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Well apparently, current LMP2 cars use the VK engine, which isn't the same as the VRH (the one McLaren has). Nevertheless some components from the VH and VK Nissan engines were used when designing the VRH-series engines, so in a way yes I guess.
Although the short answer is, I'm afraid, no.
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This was a development of the engine from the TWR-built car R390. I think Ricardo developed and owned the design...
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Take a listen to the video at 9 minutes, or watch the whole video if you want.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb8tGX-HPQE"]The McLaren P1 Test. On Road and Track - /CHRIS HARRIS ON CARS - YouTube[/ame]
Chris Harris asked how come there wasn't a Nurburgring time and he also asked was it because of the hybrid system. He basically said yeah, we basically shoehorned the hybrid system in at the last minute.
Seems a bit unprofessional of McLaren to seemingly half bake the hybrid system. I understand they're a small company compared to Ferrari or Porsche, but why include the hybrid system if it's not 100% perfect?
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He didn't say that the hybrid system was bolted in at the last minute, he said that the [I]latest/greatest version[/I] of it was. Big difference. The P1 was always always a hybrid vehicle, but they went through many versions of the system.
Extrapolating from that, I'd assume the reason they didn't release an official time is because they want to go back and try again - they probably didn't feel they'd extracted the most out of the system, and maybe the final production version changed from the one they had there, out of all the extra testing they did.
Or something. I'm sure the hybrid system software and maybe hardware will be updated over the car's lifetime (see also the 12C) but it seems unfair to call it 'half baked'.
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The fact that the engine despite being based on the same architecture as the 12C but have a different block and different design means there is no "last minute shoehorning". Most cars gets a ton of design revisions in many of the core system before its release(and sometimes after). And more more complicated the systems are, the more scope for revisions....
Witness the fact that how many times Nissan have revised the GTR's calibration in its life with little actual change to hardware, or the 12C have received different engine programming multiple times in a model year, or that Lexus IS-F got basically a simple suspension retune between model year and gone something like 6 secs faster around the same track...
P1 is freaking state of the art. The amount of integration and optimization for something like that has got to be insane, with the amount of active systems in-play. And unlike the 918 the weight penalty does not seem to be as significant. From the looks of it also the use of all that electronics seem to be largely invisible to the end user, which is key to delivering a good driving experience...
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[quote=pimento;1003850]Extrapolating from that, I'd assume the reason they didn't release an official time is because they want to go back and try again - they probably didn't feel they'd extracted the most out of the system, and maybe the final production version changed from the one they had there, out of all the extra testing they did.[/quote]
Or, in other words, they were afraid that their million quid supercar would get handily beaten by the 918. So they said the [I]Duracells[/I] weren't up to the task and call it a day...
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Perhaps I was a little harsh with my words, but it seems like the McLaren isn't all that ready yet.
In any case, the Porsche 918 is still much prettier than the P1, and that's still my first pick amongst the 3 hybrid hyper cars.
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[quote=Ferrer;1003853]Or, in other words, they were afraid that their million quid supercar would get handily beaten by the 918. So they said the [I]Duracells[/I] weren't up to the task and call it a day...[/quote]
Unlikely, considering the P1 is ~6-700lb lighter than the 918, even with just gas engine the power to weight ratio is almost matching 918s(0.249 bhp/lb for 918 vs 0.243bhp/lb for P1, per Wiki figure)
Its a matter of how much faster the P1 is.
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[quote=RacingManiac;1003851]P1 is freaking state of the art. The amount of integration and optimization for something like that has got to be insane, with the amount of active systems in-play. And unlike the 918 the weight penalty does not seem to be as significant. From the looks of it also the use of all that electronics seem to be largely invisible to the end user, which is key to delivering a good driving experience...[/quote]
The weight of all the electric gubbins is 200kg.
The numbers suggest that the P1 will be faster than the 918, but I'm sure there'll be a whole pile of comparos pitting them together. It may be that the 918's AWD system will give it some traction advantage in tighter tracks and off the line, but ultimately the P1's power and weight advantage will likely have it come out on top.
Now, the TheFerrari vs P1...
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[quote=pimento;1003856]The weight of all the electric gubbins is 200kg.
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On a car that weighs 1400kg. To put that in context, Carrera GT, a car that can hardly be considered as loaded with excessive extras, weighs only 30kg less. With probably closer to 300bhp less power and less downforce and no electronics aids....Enzo Weighs only 10-20kg less than CGT....
918 Spyder weighs 1700+kg....
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When I was younger, the [I]trifecta[/I] as me and some close friends called a trio of supercars was the CGT, Enzo, and SLR. Now, we have a new trifecta, and to be properly absorbed, the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren T'McLaren, and Porsche DiePorsche must be compared all together in a comparo.
And what a comparo it'd be. Also, the nicknames of the three cars is ™Kitdy.
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I think it'll be sometimes before that happens. Ferrari is notably anal about that kind of stuff....Need to wait for EVO and their rich owner contributors to get their hands on those cars...