While it's hard to believe that the McLaren P1 is over 10 years ago, the hybrid hypercar crossed into double digits last year. That means it's time for a successor, and one that will apparently break from some of McLaren traditions. Automotive News reports that McLaren executives presented information on the new hypercar, codenamed P18, to dealers at a conference in Las Vegas last week. Perhaps the most notable detail—a new V-8.
Excepting the V-6-powered Artura and the track-only, V-10 Solus, the modern iteration of McLaren Automotive has always used a twin-turbo V-8. Derived from a 1990s Nissan racing engine, the V-8 in 3.8 liter and 4.0 liter forms powered everything from the MP4-12C to today's 750S. It's been a source of criticism for the company. It builds lots of different models, but they all feel similar as a result of the widely shared engine.
A dealer source told Automotive News the P18's V-8 is a "new ground-up design" unrelated to the old V-8, and the Artura's 120-degree V-6. In the P18, the V-8 is paired with a hybrid system that's apparently 70 percent lighter than what's in the Artura. Output should 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 aero details including an active splitter and rear wing. There's also a roof-mounted snorkel and cutaways in the buttresses to feed and cool the V-8. McLaren recently previewed its new design language, and while the brand is looking to the F1 of the 1990s for inspiration, the P18 will be a two-seater.
Automotive News says the car will arrive in the U.S. in the first half of 2026, with a sticker price around $2 million. Previously, we reported that the car may debut before the end of this year.
