In 2013, McLaren debuted the P1, an iconic powerhouse supercar able to topping out at 217 mph. An official, life-size LEGO model? Not a lot. However judging from the company’s recent showcase, its new mission remains to be a powerful feat of inventive engineering—particularly contemplating that, like its inspiration, this LEGO iteration is completely able to cruising alongside a racetrack.
Constructing upon the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic mannequin currently available for hobbyists, McLaren Automotive just lately partnered with the plastic brickmakers to construct a full-scale, working adaptation of the P1 supercar. In line with their announcement, the ultimate end result required 23 specialists from each firms to collaborate over 8,344 hours of improvement and building adopted by one other 2,210 hours of manufacturing time. The brilliant yellow variant consists of 342,817 LEGO Technic parts unfold throughout 393 differing types—11 of which have been molded particularly for the mission itself.
As The Verge notes, the automobile nonetheless required a metal body and actual tires to really operate, however that’s about it with regards to non-LEGO components. Even the P1’s engine system consists of eight electrical motor packs, every with 96 LEGO Energy operate motors to mimic the unique McLaren’s V8 whereas providing a nod to the P1’s legacy because the world’s first hybrid supercar. All advised, the LEGO Technic weighed in at about 2,690 lbs—roughly 385 lbs lighter than the precise racing automobile.
As soon as absolutely assembled, McLaren entrusted the experimental automobile to its personal workforce racer, Lando Norris. After arriving on the UK’s Silverstone Circuit, Norris managed to finish a complete lap across the 3.66mi observe at a high pace of 40 mph. Whereas that’s only a fraction of the pace of its namesake, the LEGO Technic P1 garnered quite a lot of notable achievements. It marks the primary time a LEGO scale has efficiently pushed round corners, completed a complete race observe lap, and been piloted by an official Components One racing driver.
[Related: Dad builds a fantastical and functional wooden sci-fi car for kids.]
This isn’t the primary time LEGO helped assemble a full-size racing reproduction. In 2018, the corporate debuted a Bugatti Chiron constituted of over 1 million LEGO Technic items. Though almost 1,400 lbs lighter than the true factor, that iteration solely managed to high out at 12 mph—and solely whereas driving in a straight line.
