While it’s hard to believe that the McLaren P1 existed more than 10 years ago, the hybrid hypercar crossed the double-digit mark last year. This means it’s time to find a successor, who will apparently break with some McLaren traditions. Automotive News reports that McLaren executives presented information about the new hypercar, codenamed P18, to dealers at a conference in Las Vegas last week. Perhaps the most notable detail: a new V-8.
With the exception of the V6-powered Artura and the track-only V-10 Solus, McLaren Automotive’s modern iteration has always used a twin-turbo V8. Derived from a 1990s Nissan racing engine, the V8 in 3.8-liter and 4.0-liter versions powered everything from the MP4-12C to today’s 750S. This has been a source of criticism for the company. He builds many different models, but they all look the same due to the widely shared engine.
A dealer source said Automotive News the P18’s V-8 is a “new base design” unrelated to the Artura’s old V-8 and 120-degree V-6. In the P18, the V8 is paired with a hybrid system that is apparently 70 percent lighter than that of the Artura. Power is expected to be over 1,000 horsepower.
The car apparently ditches McLaren’s trademark dihedral doors in favor of gullwing doors, and there are all sorts of neat aerodynamic details, including an active splitter and rear wing. There’s also a roof-mounted snorkel and cutouts in the buttresses to power and cool the V-8. McLaren recently previewed its new design language, and while the brand takes inspiration from 1990s F1, the P18 will be a two-seater.
Automotive News says the car will arrive in the United States in the first half of 2026, with a sticker price of around $2 million. We previously reported that the car could debut before the end of this year.