Reimagining an icon: you can now build the world's most pioneering hybrid supercar out of LEGO bricks

Inspired by an icon

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of this brick-based beauty, let’s take a quick trip down memory lane. When the real McLaren P1™ first hit the streets, it didn’t just turn heads — it practically gave petrolheads whiplash.

Designed to be the best driver’s car in the world on both road and track, the P1™ was a groundbreaking piece of kit. It leveraged McLaren’s motorsport-based engineering to push the boundaries of what was possible in a road car — from its hybrid powertrain to its clever aerodynamics, every inch of the P1™ was crafted for pure, unadulterated performance, embodying McLaren’s advanced motorsport-based engineering. With jaw-dropping advances in weight reduction, packaging, high-speed performance, powertrain, and aerodynamics, it’s no wonder that the P1™ has firmly cemented itself as one of the most iconic supercars ever made.

But how do you take a car that redefined automotive performance, and shrink it down to something you can build on your coffee table? That was the Herculean task facing the LEGO Technic team. And boy, did they deliver.

The devil’s in the details

Working closely with McLaren Automotive, the LEGO Technic design team worked their magic and technical wizardry to pack an astonishing amount of detail and functionality into a stunning 1:8 scale model. For stat fans, that’s precisely 3893 pieces of pure automotive awesomeness, without a single frivolous or wasted brick in sight.

Pop the hood of your LEGO Technic McLaren P1™, for example, and you’ll find a V8 piston engine that’s almost as complex as the real thing. Fancy a gear change? The model boasts a seven-speed gearbox with two shifter drums. And as for those iconic dihedral doors, they’re present and accounted for, complete with an advanced opening mechanism that mimics the real P1™ ‘s dramatic contortion skills. Naturally, this was no mean feat.

“We worked on multiple variations of the car to test different designs,” states Kasper Rene Hansen, Designer at the LEGO Group. “We also faced a huge challenge with the iconic butterfly doors because they needed a new mechanism to stay open. It was a great experience to recreate the McLaren P1™ and I’m hoping all supercar enthusiasts out there are ready to explore the details and intricacies of the real McLaren P1™ in LEGO Technic form” he continues.

If that wasn’t enough, the meticulous recreation also features a working suspension, an adjustable rear wing, and even a unique serial number which unlocks exclusive behind-the-scenes content. In short, this is a veritable treasure trove of engineering marvels, all packed into one stunning LEGO set.

Measuring over 14 cm high, 59 cm long and 25 cm wide, this is a serious collector’s item that’s as much an example of ingeniously overcoming engineering challenges, as it is a stunning display piece.

Fancy a spin?

If you’re itching to get your hands on this slice of brick-built brilliance, mark your calendars — the LEGO Technic McLaren P1™ set will be available exclusively from LEGO.com and LEGO Stores from 1 August, priced at £389.99 / €449.99. As an added bonus, LEGO Insiders who purchase the set between 1-7 August will also receive the LEGO Technic McLaren P1™ Logo as a gift with their purchase.

“It’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original P1™ brought to life by the LEGO team for the LEGO Technic McLaren P1™” says Tobias Sühlmann Chief Design Officer, McLaren Automotive. “I hope this collaboration inspires the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation.”