PROJECT CARS 2: The Holy Trinity

For today's PROJECT CARS 2 session, it's time to recreate the first Grand Tour episode using the hypercar holy trinity at the racetrack as seen in the series opener, Portugal's Algarve circuit. It's hard to believe a year has passed since The Grand Tour began and looks like I'm reliving the beginning using the three hybrid hypercars in Algarve right here on PROJECT CARS 2.



First, let's start with the McLaren P1, the hybrid hypercar that started the craze. As the forefather of hybrid exotics, the P1 combines McLaren's motorsport knowhow with its promise to reduce global carbon footprint. With hybridization became the new norm for production vehicles, the P1 pushes the hybridization to uncharted heights with its revolutionary IPAS petrol-electric powertrain which combines the improved version of the 3.8L V8 twin-turbo engine as applied on the 12C and a single electric motor, making the combined power output of 903HP and torque output of 664ft-lb of torque. With its extensive use of carbon fiber, the P1 weighs 1395kg and overall, it has a 0-100kph time of 2.8 seconds and top speed of over 350kph.



The Porsche 918 Spyder, like the McLaren P1, is a hybrid hypercar and while this car is heavy and less powerful than the P1, its four-wheel drive system can easily shame the P1 by a second margin. With its carbon fibre reinforced plastic bodywork that weighs 1640kg, a combination of a 4.6L V8 engine, two electric motors bolted on the axles, and a 6.8kWh Li-ion battery, it delivers a combined output of 881HP of power, and mated with Porsche's 7-speed PDK, the 918 has has a top speed of over 340kph (211mph). As for efficiency, the 918's range can get up to 680km (420 miles).



Lastly, the LaFerrari is known to be the ultimate decider between the P1 and the 918 because this is the most powerful and the lightest of the three hybrid hypercars. It is powered by an upgraded version of the same 6.3L V12 engine lifted from the F12berlinetta and HY-KERS (Hybrid-Kinetic Energy Recovery System) which develops a combined power output of 963PS, making this the most powerful Ferrari ever made and it lapped the Fiorano Test Track faster than the F12berlinetta. Unlike the other two, the car's V12 engine and the electric motor are working in unison and cannot be separated, which is very clever by Ferrari standards but what's even more clever are the computer-controlled aerodynamics that makes the LaFerrari the automotive equivalent of a Typhoon fighter jet. Well, you get the point but Ferrari's F1 knowhow really payed off in the making of this car.



In the first Grand Tour episode, the boys sent professional racing driver Jerome d'Ambrosio to drive these three round Algarve. After his first impressions regarding the three hybrid hypercars, he then set off to see which one is the fastest or risk losing one of the presenters' home, basically Jeremy Clarkson's. Anyway, what am I going to do in this session is to recreate the three hypercars' Algarve lap, although my times aren't as fast as the real-world times set by d'Ambrosio himself but still, feel free to enjoy my re-enactment of the one as seen in the first Grand Tour episode.



And now the results...

LaFerrari -  1:57.600
918 - 1:56.962
P1 - 1:58.120

Hmmm...not as fast as what d'Ambrosio set in real life but this is just like the first episode! If I was on the P1's side, I would literally lost my house just like Clarkson's. How amusing. It really feels like what happened last year! Well, with season 2 coming this fall, I can't hardly wait to see what sort of mischief the presenters are up to so watch for it.

In the meantime, feel free to drive with the hypercar Holy Trinity on PROJECT CARS 2 on PS4 and PC via Steam.

McLaren's P1 LM sets the fastest Nurburgring lap time record

2016 McLaren P1 LM

A few moments ago, a Chinese-made electric supercar called the Nio EP9 set the fastest Nurburgring lap time of 6 minutes and 45.9 seconds, which is faster than the Lamborghini Huracan Performante's controversial 6:52.01 lap time. Now, Nio's reign as the fastest production car to lap the Nurburgring has been short lived by the McLaren P1 LM, after it set a lap time of 6:43.2.

WATCH:

Unveiled at last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, the McLaren P1 LM is the extreme, road-legal version of the P1 GTR. Lanzante, the firm responsible for the F1 LM, managed to convert five (or six) P1 GTR machines for road-legal use. That meant, revamped the hybrid powertrain to retain its 1000PS power output and reducing 130lbs of weight from the GTR by removing the onboard air-jacking system, fitting polycarbonate windows, refabricating the exhaust and cat pipes out of lightweight Inconel and the bolts out of titanium. The engine bay is lined in gold, just like the original F1.

Last year, it broke the Goodwood FoS road car record in 47.07 seconds.

Forza Horizon 3: The Holy Trinity

Ladies and gentlemen, here is the Porsche 918 Spyder which I got it from a one-day only Forzathon event while continuing the month-long celebration of Porsche's return to the world of Forza only here on Forza Horizon 3. With the 918 here, looks like the Hybrid Hypercar Holy Trinity consisting of this, the P1, and the LaFerrari are all here to settle the scores...once again. This time, underneath the Southern Star full of football, meat pies, and kangaroos.

We are already familiar about the Porsche 918 Spyder but for those who aren't, hear this; the Porsche 918 features a combination of a 4.6L V8 engine which produces 612HP of power by itself, two electric motors bolted on the axles, and a 6.8kWh Li-ion battery. The electric motors deliver around 500lb-ft of torque at 8000rpm. Top speed is 211mph and 0-60mph in 2.6 seconds courtesy of its 4WD drivetrain and its incredible torque.  It comes with regenerative braking which can retrieve energy generated by braking and feed it back into the batteries. Couple that with space-age lightweight materials and the result is a hybrid hypercar that lapped round the Nurburgring faster than every other car in the world.







Now that the 918's taken care of, let's invite the P1 and LaFerrari to settle the scores once again in the Land Down Under, specifically the Grand Tour Sprint, and prove that the 918 is still the king of the Holy Trinity or face the worst bet of human history.



And now the results...

2013 McLaren P1 (903hp/663ft-lb/3,296lb/42%/3,799cc/S2 981) - 2:13.534
2013 Ferrari LaFerrari (963HP/663ft-lb/3,031lb/41%/6,262cc/S2 981) - 2:12.733
2014 Porsche 918 Spyder (887HP/829ft-lb/3,692lb/43%/4,593cc/S2 969) - 2:09.329

The 918 is still king and if I were on the P1's side, I would become homeless just like what happened to Jeremy Clarkson when he placed a bet that if the P1 is slower than the rest, he would have his home blown off...and it happened. End of discussion.

Forza Motorsport 6: The P1 GTR

A few moments ago, I tried the track-focused version of Ferrari's LaFerrari called the FXX K and I told that no matter how many curse words burst from their mouth, having a mastery with the FXX K will prove that this car can FXX K it right up in its rear bumper...or is it because now, another track-only version of a certain hybrid hypercar has arrived in Forza 6 and this time, it's the turn of the McLaren P1.

The McLaren P1 GTR, a track-focused version of the McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar  just like the Ferrari LaFerrari-based FXX K that caused me the expletive dialogue. Before taking this car for a spin round Silverstone, because this was used for testing session for drivers of the McLaren P1 Driver Programme, let me tell you a quick story about this car.

From its concept debut at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance to a dream come true at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the P1 GTR, based on the hybrid engine-wielding P1 hypercar, is a track-focused version of the said car that pays tribute to McLaren's 1995 Le Mans victory using the F1 GTR.

The P1 GTR is the most powerful McLaren ever developed with power output up to 987HP and 738lb-ft of torque from its 3.8L V8+electric motor powerplant. Because this is a track-focused version, the P1 GTR features racing slick tires, new fixed ride height on race-prepared suspension, fixed rear wing, and a unique exhaust design.

The P1 GTR is priced at around 1.9 million British Pounds and its packaging includes a one-make race series for owners. This track-only version joins the normal road-going P1 in the Ultimate Series, the third and final tier of the McLaren range.

I already tried the FXX K back then and upon driving the expletive-prone hybrid racer, its computer-controlled dynamics really made this car do the talking while on track, especially the clever feature inherited from the LaFerrari that goes "the faster it go, the better it works". Now, where did I heard that before? Anyway, onto the P1 GTR, and unlike the FXX K I drove in the past, consider this a pain in the butt to drive. Sure, it may be the most track-honed McLaren ever made but when I tried it, getting through tight corners is an arm-breaking struggle and trying to regain grip on this car is very tricky. It's like being headlocked by a female pro-wrestler in her battle suit she wore for halloween.

Consider the P1 GTR the widowmaker reloaded because of its intimidating dynamics similar to its road-going P1. At first taste, you may find that its dynamics are too tricky and too hostile to handle but with such mastery, you will be able to set very fast laps at one fell swoop just like the highly capable Ferrari FXX K.

Anyway, I think that's enough about explaining the P1 GTR because to explain just how tricky this car drives, I managed to take a spin round Silverstone to see what's what.

The track-only McLaren P1 GTR maybe one of the most intimidating cars to drive in Forza Motorsport 6 but if you are skillful enough to get this widowmaker under control, you will be able to unlock its true potential from within. It maybe scary but if you keep trying, it wouldn't be a problem for you.

Forza Motorsport 6: Battle of the hybrid hypercars!

Now that everything I need to know about the McLaren P1, the Ferrari LaFerrari, and the Porsche 918 Spyder in Forza Motorsport 6 are all checked and done, it's time for me to do the one thing Clarkson, Hammond, and May never got the balls to attempt this ultimate decider to show which of these three hybrid hypercars is the fastest round the Top Gear Test Track and this is the surreal test to prove if Clarkson's name is going to change to "Jennifer". As a matter of fact, I got a high probability on what's going to happen next.

But first, let's have a quick review of the hybrid hypercar trio. The P1 is a hybrid hypercar that incorporates most of McLaren's motorsports know-how. It's powered by an improved version of the 3.8L V8 twin-turbo engine as applied on the 12C and a single electric motor, making the combined power output of 903HP and torque output of 664ft-lb of torque.It's strictly limited to 375 units, each costing GB£866,000, and all of the units have sold out.

The 918, meanwhile, features a combination of a 4.6L V8 engine which produces 612HP of power by itself, two electric motors bolted on the axles, and a 6.8kWh Li-ion battery. The electric motors deliver around 500lb-ft of torque at 8000rpm, a torque that a Ferrari 458 deemed impossible. A Weissach Package-spec 918 Spyder, noteworthy with a unique livery and 60kg weight drop, lapped round the Nurburgring of less than 6:57, making it the fastest series production street-legal car to break the seven minute barrier.

Finally, the LaFerrari may come with the same hybrid layout as the other two, meaning its V12 engine is bolted with electric motors and a Li-ion battery, but unlike the McLaren and the Porsche that can run on electricity alone, the LaFerrari doesn't have that kind of feature because Ferrari is not heavily interested in electric power alone. Instead, the LaFerrari comes with HY-KERS (Hybrid-Kinetic Energy Recovery System), a tech similar to the one used in Formula One cars. It captures energy during braking and feeds it back when needed. That's why the engine-motor combination are all working together and cannot be separated, therefore it produces 963HP of power and 663lb-ft of torque, while mated with a 7-speed F1 gearbox. Not only that, the LaFerrari's dynamics are unique thanks to its bodywork that was built entirely from different kinds of carbon fiber as well as the lowered center of gravity but it's the high-tech active aerodynamics that sets them apart and because it's computer-controlled; the faster the LaFerrari goes through the corner, the better it works.

Now that everything is all settled out, the it's time to decide who flies and who falls from grace. The game is on!



So, how did the hyper three performed at the Top Gear Track? Well, time to read the results! The P1 did it in 1:14.976 while the LaFerrari, thanks to its active aerodynamics that work when it gets faster round the follow-through, 1:14.567, and the 918, the least powerful of the three, made it in a surprisingly quick 1:13.597, meaning the 918 is the fastest of the three and Jeremy Clarkson's going to rename himself as "Jennifer" should the three kept their hosting duties if they didn't messed up with the producers, well Clarkson that is.

Hard to believe that the 918 won the battle despite its power output but because of its Porsche motorsport DNA, its low center of gravity, its 4WD system, and lots of stuff that made the 918 great. It's no surprisingly it lapped round the Nurburgring faster than almost everything and if McLaren managed to file a full report on how fast the P1 went, it would be somewhat a second slower than the 918 and that could be the outcome I might be looking forward to.

With everything settled out, I'm going to close this case completely, concluding that the 918 is the fastest of the three round the Top Gear track but the battle is not yet over so these muscles need to hustle for more.

Forza Motorsport 6: SPA day in the P1

Do you remember the time when former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson drove the McLaren P1 round the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on a rainy day? Well, if he done that kind of job, I'd reckon I'd want to give this a try in Forza Motorsport 6 using the same car he drove at the same venue. Thank T10 for the added weather on some tracks, including this.

Assuming that most people already know what the P1 is but for those who aren't, this is a hybrid hypercar that incorporates most of McLaren's motorsports know-how. It's powered by an improved version of the 3.8L V8 twin-turbo engine as applied on the 12C and a single electric motor, making the combined power output of 903HP and torque output of 664ft-lb of torque.

This car is strictly limited to 375 units, each costing GB£866,000, and all of the units have sold out. Who cares? As long as we have a game like this, trying out the P1 is as closest as we can drive on in the edge of reality and I shall now demonstrate it by driving this one round Spa on a rainy day, something that Jezza has done that years ago.



Driving that P1 on a rainy day at Spa is just a sure reason why it deserved to be called a Widowmaker because of such intimidating dynamics but hey, you get the idea because this is how the P1 behaves.

Forza Horizon 2: The Widowmaker!

If this were a Jeopardy question, it would look like this; This hybrid-engine wielding supercar incorporates all the technological know-how and its motorsports roots from McLaren's history. The correct response; What is the McLaren P1?



That's right. The P1 maybe a darn hybrid but it is the hypercar that gave birth to a new breed of hypercars; a breed where cars like the more powerful LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder have emerged from their cocoons of engineering. With the 3.8L Twin Turbo V8 engine bolted with an electric motor; it produces 903HP of power and 664lb-ft of torque, meaning that this is a fast machine that is more trickier than playing against a thousand-plus combo song of your rhythm-based app game from your smartphone. Yep, more trickier that furiously tapping combos while listening to a song you're not familiar with.

The P1 is a rear-wheel drive and the only significant weight is the air passing over the body and trying to max out the P1 is a hyperspace fury; step on it and you're gone. With such feral speed, power, and handling, it's a sure way the P1 is not designed for everyone; it's made for the chosen elite who are willing to risk everything in the pursuit of speed. It really is a "widowmaker" after all.

To prove how much of a "widowmaker" the P1 is, I've booked one for a championship somewhere at Saint-Martin and the reason why Saint-Martin is becoming my favorite part of FH2 is because something with the word "Ridge" on it because when I said "Ridge", it kinda reminds of the Ridge Racer games they used to play when they were young. But first...



Although no further improvements have been made because it was optimized in the first place, I had a little makeover with the P1 and what you see here is kinda similar to McLaren Special Operations' P1 themed after famed Formula One legend Alain Prost. Not my best replication so far but some guys managed to mimicked the special P1 Prost from the real world just to pretend what's like to drive a very one-off McLaren in their own hands.

Anyway, with my very own "P1 Prost" ready, the battle commences;



Now that really is a "widowmaker" but I managed to survive and won while driving the ultra-powerful McLaren P1, a hybrid hypercar that opens a new chapter in the history of motoring. Although terrifying to drive from the start because of such massive power and torque as well as its extreme dynamics only the best drivers can master, the P1 is a proud British knight who lives under the code of knighthood. Any driver who lives under the code of knighthood can unleash the P1's potential if only they are prepared for it.

Forza Motorsport 5: McLaren P1 - The Star Car of the Game

This is the McLaren P1, it's a hybrid hypercar that incorporates all the technological know-how and their motorsport roots from McLaren's 50-year history. We all know we hate hybrids because when we hear this word, we often think of those horrid eco-boxes that are not very fun when we put our foot down. Who would even drive a hybrid with so much bumper stickers at the back reflecting society?

With the McLaren P1, we finally forget about everything we know about hybrids because this British-made hypercar rewrote the books by establishing it as a high-performance hybrid sportscar that we really love because of its formidable speed and its dynamic character underneath its drop dead gorgeous looks.



Yes, we all dream to drive one of these but because of its ultra-high price and the fact that all of the 375 units have been accounted for...well because of the review from Top Gear, we may never have the chance to live the dream of driving the McLaren P1 but thanks to Forza Motorsport 5, we can achieve that dream. Thanks to McLaren P1 being the main character car in Forza Motorsport 5, we get more from this car not by its performance but its star factor that made both the car and this game the trademark it deserves.

The 903HP hybrid hypercar from Woking maybe more of a dynamic exotic but it can be tried and tested dramatically, giving players the chance to push the McLaren P1 to the absolute limit and find out what it's like to be behind the wheel of McLaren's ultimate masterpiece. As for me, however, it's a different story because it has so much power and so much torque, I might be having difficulty handling this beast unless if I'm brave enough to handle like a boss.

It maybe a hybrid but this car will be your new favorite in Forza Motorsport 5.



So...do you prefer the P1 or something else? I was just saying...