Thanks to car Vertical for sponsoring this video (my first YT sponsor!) and you can use my code BENCOLLINSDRIVES to claim a 10% discount on their platform when you do a search for your next four wheeled dream: www.carvertical.com/gb/landin...
When Freddy @Tavarish bought a $2 MILLION flood-damaged Mclaren P1 Hypercar I THOUGHT HE WAS NUTS. The car had basically been flushed down the toilet by a hurricane, floated (yes actually floated) down the street and banged around with some palm trees until rescue workers cleared the scene. Its final resting place was actually on top of a toilet.
To make matters MUCH worse - the Mclaren P1 is a hybrid which means it’s full of battery packs which in reality are just 100’s of AA size batteries linked together and we all know how much batteries enjoy salt water.
Not surprisingly, the former owner took one look at his former pride and glory and decided to sell it… to Freddy… for $600,000… In a nice nod to the sponsor of this video, Fred did at least ascertain from Car Vertical that the Mclaren only had 300 miles on the clock - even if some of them were submerged. He then decided to restore the car himself.
Just who is Freddy Tavarish anyway?
“Tavarish” as he’s known is a KZfaqr with behemoth status on the interweb. I got to meet him at an event earlier this year and he struck me as a high-functioning, car loving, big teddy bear. As a writer he cut his mustard at outlets like Jalopnik and his car restoration / modification projects have gained him 2.7 million subscribers on his KZfaq channel @tavarish
Mclaren Automotive, on the other hand, has a team of the world’s leading engineering minds and has been building groundbreaking cars since 1963. The Mclaren F1 designed by Gordon Murray scorched the Earth in 1992 with hitherto unknown poise, purpose and speed. Its original sale price of $800,000 now commands a tag of $20 Million.
Mclaren has won numerous F1 titles and does this for a living. The Mclaren P1, with its combo of electric and combustion driven power, was another seminal piece of pinnacle engineering. Not only was the optimised hybrid power the first of its kind at Hypercar level, it also continued Mclaren’s evolution of hydraulic suspension which has to be experienced to be believed.
You ride on a cushion of fluid, more supple than the traditional spring and shock solution of other machines. The dynamic control of that system is active and requiring constant adjustment by the car’s brain - which also got flooded. Oh.. and I did I mention active aerodynamics too.
The original P1 weighed in at 1547KG and applied a combined total of 903 BHP to the rear wheels from its twin-turbo 3.8 litre V8 engine and single electric motor. With 600KG of downforce, that was enough to set the bar extremely high. But according to Tavarish - that can be improved.. by ditching the hybrid system altogether, stripping 200KG of weight in the process and enhancing the existing engine to boost the power output.
It's a fascinating proposition. Can Freddy pull it off..? I truly hope so - because at SEMA he told me that as soon as it’s ready.. he wants ME to drive what could be the world’s fastest Mclaren.
For more info on what Tavarish is up to check out his videos here: • Rebuilding A Flooded $...