McLaren used to be at the top of the speed chain with the McLaren F1 holding the title of the world’s fastest production car. It has long been pipped by hypercar makers like Koenigsegg and the title’s currently held by the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.
But McLaren’s planning to get back on the mix and take the fight to Bugatti if only to at least give the smug Germans’ record a minor blemish.
The British automaker is planning the “Mega Mac” and it’s set to pack more than a quarter pound of British beef. The new hypercar will be powered by a 5.0L V8 that dishes out 799 bhp. Still shy of the Veyron’s power but edges the Veyron’s W16 engine with a 160 hp/L ratio.
The engine is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That, together with advance aerodynamics and lightweight construction would propel the car from zero to 200 mph (321.86 kph) in just 20 seconds. The Veyron takes 22 seconds to reach that speed.
No word yet on the top speed but I doubt if it’d beat the Veyron outright. It just might be quicker but the Veyron might still edge it going all out. Well, that’s just my opinion. I’m a fan of the Veyron as a piece of engineering.