In 2013, McLaren debuted the P1, an iconic powerhouse supercar capable of topping out at 217 mph. An official, life-size LEGO version? Not so much. But judging from the company’s recent showcase, its new project is still an impressive feat of creative engineering—especially considering that, like its inspiration, this LEGO iteration is perfectly capable of cruising along a racetrack.
Building upon the 1:8 scale LEGO Technic model currently available for hobbyists, McLaren Automotive recently partnered with the plastic brickmakers to build a full-scale, working adaptation of the P1 supercar. According to their announcement, the final result required 23 specialists from both companies to collaborate over 8,344 hours of development and construction followed by another 2,210 hours of production time. The bright yellow variant includes 342,817 LEGO Technic elements spread across 393 different types—11 of which were molded specifically for the project itself.
As The Verge notes, the car still required a steel frame and real tires to actually function, but that’s about it when it comes to non-LEGO parts. Even the P1’s engine system is composed of eight electric motor packs, each with 96 LEGO Power function motors to imitate the original McLaren’s V8 while offering a nod to the P1’s legacy as the world’s first hybrid supercar. All told, the LEGO Technic weighed in at about 2,690 lbs—roughly 385 lbs lighter than the actual racing vehicle.
Once fully assembled, McLaren entrusted the experimental car to its own team racer, Lando Norris. After arriving at the UK’s Silverstone Circuit, Norris managed to complete an entire lap around the 3.66mi track at a top speed of 40 mph. While that’s just a fraction of the speed of its namesake, the LEGO Technic P1 garnered a number of notable achievements. It marks the first time a LEGO scale has successfully driven around corners, finished an entire race track lap, and been piloted by an official Formula One racing driver.
[Related: Dad builds a fantastical and functional wooden sci-fi car for kids.]
This isn’t the first time LEGO helped construct a full-size racing replica. In 2018, the company debuted a Bugatti Chiron made from over 1 million LEGO Technic pieces. Although nearly 1,400 lbs lighter than the real thing, that iteration only managed to top out at 12 mph—and only while driving in a straight line.
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