Is It the Best Time To Get This McLaren P1 at a Bargain Price?

Choosing just one of the supercar holy trinity is akin to parents being forced to pick a favorite among their children; it's not easy. McLaren's hybrid supercar flagship is like the middle child next to Porsche's 918 and Ferrari's LaFerrari. Performance-wise, the McLaren P1 engine is a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 paired with a lightweight electric motor, granting it a heart-racing total power output of over 900 horsepower.

It's enough to propel the British supercar from 0 to 62 mph in 2.8 seconds on route to a top speed of 217 mph. While the P1 might have more power than the Porsche 918, it still cannot top the Ferrari LaFerrari's astonishing 950-horsepower output; it's just a bit quicker. It's the same story if you go by the official manufacturer figures, as the P1's acceleration time comes in between the 918's 2.6 seconds and the LaFerrari's 2.9 seconds.

As far as original value is concerned, the McLaren P1 price starts at $1.1 million; again, smack-dab in the middle of the 918 and LaFerrari's base MSRP of $1 million and $1.4 million, respectively. Now, when talking about resale value, well, you probably already know where this is going.

The P1's stuck in the middle, but it's no black sheep

While McLaren's halo car might be sandwiched by two supercar holy trinity greats, by no means is it the least desirable. In 2022, a clean example of the million-dollar hybrid Porsche sold for a record $2,025,000, making it the most expensive 918 sale in a public auction. Meanwhile, a 2014 P1 finished in McLaren Orange was sold a tad higher at $2,090,000.

The Ferrari LaFerrari is still the overachiever out of the bunch, with previous examples selling for record-breaking prices close to $10 million. Still, that doesn't discount the fact that the value of the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918s is slowly but surely creeping upward over the years. Both the British and German marques have been garnering more interest from buyers in the pre-owned market lately, with recent P1 and 918 sales ranging from $1.6 to $1.7 million. Yes, it's certainly a closely-contested situation between the two, and it takes a truly special example to stand out enough to goad buyers into paying the big bucks for either supercar.

The record-breaking $2 million Porsche 918 was sold with the optional $84,000 Weissach package. Likewise, the slightly pricier orange McLaren sold was one of the few examples bearing the iconic paint job, along with the signature of P1 chief designer Frank Stephenson. There's a good reason these supercars don't often show up at auctions either; Porsche only made 918 examples of the 918, while McLaren made even fewer numbers for the P1, topping at only 375 examples. If you're a multi-millionaire who's having trouble deciding which of the supercar holy trinity to add to your collection, perhaps this McLaren P1 for sale could convince you.

Are McLaren P1 prices on the rise?

It's only natural for buyers with insanely deep pockets to opt for the most strikingly outrageous examples available, right? Well, this 2014 McLaren P1 being offered on Sotheby's makes a strong case in terms of standing out given its color-shifting MSO Pacific Blue paint job – an option that already costs over $40,000 by itself. Aside from its dynamic color, this example is brimming with extras, including a McLaren F1-style Heritage Badge that's exclusive to buyers who have availed of this many optional MSO parts.

Satin carbon fiber panels costing over $16,000 were chosen in lieu of the standard glossy trim, and color-matching MSO interior stitching, engine bay, and instrument cluster added another $10,000 plus to the bill. In fact, the P1 accumulated over $90,000 worth of options alone. Despite having 3,000 miles on the clock – higher than previous auction pieces averaging under 1,000 miles – the unit was relatively well-maintained.

The McLaren P1 for sale here comes with a clean service history since it was first registered in the United Kingdom; its most recent servicing needs only involved changing its tires.

With only one owner since bought new in 2014, this UK-bound P1 comes with an asking price of £1,275,000 (about $1.6 million). Considering an example featuring fewer options previously sold for more than $1.7 million, this mesmerizing iridescent P1 sounds like a bargain. Resale value is on the rise for these ravishing British supercars, as even standard examples are already appreciating by at least $500,000 more than the original retail price.

One thing's for sure, though; this Pacific Blue '14 model is definitely in better shape than the infamous hurricane-flooded P1 – a non-functional example someone was still enthusiastic enough to get for $400,000. Will the historical hybrid finally step away from being just the middle member of the supercar holy trinity? It has a long way to go in joining the likes of the record-breaking $20 million F1, but it's certainly heading in the right direction in one day becoming the most expensive McLaren ever sold.