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McLaren

McLaren P1 “XP2R” spied at the Ring

McLaren P1 XP2R

This very tasty looking McLaren P1 was seen in testing at the Nürburgring recently. It looks like any old P1, but was carrying discrete XP2R badging. A more extreme version of the already extreme 908hp petrol-electric hybrid P1 perhaps?

No, apparently it’s just a bog standard P1 prototype. McLaren employs a strict lettering system for its test vehicles:

  • XP: Experimental prototype
  • VP: Validation prototype
  • PP: Pre-production protoype

Accordingly XP2R means the car pictured is an early prototype, the 2 means it’s the second XP model and the R denotes it is a revised spec.

That’s the official word from McLaren at least. Given some details of the P1 hypercar have already been released, including predicted performance figures, isn’t it a bit late to still be trundling around in an experimental test car so close to its expected launch?

What if that R actually meant something more? The niche sportscar maker wouldn’t like that its claimed performance numbers for the P1 are down on the equally impressive 963hp LaFerrari. So could the R indicate a new range-topping model to sit above the P1? If this is the case McLaren is unlikely to confirm as much when asked by inquisitive journos.

[Source: Autocar | Pic: PistonSpy]