The production-ready McLaren P1 has not only been confirmed for debut at the International Motor Show in Geneva on March 5th, but the exotic car maker has released short video showcasing the "Race" mode the car will feature, which highlights its Formula One roots.
The P1 is heavily based on McLaren's Formula racing knowledge and is being promoted by the company as a street legal F1 car with all of the racing cred and speed that promises. The McLaren P1 first debuted at the Paris show last year. At that point, it was a prototype with clear designs on production. When McLaren said that the car would be produced for 2013 release as a 2014 model, things heated up and spyshots of the P1 were soon to follow (see gallery attached).
This latest release details, from the driver's perspective, what happens to the car and on the dashboard when "Race" mode is selected on the McLaren P1. This mode is meant for track use, when the car will be used with racing rather than everyday driving in mind. This mode, we can see from the video, automatically extends the rear stabilizers, switches the dashboard readout to Newton Meter and engine temperature readout, and presumably stiffens the chassis and steering for track readiness.
The rear "wing" is a double element "active" system that alters its pitch to match aerodynamic needs as the car moves at various speeds and into or out of turns. On the driver's screen, the bank of lights across the top, which go from green to red to blue, are shift indicators just as they appear in a Formula 1 car. The Nm output and engine temperature are the primary focus of track racers looking to optimize performance.
We'll learn a lot more about the McLaren P1 at its press debut in Geneva on March 5th.