McLaren 'P15' to succeed P1 hypercar

McLaren has a new "track-focused road car" in the works to replace the ultra-rare P1 hypercar, according to Autocar.

Sources told the magazine that engineers have been given a brief to produce "the most extreme" road car possible. While company officials "refuse to confirm" its existence, the vehicle - dubbed "P15" - is expected to "be the second model in the firm’s Ultimate Series after the P1".

It's believed the hypercar will use "a modified version of the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that is at the heart of every McLaren road car on sale today", adds Autocar, paired to a "tweaked version" of the seven-speed automatic gearbox in the 720S. Power output will come in at around 789bhp - 62bhp more than the P1.

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The P15 is also tipped to be incredibly light. Motor1 says it will have a kerb weight less than 2,866lbs (1,300kg), making it roughly 544lbs (247kg) lighter than the P1.

There's no word on what body shape the P15 will take, but the website says it is set to boast "a massive front spoiler" and large rear wing. Active aerodynamics, which can be electronically manipulated by either the driver or the onboard computer, are also expected.

It is believed the P15 is different to the McLaren design sketch released earlier this year of a possible successor to its 1990s three-seat F1 hypercar. That vehicle is is expected to be a "hyper-GT" with a heavy emphasis on hybrid power.

Potential buyers will have a private viewing of the P15 at the end of the year, says Jalopnik, before its officially unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show next March.