Tavarish and Stephenson Are Rewriting the McLaren P1 Legacy

In the ever-evolving world of hypercars, few names carry the gravitas of the McLaren P1. It was McLaren’s crown jewel—a hybrid marvel that balanced power, precision, and design when it debuted over a decade ago. And yet, in 2025, it's back in the headlines for a completely different reason. A flood-damaged P1 is being transformed into something new, something extreme, and something very public. The players? YouTuber Freddy “Tavarish” Hernandez and the car’s original designer, Frank Stephenson.

This isn’t just a rebuild. It’s a resurrection with attitude—and a YouTube series attached.

A YouTube Star with a Flooded Dream

The story began when Tavarish got his hands on a McLaren P1 that had been submerged during Hurricane Ian in 2022. For most, that’s a cautionary tale. For him, it was the ultimate project car. Known for documenting complex rebuilds with a mix of transparency and chaos, Tavarish made it clear this wouldn’t be a restoration to factory spec. He wanted something more ambitious. More personal.

Enter Frank Stephenson: The Man Behind the Original P1

Tavarish could’ve taken the usual route—aftermarket parts, generic upgrades, YouTube fanfare. But then came the twist: Frank Stephenson, the man who led the design of the original P1, joined the project. It’s rare for the original designer of a hypercar to step back in after a decade, especially for a one-off YouTube project. But that’s exactly what’s happening here.

Stephenson isn’t just giving this build his blessing—he’s deeply involved, from reimagining the bodywork to refining the car’s proportions. The new design features exposed carbon fibre, aggressive aero elements, and reworked panel lines. It’s still a P1 underneath, but the surface tells a different story.

From Salvage to Supernova: What We Know About the P1 Evo

While full specs haven’t been finalized, the target numbers are ambitious. Tavarish and Stephenson are aiming for around 1400 horsepower—a massive leap from the original’s already ferocious 903 hp hybrid output. Much of that comes courtesy of a turbocharged V8 setup, completely rebuilt and upgraded.

Curb weight is expected to land around 3000 pounds, making it the lightest P1 ever—thanks in part to stripped interior components, lightweight materials, and a purposeful lack of creature comforts.

There’s no plan to register the car for the road. Instead, the project is being optimized for runway testing and potential track events, with a debut slated for SEMA 2025, followed by a high-speed test run in 2026. No cupholders. No leather-lined cabins. Just speed, precision, and spectacle.

Beyond Content: A Commentary on Car Culture

The “P1 Evo” is more than a headline—it’s a cultural moment. The collaboration between a legacy designer and a YouTuber with over 3 million subscribers signals a shift in how high-end car projects come to life.

This isn't OEM. But it also isn’t some chaotic build thrown together for clicks. It sits somewhere in between—an “OEM-plus” skunkworks project, as Stephenson described it. The kind of thing a manufacturer might dream up in secret, now made public in real time, with millions watching.

A Revival That’s Not Nostalgic

What makes the P1 Evo interesting isn’t nostalgia. It’s reinvention. Most revivals try to recapture past glory. This one acknowledges the past but doesn’t seem interested in repeating it.

That’s partially due to the format. The entire build is being documented on YouTube, in a series of videos that detail everything from teardown to design sketches to engine tuning. It’s performance art—equal parts engineering and engagement.

More importantly, this car is one-of-one. There's no limited run. No customer list. No badge engineering. Just a single, reimagined hypercar built from the ashes of disaster.

Will It Be Better Than the Original?

That’s the question floating around enthusiast circles—and it’s the wrong one. The goal here isn’t to “beat” the original P1. It’s to reinterpret it. To ask what the P1 might’ve looked like had McLaren kept developing it in secret, pushed the platform to new limits, and shed any corporate restraint.

It’s a vision that blends OEM-grade insight with outsider bravado. Whether you’re a Stephenson purist or a Tavarish skeptic, the result is hard to ignore.

• 1400-hp McLaren P1 Evo project revives a flood-damaged P1 with original designer Frank Stephenson.

• Lightest P1 ever, targeting 3000 lbs, full carbon bodywork, and a non-road-legal SEMA debut.

• A rare collision of OEM heritage and YouTube culture, unfolding live for millions of viewers.