Dec 3, 2015 2:05 AM

Gallery: McLaren's New MP4-X Concept Car Imagines a Fully Bonkers Future for F1

McLaren
01
front-3-4-lower
The MP4-X, McLaren’s Formula One concept, unveiled today, cares little for evolution and leaps right into tomorrow.
McLaren
02
top
“We wanted to peer into the future and imagine the art of the possible,” says John Allert, group brand director for the McLaren Technology Group.

McLaren
03
front-low
The MP4-X is the work of McLaren Applied Technologies, the division that applies McLaren’s F1 R&D to other fields, from making toothpaste to treating ALS.
McLaren
04
side-low
The team considered the project an “open brief,” freed from silly constraints like cost, F1 regulations, and any ability to actually produce the proposed technologies.

McLaren
05
front-low
Naturally, the MP4-X is fully electric.
McLaren
06
front-3-4-lower
But it doesn't rely on one big battery, like today's electric cars.

McLaren
07
nose-close
McLaren says it would use “thin batteries,” integrated into the bodywork.
McLaren
08
canopy-b
Even if the MP4-X were spouting CO2, the driver wouldn’t notice, thanks to the canopy protecting him from the elements and dangerous flying objects.

McLaren
09
canopy-a
This canopy would be photochromic, changing color to improve the driver’s vision.
McLaren
10
canopy-b
The MP4-X is fitted with cameras, feeds from which could be piped directly into the driver’s helmet, allowing to to effectively see through the car and vastly improving visibility.

McLaren
11
canopy-c
In McLaren’s future, there’s no need for drivers to familiarize themselves with the insanely complex steering wheels used in today’s racers.
McLaren
12
canopy-d
Drivers would control the cars with hand gestures—a technology already in consumer cars—or simply their thoughts, using the ability to monitor the brain’s electrical signals.

McLaren
13
rear-elv
Surfaces of the car would shift position to apply exactly the downforce needed at any given moment.
McLaren
14
side-elv
McLaren’s says “powerfully charged electrodes could be switched on into corners to turn the air around the wings into plasma.”

The 8 Best Movies to Stream This Month

The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Wild Robot, and Obsession are among the must-watch films arriving this month.

Matt Kamen

Chipotle Is Working With Palantir to Track Food Safety Risks

The burrito chain has enlisted Palantir for a platform that monitors pest incidents, employee illnesses, and other factors. The partnership comes after a nightmare summer for food safety across the US.

Kate Taylor

The iPhone 18 Pro Is for the Shutterbugs

Fun camera features help make these candy bar iPhones stand out from the dazzle of the folding iPhone Duo.

Julian Chokkattu

Don’t Buy an Android Phone Until You Read Our Guide

Shopping for a phone can be an ordeal. That’s why we’ve tested almost every Android phone, from the smartest to the cheapest—even phones that fold—to find the ones worth your money.

Julian Chokkattu

Introducing the WIRED App

The app is the best way to read, watch, and listen to WIRED’s journalism.

WIRED Staff

Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works

A hacker collective pulled down a Flock camera and dumped its data. The files included thousands of videos and logs showing that the device captured 1.6 million images of 50,000 vehicles in 21 days.

Dhruv Mehrotra

The EU Plans to Ban Social Media For Under-13s

The bloc wants to curb Big Tech’s grip on children with its new EU Kids Act, but age checks, parental oversight, and privacy concerns could make its plan difficult to implement.

Isabella Ward

I Made Robot Vacuums Clean Up Cherry Juice and Cheerios. These Won

My hands-on tests reveal which models can scrub stains, reach difficult corners, and navigate a chaotic home.

Nena Farrell

Self-Driving Cars Might Change Crash Testing Forever

Lie down in a car, and you’re more likely to get seriously hurt in a crash. But a driverless future is forcing governments to revisit long-standing safety issues.

Aarian Marshall