McLaren hasn’t exactly been quiet about their intention to create another mega-fast car that will feature a central driving position as an homage to what’s arguably still their most iconic vehicle: the F1. This mystery car has gone under the nom de plume BP23 at times. That, or more casually as the Hyper-GT.
While this model, when it does see the light of day, isn’t meant to supplant the P1 though it will sit alongside it in McLaren’s Ultimate Series tier, above the new 720S. Or, at least, that was the prevailing logic when the first rumours first emerged about it.
To remind the world that development is still underway, McLaren Automotive has released this pair of pictures that show crack racer and former F1 commentator Chris Goodwin, their chief test driver and more-than-occasional public face, behind the centre-seated supercar.
Camouflaged as it is, the prototype is no doubt derived from a 720S, acting as a sort of test bed for its interior systems as opposed to anything structural or powertrain related. McLaren seems to need more time to work on the ergonomics and packaging challenges that such a three-seat layout would pose.
Specifically, we could see how they might need to significantly alter process by which they create their carbon tub, called the Monocell, to accommodate the larger cabin without necessarily making the car itself much wider or heavier.
What we can say with a fair amount of confidence is that the BP23, to use its internal name, will use a hybrid powertrain similar to the P1. However, the 720S proves that McLaren has made significant strides with their powertrain package, gnawing at the possibility that if their newer 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 were to be augmented by the an electric motor of equal output as the P1, this new car could quite easily match it for sheer power.
Differentiating the two cars within their line-up, then, may come down to simple positioning. Should, as we expect, the BP23 be set up as more of a grand tourer than anything meant to be taken regularly to the track, it might be just shy of the kind of lap times the P1 is capable of. However, in contradiction to this, McLaren also claims that the car will also be their fastest, though perhaps measured on different metrics.
As such, the BP23 should have a broader appeal among those lucky enough to be able to afford a high-end McLaren, and not limited to as low of a production ceiling of 375 units like the P1 was (including the track-only GT3).
For more on McLaren cars, check out our Showroom.
