The McLaren F1 of the 1990s was perhaps the most defining supercar of its time. Maybe even of all time. To this day, it is the fastest naturally aspirated series production road car ever made, with a top speed of 231 mph. Only 64 of the standard street cars were ever made, 106 cars in total counting the various racecars and prototypes. On August 2013, chassis 066 was sold for an astounding $8.47 million dollars. The F1 was a very special car.

The legendary status of the F1 gives the P1 a very hard act to follow. In many respects, it succeeds brilliantly, though it is arguably not the uniquely single-minded creation that the F1 was. Gone on the P1 is the 3 seat arrangement with the driver in the center, the heavy use of pure 24 carat gold foil as a heat shield, and the phenomenally light weight of 2509 lbs for a full-bore supercar. In its place is a heavier but far more powerful car with an output of 903 hp. In place of the naturally aspirated V12, the P1 features a twin-turbocharged 3.8 liter V8 hybrid system that can do 0-62 mph in a mere 2.8 seconds. The 231 mph top speed of the F1 is now at an electronically limited 217 mph. The F1 was a bit of an anomaly even for its time, whereas the hybrid P1 is very much a product of the current decade.

The P1 is filled to the brim with technology, including active aerodynamics and adjustable suspension. The adjustable wing can extend 120 mm from the bodywork for road use, and all the way up to 300 mm for the track. Adjustable ride height allows the P1 to drop by a significant 50 mm in Race mode. Race mode also features increased spring stiffness to 300 percent.

Layered carbon ceramic brakes, a huge improvement on the cast iron brakes of the original F1, are provided by McLaren's formula 1 partner Akebono. Brake Steer, a technology that is actually outlawed in Formula 1, is used for improved cornering behavior and speed.