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UPDATE: McLaren P1 Catches Fire in the UK, Burns in the Middle of Intersection

The Mclaren P1 has now become the latest go-fast machine to have demonstrated spontaneous combustion, as we sadly have to report that an example of the hypercar has caught fire in the UK.
McLaren P1 Catches Fire in the UK 5 photos
Photo: cruzeuk/Instagram
McLaren P1 Catches Fire in the UKMcLaren P1 Catches Fire in the UKMcLaren P1 Catches Fire in the UKMcLaren P1 Catches Fire in the UK
This wasn't a minor fire, with the Woking halo car being engulfed by the flames. Judging by the fact that the Instagram video showing the incident surfaced about two hours ago, we expect the incident to have taken place earlier today.

The information surrounding the fire is scarce, but the piece of Instagram footage shows the car burning in a junction, with the flames appearing to emerge from the engine compartment of the hybrid.

Note that the Mclaren P1 has left a trail of fuild behind, with this also appearing to have caught fire. The passenger door has also been left open.

Speaking of which, there are no reports on the condition of the hypercar's occupants, so here's to hoping the driver and any potential passenger managed to exit the vehicle before the fire swallowed the thing.

Running a quick DVLA (the UK's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) check reveals that this blue Mclaren P1 was first registered in May 2015. In fact, those of you spending plenty of time on social media might be familiar with the "V8 MCL" license plate of the car, since this had been featured in previous posts.

The hybrid powertrain of the P1, which consists of a 737 hp twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 and a 178 hp electric motor (the combined output of the two sits at 916 hp), only leads to more questions regarding the source of the fire that consumed the poor McLaren - keep in mind that the British automaker only brought 375 units of the hyper-hybrid to the world.

P.S.: It looks like the burning Macca was caught on camera from inside a Volkswagen Crafter, with the reaction of the van occupant appearing to be anything but compasionate.

UPDATE:As hinted by Facebook user Mark Scott, the incident seems to have taken place in Colnbrook, Slough.

UPDATE 2:This end of the week certainly isn't kind to blue hypercars in the UK: one day after the P1 fire, a Pagani Zonda PS 760 has crashed on the A27.

 

Another "quality" #McLaren product. Hope the driver was ok. #p1 #deathtrap

A post shared by Andrew Cruze (@cruzeuk) on Oct 20, 2017 at 7:22am PDT

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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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