- This is the first time a team of Lego builders has constructed their own chassis and suspension components.
- The McLaren P1 model weighs roughly 1,220 kg (2,689 lbs) and includes a simple electric powertrain.
- F1 driver Lando Norris completed a lap of the Silverstone F1 circuit in the car.
We’ve seen a handful of full-size Lego models over the past few years, but none of them were designed to be driven. This one, based on the McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar, however, is fully functional.
Developing and building this one-to-one scale model of the P1 took a team of 23 from Lego, working in partnership with McLaren Automotive, no less than 8,344 hours. Almost every single component of the car is made using Lego Technic parts, including the chassis and the functional suspension. All up, it uses 342,817 individual pieces, and the only parts that aren’t from Lego include the wheels, tires, brake, seatbelt, and steering wheel.
Read: It Took Lego Builders Almost 2,000 Hours To Create This Life-Size Ferrari 296 GTS
The absence of a V8 engine and a complex hybrid system like a real P1 actually means the Lego creation is lighter, tipping the scales at roughly 1,220 kg (2,689 lbs). It’s powered by a small car battery and 768 Lego motors jammed into eight separate motor packs.
While it doesn’t have much power, it was able to complete a full lap of the Silverstone circuit with McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris behind the wheel. It can also be driven at up to 60 km/h (37 mph).
“Having worked on the original P1 program for McLaren, it’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original McLaren P1 brought to life so realistically by the Lego Technic team for the full-scale model,” McLaren test and development director Ben Gulliver said. “The car was an icon of its time. I hope that through this collaboration with the LEGO Group, we are able to inspire the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation.”
Obviously, this life-size model of the P1 is not available for sale but Lego does sell an intricate scale model of the McLaren made up of 3,893 pieces. It costs $699.99 in the U.S. and is 24 inches long, 10 inches wide, and stands 6 inches tall.
