum torque of 900 Nm.
Specifically, the British supercar will be powered by a mid-mounted 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 gasoline engine which produces 737 hp at 7,500 rpm and 720 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. It will work together with a lightweight electric motor that develops 179 hp and 260 Nm of torque.
The power is further enhanced on the P1 through two steering wheel-mounted buttons which activate the Drag Reduction System (DRS) and Instant Power Assist System (IPAS).
DRS is a technology similar to that employed on Formula 1 cars, with speed is increased by reducing the amount of drag on the rear wing. The P1's rear wing reduces in angle to lower drag by 23 percent. The system immediately deactivates when the button is released or if the driver touches the brake pedal.
IPAS is designed to deliver power rapidly for high performance acceleration and provides 179 hp of instant additional power. In developing the IPAS technology for the P1, power delivery was prioritised over energy storage. This is achieved through a groundbreaking, lightweight battery pack, which offers greater power density than any other automotive battery pack on sale today.
The 96 kg battery will be mounted on the underside of the high-strength Formula 1-grade carbon fiber MonoCage chassis and will be fully charged in 2 hours via a plug-in charger which can be stored in the luggage compartment. It will allow the McLaren P1 to travel up to 6 miles (9.6 km) in electric mode.
Further details will be released in the coming weeks, before the production version makes its world debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show next month.
