YouTuber Tavarish and Frank Stephenson Team Up To Build Wild McLaren P1
When the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918 Spyder hypercar holy trinity descended on the earth, nobody could have foreseen that one day, a heathen with a YouTube channel would be rewriting the theology of one of them with a completely new design and much more power. But that's what the YouTuber known as Tavarish is now setting out to do with one of 375 P1 hypercars ever made, and he's doing it with the help of the man who was in charge of McLaren design back then: Frank Stephenson. Together, they want to create a one-off they're calling the P1 Evo, but it'll be fundamentally different from the hybrid hypercar on which it's based, particularly when it comes to total output. On the surface, Tavarish might seem like a villainous devil, but he's saving a damned soul that was halfway to hell already.
View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article
The original P1 powertrain comprised the M838TQ 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (the descendant of which swelled to 4.0 liters and became the M840T) and a single electric motor to produce a combined 903 horsepower. But with such an extreme exterior makeover for the P1 Evo, Tavarish intends to do some surgery beneath the skin, too, ensuring the bite matches the bark. He's fitting the bigger and more easily attainable M840T, likely salvaging it from a wrecked 720S or 750S. The turbochargers will retain their original frames, but larger wheels will help develop much more power, despite the loss of the electric motor. Tavarish is aiming for 1,400 hp, an increase of more than 50% over the original hypercar being channeled here. The idea is to make it faster than the 217-mph P1 or even the super slippery Speedtail, which has achieved 250 mph, and local resident Tavarish will prove it at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The design of the project has not yet been finalized, and it won't be the last such project by Stephenson, who says more custom car and motorcycle projects will be revealed later this year. frankstephenson Design (that's how it's stylized) has come up with several takes on a reimagined and much more hardcore P1, several of which have wings that appear as if they may hinder straight-line speed, but we don't know which will be settled upon. If all goes according to plan, the finished product will be revealed in November to the sound of angels singing in the church of tuners, the SEMA Show, before the record attempt sometime in 2026. However, things have not gone smoothly so far, and Tavarish has almost been brought to his knees many times.Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez has been working on this P1 for years now, and understandably hasn't made much progress. He bought it on the cheap (if a price of a little over half a million dollars can be considered a bargain) after McLaren P1 #348 was caught in the corrosive waters carried inland by Hurricane Ian in early 2022. This is why the hybrid powertrain has finally been given up on, along with any hopes of trying to restore this flooded hypercar to its former value (between $1.35 million and $2 million). On the one hand, pious purists will preach that such a rare technological marvel being repurposed into something that will keep company with Liberty Walk Lambos is blasphemous, but on the other, Tavarish is keeping this P1 alive when others would have pulled the plug long ago, and with the original designer's blessing, no less. Moreover, he's setting real performance goals that will exceed (some of) those of the original car, so he's doing it as authentically as anyone could expect. Mad Mike certainly wasn't quite so faithful to the brand with his P1 drift demon, and McLaren didn't denounce his unholy hypercar, did it?
YouTuber Tavarish and Frank Stephenson Team Up To Build Wild McLaren P1 first appeared on Autoblog on Jun 20, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Zapp EV to Display i300 in Selfridges London Through New Partnership with Smartech Retail Group
Performance urban electric two-wheeler coming to Oxford Street as next step in plan to grow Zapp's retail network The Zapp i300 Hitting Oxford Street LONDON, Aug. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zapp Electric Vehicles Group Limited (OTCQB: ZAPPF) ('Zapp EV' or the 'Company'), owner of 'Zapp', the British electric vehicle brand on a mission to electrify personal urban mobility, today announced a strategic retail partnership with Smartech Retail Group Limited ('Smartech'), the experiential technology specialist operating inside Selfridges London. Key highlights: The Zapp i300 will be displayed on Selfridges' lower ground floor at The Bike Shop, which attracts up to 30,000 visitors daily, with scope to scale our footprint in the future at other Smartech stores in Berlin, Rome and New York. Shoppers will have an immediate, hands-on introduction to our performance electric urban motorcycle, and can reserve in-store ahead of Zapp's wider rollout in London. The partners will collaborate to create product demonstrations and other social media content, as well as special editions. The installation is scheduled to open at the beginning of September 2025, providing Zapp with a prominent display in Central London. This experiential hub in a premier luxury-retail location complements our wider distribution network and offers consumers, media and other partners a first-hand look at i300's features, which are optimised for urban riders. David McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer of Zapp EV, said: 'Selfridges is a global destination for iconic brands and shoppers following the latest design trends. Partnering with Smartech puts i300 in front of the urban riders who demand style, performance and innovation, while integrating seamlessly with our hybrid distribution model.' Nathalie Bernce, Founder & CEO of Smartech, added: 'The attention to detail in i300 is clear, well-aligned with the brands on display in our stores and what customers expect when they visit us. We look forward to working with the Zapp team, including at more of our locations worldwide.' About Zapp EV Zapp EV (OTCQB: ZAPPF) is on a mission to electrify personal urban mobility. Our two-wheelers blend modern design with optimised performance, and a British edge. The debut model, i300, delivers big-bike attitude in a sleek step-through form, with removable batteries that can be charged from standard electrical outlets. Order directly at or through our growing retailer network for an experience that is simple and unapologetically Zapp. Zapp is a registered trademark of Zapp Electric Vehicles Limited in the United Kingdom and other countries. About Smartech Retail Group Founded in 2016, Smartech Retail Group is a future-facing experiential retail company built for the love of innovation. With flagship locations in London, Berlin, Rome, and New York, and partnerships with over 500 global brands, Smartech creates immersive, design-led spaces that connect people to what's next. Smartech is a destination for the extraordinary. A platform where creators break boundaries, global brands come to life, and consumers step into the future. From visionary design to cutting-edge technology, every Smartech experience is rooted in creativity and driven by discovery—igniting innovation and empowering imagination. Our portfolio includes concept spaces like The Bike Shop, The Track, and Playhouse, spotlighting breakthrough products in e-mobility, wellness, gaming, and sustainable living. Whether it's a world-first launch or a design-forward lifestyle solution, Smartech brings the future closer—making the next feel now. To learn more, visit Zapp Investor Relations Contact: Mark KobalHead of Investor Relationsir@ Zapp Media Relations Contact:pr@ Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (or the 'Exchange Act'). These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words 'believe,' 'project,' 'expect,' 'anticipate,' 'estimate,' 'intend,' 'strategy,' 'future,' 'budget,' 'opportunity,' 'plan,' 'may,' 'should,' 'will,' 'would,' 'will be,' 'will continue,' 'will likely result,' and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events and results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this document, including but not limited to various general and specific risks and uncertainties associated with the Company's business and finances in general. Readers should review and carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described in the 'Risk Factors' section of Zapp EV's annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-41693), which is incorporated herein by reference, and other documents the Company files with or furnishes to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These filings identify and address important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements herein. The forward-looking statements herein represent the Company's views as of the date of this document. Subsequent events and developments may cause these views to change. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements herein, all of which are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. Except as required by applicable law, Zapp assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise the forward-looking statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Zapp does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations. The inclusion of any statement in this document does not constitute an admission by Zapp or any other person that the events or circumstances described in any such statements are material. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
Fast Company
30 minutes ago
- Fast Company
How Helsinki cut its traffic deaths to zero
Helsinki just went a whole year—between July 2024 and July 2025—without a single traffic death. Compare that to Washington, D.C., a city with roughly the same population of close to 700,000. In D.C., 52 people died in traffic in 2024, including a 12-year-old hit by a car in a crosswalk and a visiting doctoral student who was hit by a car while riding his bike. Helsinki wasn't always as safe: the 1980s, the city typically had around 1,000 injury-causing car crashes each year, and 20 to 30 fatalities. But the city has been working to make its streets safer for decades. Here's what worked. Slashing speed limits On the majority of streets in Helsinki, the speed limit is now 30 kilometers per hour, or roughly 19 miles an hour. That's down from 50 kilometers per hour (30 mph) in the 1970s. In the early 2000s, the average speed limit dropped to 40 kilometers an hour (25 mph). Since then, the city has continuously added 30-kilometers-an-hour zones, including a recent rollout near schools. Around 60% of city streets now have that speed limit. With lower speeds, any crashes that do happen are less severe. If someone is walking across the street and hit by a car driving 30 miles an hour, they're as much as eight times more likely to die than if they're hit at 20 miles an hour. The city also went farther and shrank car lanes so drivers would feel uncomfortable speeding. 'Reducing speed limits isn't always enough,' says Roni Utriainen, traffic engineer at the City of Helsinki's Urban Environment Division. Most of its car lanes are now a little more than 11 feet wide; some are narrower. (In the U.S., lanes are typically at least 12 feet wide.) On some streets, trees are planted close to the edge of the road to help it appear even narrower. A Johns Hopkins study argues that shrinking American car lanes would also help reduce crashes. Automated traffic cameras—and fairer fines Dozens of cameras throughout Helsinki catch speeders and send automated tickets. A study in 2023 at one enforcement site found that the cameras work well; the number of drivers that were excessively speeding dropped by more than half. In Finland, unsafe drivers are fined based on their income. If someone's driving more than 20 kilometers (about 12 mph) per hour over the speed limit, their ticket will scale with their daily disposable income. In 2023, Anders Wiklöf, a multimillionaire, was fined €121,000 for driving 30 kilometers an hour (about 18.5 mph) above the speed limit. (A few jurisdictions in the U.S. tested similar income-based fines in the past, but found the system too complex and politically unpopular.) Enforcement of traffic laws is a key part of reducing fatal crashes. San Francisco has a Vision Zero goal, like Helsinki, aiming for zero traffic deaths. But while San Francisco's goal, adopted in 2014, was to reach zero traffic deaths by 2024, fatalities actually grew in the city by more than 50%. A recent report found that lack of enforcement from the police was a key factor in the failure. Better bike infrastructure and public transit Around a third of commuters in Helsinki now use public transit, while 36% walk and 11% bike. That outcome wasn't guaranteed. In the 1960s, as car ownership was quickly growing, the city considered an American-style plan of razing its downtown, taking out its streetcar system, and building 200-plus-miles of highways. Voters rejected the proposal, and public transit kept growing. The city continues to invest in public transit and recently added new tram lines. It's also continuing to build new separated bike lanes, with a planned network from all major residential areas to the city center. 'Some people don't even need to own a car because there's a good enough public transit system and they can walk or cycle,' says Utriainen. With fewer cars on the road, and carefully-considered infrastructure for people walking and biking, it's safer, unsurprisingly, to walk or bike. Plus, having more pedestrians and cyclists on the road means that drivers know that they have to look out for them. Continuous improvement Whenever a fatal crash happens in Finland, a team of experts investigates the incident, including traffic engineers. They look not only at what the driver and victim did, but how the environment contributed. If a particular intersection is unsafe—and especially if it's been the site of repeated accidents—the city takes steps to redesign it. The city continues to face new challenges. The number of large SUVs is increasing, for example, and larger cars are more likely to cause serious injuries or kill someone in a crash. 'That's something we'll need to look at in the future,' says Utriainen. Still, it's clear that the overall approach is working. In 2019, Helsinki had no traffic deaths for pedestrians or cyclists; this past year was the first with no traffic deaths at all, including people in cars. And for American cities that are struggling to reach Vision Zero goals, it offers evidence that things can change.
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New Mercedes GLC images give hint of firm's future SUV design
Mercedes has released a look into its future design language with a teaser shot of the upcoming electric GLC SUV. Although details on the car are limited at this stage, the picture shows the car's new front end which features a chrome-framed radiator grille that also has a smoked-glass-look and integrated lighting. Gordon Wagener, chief design officer at Mercedes Group, said: 'Our new iconic grille is not just a new front for the GLC, it redefines the face of our brand. It is the perfect fusion of lasting design codes reinterpreted for the future, making our cars instantly recognisable.' Details of the car's interior will be revealed soon, however it will feature the firm's MBUX Hyperscreen that runs the width of the dashboard. It's a system which is already found on many current Mercedes cars. In terms of powertrains, no details have been revealed at this stage, but it's likely that the car will sit on the Mercedes' ' platform that includes 800-volt architecture, which should allow for ultra-rapid charging times from a DC plug. The car will also be rivalling the likes of the BMW IX3 and Audi Q4 e-tron when it goes on sale next year. The new electric GLC will make its world debut at this year's Munich Motor Show, which takes place from September 7 to September 14.
