In the early ‘90s, McLaren applied its decades of knowledge and experience from building race cars to the creation of its first-ever road-going production model, the F1. Becoming the world’s fastest production car upon its release, the F1 stood as one of the most exotic, high-performance automobiles that money could buy, and while over 30 years have come and gone since the F1’s debut, the British marque’s 1 Series models continue to represent the pinnacle of performance for road-legal rides — as evidenced by the latest 1-badged flagship, the all-new McLaren W1.
Framework Of The Future
Revealed on the 50th anniversary of McLaren’s first-ever Formula 1 World Championship win, the W1 was engineered and designed with a focus on celebrating the British brand’s unrelenting World Championship mindset. Following in the footsteps of the F1 and P1, the entire vehicle is constructed around around McLaren’s most advanced carbon fiber monocoque to date — an all-new setup known as the McLaren Aerocell.
Potent Plug-In
In typical McLaren fashion, a monumental part of what makes this state-of-the-art supercar so special is its powertrain. Christened the MHP-8, the W1’s engine is comprised of an advanced 4.0-liter V8 that’s been fitted with twin turbochargers and a new E-module. Sporting a longitudinal mid-engined, this plug-in-hybrid powertrain also boasts port and direct injection, an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, and an integrated E-Differential sending power to the W1’s rear wheels. Thanks to an F1-derived battery, the W1 can also deliver an electric-only range (granted only of 1.6 miles).
Power & Performance
The W1’s twin-turbo hybrid V8 cranks out a massive 1,258hp and 988ft-lbs of torque. On top of giving the W1 a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio, these figures also make it the most powerful road-going McLaren of all time (and by a pretty generous margin). With a dry weight of under 3,100lbs, the W1 is capable of firing off 0-60mph runs in 2.7 seconds and achieving a top speed of 217mph. It can also clock quarter mile runs in an equally-impressive only 9.6 seconds.
Epic Aero
Not only is the W1 the most powerful McLaren to date, it also represents the car with the company’s most advanced aero setup of all time. The W1’s integrated aero system features the all-new purpose-built McLaren Active Long Tail, an active front splitter, and a ground effect setup — the latter of which is modeled after the company’s MCL38 Formula 1 car. When combined, these active and static aero elements collectively generate over 2,200lbs of downforce.
Running Gear
Representing the next evolutionary step in McLaren’s line of ever-more-potent supercars, the W1 features a state-of-the-art chassis and powertrain have been complemented via an equally-cutting-edge array of hardware and running gear. For its suspension, the W1 features front and rear aluminum double wishbones that benefit from the use of the McLaren Race Active Chassis Control III setup. In addition to adaptive damping, this suspension also gets numerous 3D-printed and titanium components, rear active drop links. As far as its braking hardware, the W1 comes loaded with the McLaren Carbon Ceramic Racing+ system, which consists of six-pot forged monobloc calipers up front and quad-piston units out back — both of which chomp down on massive 390mm carbon ceramic discs.
MSO-Eligible
Like its previous flagship offerings, the W1 is eligible for the customization through the McLaren Special Operations division, giving customers an endless array of bespoke, configurable options, finishes, and details. These bespoke elements come at a steep price, though this probably won’t be a concern for you if you’re considering one of the seven-figure supercars in the first place.
Spec Sheet
Class: Hybrid Supercar
Model Year: 2026
Brand: McLaren
Model: W1
Engine: Twin-Turbo 4.0L Hybrid V8
Transmission: Eight-Speed DCT
Power: 1,258HP & 988FT-LBs
0-60MPH Time: 2.7 Seconds
Top Speed: 217MPH
Dry Weight: 3,084LBs
Chassis: Carbon Fiber Monocoque
Active Suspension: Yes
Active Aero: Yes
Brakes: McLaren Carbon Ceramic Racing+
Electric-Only Range: 1.6 Miles
Starting Price: $2,100,000
Pricing & Availability
Limited to only 399 units worldwide — all of which are reportedly already spoken for — the 2026 McLaren W1 Supercar has been priced starting from $2,100,000. Deliveries for this new plug-in hybrid flagship supercar are slated to begin in 2026.
Recap
2026 McLaren W1 Hybrid Supercar
McLaren unleashes its next-generation flagship supercar with its 1,258-hp plug-in hybrid W1 — the fastest and most powerful road-going production model in the brand’s history.
