McLaren's 903-HP P1 Truly Is a Modern Classic

An epic drive through Spain and the Pyrenees in a modern classic.

The Next Big Thing. Every day there's another Next Big Thing. Lighter, more powerful, faster around that big racetrack in Germany, another tenth or two quicker to 60 mph. And we're fascinated by whatever this Next Big Thing might be, right?

We love cars and want to absorb as much information as possible about them; to daydream about what they might feel like; to admire the way engineers ceaselessly push to make things stronger, lighter, faster, better.

The only problem is that today's ultimate is tomorrow's obsolete. The era of something like the McLaren F1 being the undisputed world's fastest car for literally years on end is long gone. And it's the same as you go down the food chain. From hot hatches to coupes and super sedans, there's always something to redefine expectations hurtling over the horizon. A virtual traffic jam of new idols to make the old heroes look almost feeble.

Nobody told the McLaren P1, though. On this road, clinging to the side of a spectacular ridge on the climb to the peak of Puigllançada, in northeastern Spain, it feels utterly mighty. Every downshift produces a thunderous crack and a blast of blue flame from the exhaust. On the exit of each turn, the rear tires dissolve into wheelspin—but the car is caught and held in the perfect slide by brilliant electronics, and once the car is straight it accelerates so hard you almost expect it to do a backflip. Then there's the noise: Deep and industrial, a multitude of layers from fierce induction roar to turbochargers hissing and sighing and electric motors whining frantically. The P1 feels alive.

Right here and now, I don't care about the Next Big Thing. The Senna has more downforce? No interest. The Speedtail murders it in a straight line? Who cares. The Elva is lighter and purer? Whatever. The P1 might be seven years old now, but it's so vivid, so wild in the way it delivers its performance, and so on the edge of what seems plausible for any road car that it's no less shocking than the day it was launched.

A road trip from Barcelona on the northeast coast of Spain to Bilbao near the Bay of Biscay, via the most incredible roads of the Pyrenees and a pit stop at a racetrack is quite the reminder that we're deep into the law of diminishing returns in the world of the hypercar.

It's little wonder when the pensionable P1 (McLaren years are shorter than dog years, and the P1 is currently 63) packs a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 producing 727 bhp, boosted for a total of 903 bhp by the integrated electric motor and backed up by 664 lb-ft of torque.

Back in 2013, McLaren claimed a top speed of 217 mph, 0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds, and 0-124 mph in 6.8 seconds. The P1 was all about aero, too. Race mode drops the ride height of the hydraulically linked suspension system by 50mm, increases the spring rate by 300 percent, extends the rear wing, and creates up to 1,323 pounds of downforce at 160 mph.

On the road it doesn't feel anything like the clinical, locked-down machine that these numbers suggest. The performance truly is stunning, and although the electric motor can't quite mask the turbo lag, it does a pretty good job of improving throttle response. There's just so much performance at all times. So much so that you find yourself arriving at corners far faster than expected. Unfortunately, the brakes—though resistant to fade—don't have the total reassurance of the fabulous Senna's setup.

Body control is also just a shade looser than one has come to expect from more recent McLarens. A 720S, for example, feels more consistent and more controlled. Things really do move on fast, but these little quirks only add to the car's overpowered and manic character. The P1 really holds your attention and demands plenty of respect. I quite like that.

On track, it's the same story. Race mode really increases grip levels and improves steering response, but ultimately the P1's personality remains the same: unhinged. The combination of 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 and electric motor is just too much for the rear tires to cope with.

Luckily, the P1's balance is superbly predictable and exploitable, and contrary to expectations, sliding this 903 hp hypercar is as easy as doing so in a BMW M3. It's a whirlwind of noise and smoke and flames. At first it's terrifying but quickly becomes reassuring and eventually an absolute joy to poke, prod, and generally boss around.

The P1 might lack the Senna's laser accuracy, but boy is it a lot of fun. I'm not sure I can think of a car that does pure theater much better than McLaren's first Ultimate Series monster.

Want proof? Check out Petrolhead Planet on the MotorTrend app and see what 903 hp plus the most amazing roads in Spain looks, sounds, and feels like. The Next Big Thing can wait for now. The Old Big Thing still has the moves.