A couple automakers over the years have aimed to have interiors reminiscent of jetfighters. Saab was the first, as it bragged it was “born from jets.” Then MINI came along adding some jetfighter interior touches only to half-heartedly give up on the idea.
Now it’s McLaren’s turn. The infamous English supercar automaker has released a few photos of the interior of its new P1 supercar that it calls “shrink wrapped.”
McLaren opens the accompanying press release as it has many others, restating its intent to build “the best driver’s car in the world on road and track.” While other automakers have made similar claims, McLaren seems to mean it.
McLaren really seems to take care with its designs, agonizing over every single line and detail – and it shows. The carbon fiber, which was used generously throughout the P1 body and interior, has been installed without the final layer of resin, which not only gives the carbon fiber a distinctive natural finish, it also saves 1.5kg throughout the car.
The designers at McLaren worked tirelessly to minimize trim on the interior, further saving weight. McLaren states that it will offer carpet as an option, which we’re sure it does reluctantly. Should the buyer specify the carpet option, it’ll be fitted with a special lightweight backing.
McLaren’s obsession with carbon fiber doesn’t end with the chassis, bodywork, or interior accents. The racing bucket seats, too, are constructed from a carbon fiber shell. These lightweight seats feature minimal foam and lightweight runners. While these seats are wonderfully light, no doubt Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson will complain about how uncomfortable they are.
Furthering its obsessive attention to detail, McLaren brags that the steering wheel was modeled after the McLaren world champions’ grips on a CAD system. The specialized steering wheel is finished with Alcantara and – you guessed it – carbon fiber inserts. That surely makes for an impressive story but it just looks like a regular steering wheel to us.
Nevertheless, McLaren says it’ll release more about the P1 soon. We can only guess, however, that the words “carbon” and “fiber” will comprise over 16 percent of the subsequent press releases.
