McLaren has announced that its fastest production hypercar, the W1, has completed the hot weather testing in Arizona. The brand claims that during two intense weeks in the Arizona desert, with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), the team covered more than 5,000km with two validation prototype vehicles, and completed hundreds of hours of wheel time as well as countless repeat tests.
Vikram Shah, McLaren Vehicle Development Engineer, likens the conditions in Arizona to a "torture chamber", in other words, a perfect environment in which to challenge W1's resilience. "It is our job to test the car to its absolute limits. The temperature was extremely harsh - but it's not just about the temperature. It's the vibrations over the kerbs, the G-forces, the braking loads... it was a very good test to ensure it can handle these conditions."
In terms of specifications, the McLaren W1 draws power from the MHP-8 V8 combustion engine, delivering an impressive 915 horsepower. With an output of 233PS per liter of engine capacity, it boasts one of the highest power-to-displacement ratios ever seen in a McLaren, highlighting its remarkable efficiency and performance engineering.
McLaren W1 hot weather testing
W1 is claimed to be the fastest-accelerating and fastest-lapping road-legal McLaren ever, achieving the astonishing combination of being quicker than a Speedtail to 300km/h (186mph) in a straight line and 3 seconds a lap ahead of a McLaren Senna on McLaren's reference track. It boasts an incredible acceleration of 0-200km/h (0-124mph) in 5.8 seconds and 0-300km/h (0-186mph) in less than 12.7 seconds; maximum speed electronically limited to 350km/h.
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