McLaren F1 Designer Helps Improve Dendrobium’s 1,800 HP Electric Hypercar

The man who penned the legendary McLaren F1 has helped Dendrobium tweak the look of its upcoming D-1 electric hypercar.

Peter Stevens’ work on the McLaren F1, as well as other iconic performance cars like the Jaguar XJR-15, has made him one of the most recognizable figures in the world of automotive design. His influence on the Dendrobium is minor, but it’s been significant enough for the British start-up to dub its latest prototype the XP-2, adopting McLaren’s naming scheme for the F1 prototypes.

The most obvious difference between the Dendrobium XP-2 and the vehicle initially unveiled by the company are the presence of traditional wing mirrors and some minor alterations to the vehicle’s front splitter.

“My small changes to the D-1 to create the new XP-2 were inspired by improving airflow of the car, as well as visually enhancing the drama of this exceptional electric hypercar,” Stevens said about his work on the car.

Most of the D-1’s design is the work of Williams Advanced Engineering in the UK. According to Singapore’s Vanda Electrics, the company behind Dendrobium, the vehicle will pump out an extraordinary 1,800 hp and 1475 lb-ft (2000 Nm) of torque. The car manufacturer also says the finished car will weigh a respectable 3868 lbs (1750 kg) thanks to its comprehensive use of carbon fiber, advanced composites and alloys.

Like most cars from companies this size, the Dendrobium D-1 continues to evolve and, according to the company, production models will use advanced solid-state batteries.

Dendrobium has promised to build the vehicle in Great Britain, despite ongoing concerns with the nation leaving the European Union in a no-deal Brexit.