When McLaren revealed the W1 on 6th October 2024, it was a special moment for the brand’s ‘1’ car bloodline. Now, that moment has been recreated in 1:8 scale.
Developed in collaboration with McLaren Automotive, Amalgam Collection’s W1 model measures over 57cm (22 inches) long and has been created using reworked CAD data, paint codes and material specifications supplied by McLaren. More than 3,000 hours were spent developing the model, with each one requiring over 300 hours of hand assembly and finishing by a small team.
Limited to just 199 pieces, the launch specification is finished in Papaya Spark, the same colour that the full-size W1 had at its unveiling. Alongside this, bespoke commissions are available, allowing owners to replicate their exact vehicle specification using factory build sheets from McLaren.
The Car Behind the Model
The W1 is the successor to two of McLaren’s most significant road cars: the McLaren F1 and the McLaren P1. With production limited to 399 customer cars worldwide, each one costs at least £2 million, and all have been allocated to their owners.
The W1 has an all-new High-Performance Hybrid powertrain. The MHP-8 V8 engine works alongside a new E-module integrating a radial flux electric motor and motor control unit, paired with an eight-speed gearbox featuring E-reverse. Power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels via an E-differential.
The combined output is 1,275PS (approximately 1257bhp) and 1,340Nm of torque. With a weight of 1,399kg, the W1 achieves a power-to-weight ratio of 911PS (899bhp) per tonne! This is the highest ever for a road-legal McLaren. Performance figures reflect that with the car covering 0-100km/h (62mph) in 2.7 seconds, 0-200km/h (124mph) in 5.8 seconds and 0-300km/h (186mph) in under 12.7 seconds. It is the fastest-accelerating and fastest-lapping road-legal McLaren ever, and is quicker to 300km/h than a Speedtail and three seconds a lap faster than a McLaren Senna around McLaren’s Nardo reference track.
Following 350 hours of wind tunnel testing across 5,000 points, the W1 features the most sophisticated aerodynamic platform ever fitted to a McLaren road car. Active front and rear wings, a roof-mounted airflow diverter and the McLaren Active Long Tail rear wing all work together to generate up to 1,000kg of downforce in Race mode. When activated, the ride height lowers, suspension stiffens, and the rear wing extends by up to 300mm.
The Skill In Each Amalgam Model
Amalgam’s team of craftspeople are widely recognised for producing some of the finest hand-made large-scale models in the world. Their approach is based on accuracy and authenticity, with every project focused on capturing not just the shape of a car, but its character and design intent.
For models already produced at 1:8 scale in limited editions, Amalgam offers a Tailor Made service, allowing owners to commission a replica that exactly replicates their own car’s specification. For unique, very high-value cars, the company also undertakes one-off builds at 1:5 or 1:4 scale from its Bristol workshops. In these cases, the team digitally scans the car anywhere in the world and takes up to a thousand detailed photographs to ensure complete accuracy. Given the substantial development time involved, these commissions are created at larger scales to maximise presence and detail.
The process behind each model is incredible. Original manufacturer CAD data, or highly accurate digital scans for classic cars, form the basis of the master patterns. These are used to create silicone rubber moulds capable of capturing every detail. Prototyping resin is then cast into the moulds, with each mould producing around 20 to 30 parts before being replaced.
Each model is built from thousands of components, including castings, photo-etchings and CNC-machined metal parts. Genuine automotive paints and official manufacturer colour references are used for the bodywork. Tooling development alone can take between 2,500 and 4,500 hours, depending on complexity, while casting, fettling, painting, and final assembly require between 250 and 450 hours per model.
Production is carried out by highly skilled teams, approximately 270 people in China, 80 in Hungary and 25 in Bristol, with design, management and development led from England. Across all scales, from 1:18 to 1:4 and full-size Formula 1 steering wheels, every Amalgam model is entirely hand-built.
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