Lanzante returns with the P1 Spyder.
Although production of the McLaren P1 has been discontinued for several years, British motorsports engineering firm Lasante continues to build new versions of its plug-in hybrid hypercar from existing cars. The latest model is the limited edition P1 Spyder, which will debut at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
To ensure that the car's lines would not be disrupted by the loss of the roof, Lasante brought in Paul Howes, who worked on the P1 Coupe, to oversee the Spyder. Lasante stated in a press release that eliminating the roof also meant eliminating the central snorkel air intake, which required an engineering workaround.
The new buttresses have air intakes to direct air to the turbochargers; the P1 Spyder also has a reworked front fenders, doors, and engine covers, and a redesigned lower chassis to maintain structural rigidity without the roof.
Instead of a retractable roof, the P1 Spyder has a removable roof panel. To protect the interior, Lasante reupholstered everything in UV-cut leather and super fabric, with satin carbon fiber trim and gloss black switchgear.
The powertrain remains unchanged from the stock P1: a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 with an electric motor produces 903 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. Lanzante has not released performance figures for the Spyder, but McLaren claims a 0-62 mph time of 2.8 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph for the coupe when new.
Lasante plans to build five P1 Spyders from existing donor cars. The first car is expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
The P1 Spyder is the latest in a series of Lasante P1 derivatives. Lasante has previously introduced the P1 LM, P1 GT Longtail, and P1 GTR-18, all based on the P1 GTR. The connection with McLaren is even older. In fact, Lasante ran the winning F1 GTR in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed will take place June 23-26. See the dedicated hub for details.