With only 300 copies produced, the McLaren P1 is, by itself, a rare model. However, on the scale of rarity, the prototypes used in its development, identified with the letters XP and two digits, as with this P1 XP05, are even more so.
If we don't see, a total of 14 McLaren P1 “XP” (from experimental) were produced. As development prototypes that they were, the vast majority would be destroyed in the development process (mostly in crash tests), with only five survivors remaining.
Well, the unit we told you about and which was offered for sale by Tom Hartley Jnr for the "modest" amount of 1.35 million pounds (about 1.46 million euros) it is precisely one of these five, more precisely the fifth, hence the McLaren P1 XP05 designation and if there is one thing it does not lack, it is… history.
The life(s) of the McLaren P1 XP05
Originally used for the development of the Bosch gearbox and injection system, in 2015 the P1 XP05 would also serve as a “show car”, having appeared in the Geneva and New York Salons in the guise of the GTR.
After that period, it returned to McLaren, where it was completely dismantled and rebuilt, to an even higher level than the other production P1s — if the chassis of this unit still bears witness to its function as a development prototype, all the other components ( from the bodywork to the engine), have been checked, replaced if necessary and reassembled.
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According to indications available on the Tom Hartley Jnr website, the choice of color (the famous McLaren orange, also known as Papaya Orange) was left to the first owner of this P1 XP05, who also ordered several MSO options.
According to the announcement, the first owner of this McLaren only covered 300 miles (about 482 km) with the car, having sold it in 2017 to its second (and current) owner, who only added 53 miles (about 85 km) to the value. displayed on the odometer.
Given that it's a P1, a part of the holy trinity, and the story it carries, even though it was born as a development prototype, it's no wonder the price.