The reason the new McLaren W1 has higher bhp but has a lower top speed than a 30-year-old F1 has been explained
- McLaren launched the W1 last year
- The car packs a serious amount of power
- But it’s slower than its predecessor – here’s why
Published on Mar 02, 2025 at 11:00 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Feb 28, 2025 at 12:46 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
The McLaren W1 launched last year to much fanfare, but car lovers may have noticed that while the vehicle is twice as powerful as the 1992 F1, it isn’t as fast – here’s why.
McLaren unveiled its $2.6 million W1 supercar in October last year.
The stunning motor is a more than worthy successor to the F1 and P1.
However, although the hybrid packs in more power than the F1, it doesn’t quite match it’s speed – but there’s actual a very good reason for that.
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The McLaren W1 is a seriously powerful vehicle
When it was launched in 2024, the marque hailed the W1 as the ‘new ultimate McLaren’ following in the footsteps of the F1 and P1 models.
“The McLaren designers who brought W1 to life were aware from the moment they began to work on the project that they would be making history, creating a new Ultimate McLaren inspired by decades of Formula 1 racing heritage and two of the greatest supercars ever – the McLaren F1 and McLaren P1,” McLaren CEO Michael Leiters said.
The W1 comes with an all-new V8 hybrid powertrain that produces a staggering 1,275 horsepower – the highest ever output of a McLaren engine.
It’s a lot more powerful than the 618 horsepower F1 and even the 903 horsepower McLaren P1.
However, despite all this extra power the McLaren W1 has an electronically-limited top speed of 350km/h (217mph).
Whereas the McLaren F1, which was launched all the way back in 1992, had a top speed of 386km/h (240mph).
So, why is it slower than the old McLaren F1?
Now, you may be wondering why McLaren decided against making a super-fast motor with the W1.
Well, the automaker says it opted for a different driving experience this time around.
In an interview with Autocar, the W1’s vehicle line director Alex Gibson explained the thinking behind the car.
“Ultimate top speed – Top Trumps – is not a number that we’re chasing with this product,” he said.
He went on to say that creating cars capable of topping 450km/h (280mph) would require ‘compromises’ when it comes to driving in the real world.
These compromises included things like ‘really stiff sidewalls’ on the tires, that can have a negative impact on the comfort of day-to-day driving – something McLaren was keen to avoid.
“Those were avenues we didn’t want to pursue with this product,” he added.
“Most of the time this car will be used will be your point-to-point driving experience.”
When you put it like that, it sounds fair enough.
Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
