P1

Make
McLaren
Segment
Coupe

Illustrating just how far supercars have come over the last three decades, YouTube channel LoveCars hosted by Tiff Needell recently staged a very special albeit unusual drag race between a Ferrari F40 and its modern-day equivalent, the Ferrari 488 Pista. Now, the iconic F40 is back for another duel, this time against a McLaren P1.

This particular P1 happens to be a rather special example, as it's one of the first series prototypes, and it's owned by British GT champion Graham Davidson.

As old as it is, the F40 is no slouch, delivering its thrust by way of a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 478 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque - enough that it will do 0-62 mph in 4.1 seconds and hit a claimed top speed of 201 mph. That's impressive performance even by today's standards, and it still looks like a futuristic rocket ship.

The more modern McLaren P1, on the other hand, uses a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 and an electric motor, each contributing to a combined 916 horsepower of output. That enables the hybrid hypercar to accelerate from 0-62 mph in a blistering 2.8 seconds, topping out at 217 mph. It's heavier than the Ferrari F40, but not by much, the P1 weighing in at 3,284 pounds, to the F40's 3,018 pounds.

Predictably, the power makes all the difference in this matchup. The P1 gets a significantly faster start, building up a substantial lead before the F40's slower, heavier turbos finally kick in and hurl the F40 into the lead.

It's a closer race than you might expect, but the P1 doesn't take very long to ultimately reclaim the lead and leave the F40 in the dust. That's the power of thirty years of progress in automotive technology, the P1 benefitting not only from its greater power, but from its traction control and fast-shifting dual-clutch transmission, too. In truth, the F40 didn't stand a chance.

Still, watching a nearly 30-year-old Ferrari F40 race a modern-day hypercar like a McLaren P1 is a very special sight, and worth every minute of your time.