RE: McLaren Sports Series - latest

RE: McLaren Sports Series - latest

Friday 19th December 2014

McLaren Sports Series - latest

Yes, there's another Black Swan moment but also - gasp - a picture of the actual car!



At least we've got the full car now. Yes, there's still an awful lot we don't of the Mclaren Sports Series, and there's still an awful long time to wait, but this is better than just looking at a door.

The new image has been released by McLaren with its latest '#BlackSwanMoment' which doesn't actually tell us anything new about the car. Convenient. However, it is the McLaren M6GT, which is certainly more relevant than miniskirts. It was Bruce McLaren's first attempt to produce a road car from his racers and derived from the M6A Can-Am car for a new series that required road car homologation. With an 800kg kerbweight and 370hp, it would hit 100mph in eight seconds. Performance isn't a reason for it being a McLaren moment, instead 'the principles and appetite for excellence that shaped it' are. So now you know.

Anyway, back to the Sports Series. The influence from the 650S and P1 is clear even in camouflage, the low scuttle particularly familiar. Of course we're very happy that it goes sideways too, as if that was going to be in doubt with 500hp.

Given a 2015 debut has been confirmed for the Sorts Series, the Geneva show would seem like the most logical place. Still a few months off. Expect more information, small detail by small detail, in due course.

Author
Discussion

Davey S2

Original Poster:

13,075 posts

253 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Front end looks like a Ferrari 360 there.

007 VXR

64,187 posts

186 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
ears

alexpa

644 posts

171 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Hmm, would be v happy if the new Mclaren SS matches those stats, 800kg and 370hp (fat chance..but would be magical). Ball park of a 330P.

toppstuff

13,698 posts

246 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
I am a big fan of Mclaren road cars. I prefer them to the Ferrari everyone compares them with.

I have to say, however, that this "Black Swan" malarkey is a total load of pretentious toss. I cringe with the Ferrari "passion and soul/bella machina/forza ferrari" guff - this Mclaren nonsense is almost as bad.

Fire your PR / Agency / Corp Comms team that dreamt up this campaign. And the person on the board who thought it was a good idea. It is drivel. Stop it now.

Sampaio

377 posts

137 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
So... you're telling us that's NOT a 650S in the picture?

PAUL500

2,627 posts

245 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Chatted to a chap a few months ago and he had bought a race series package from Mclaren for next year which sounds like the FXX program from Ferrari where Mcl fly you all around the world to various race tracks on an all inclusive "arrive and drive" basis using a version of the 650 against other gentleman racers and at the end of the season Mcl refurb the car, make it road legal and present it to you. Could that be the Black Swan thing?

redroadster

1,729 posts

231 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Love mcclaren but still think its a big ask to have a price difference of 700 hundred grand between entry level model to p1 based on same tub and engine block,is there really that much price difference /costs in the other parts ?

CraigyMc

16,326 posts

235 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
redroadster said:
Love mcclaren but still think its a big ask to have a price difference of 700 hundred grand between entry level model to p1 based on same tub and engine block,is there really that much price difference /costs in the other parts ?
It's not the same tub or engine block.

By the way, do you level the same accusation at the LaFerrari's engine?
After all, by the same logic it's the same F140 as the one in the FF and F12... what's the price difference there? £1.2 million?

Edited by CraigyMc on Thursday 18th December 19:28

Carl_Docklands

12,103 posts

261 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all

If you squint at the picture you can see a black Ferrari 360 Coupe under the camoflauge.


redroadster

1,729 posts

231 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
CraigyMc said:
It's not the same tub or engine block.

By the way, do you level the same accusation at the LaFerrari's engine?
After all, by the same logic it's the same F140 as the one in the FF and F12... what's the price difference there? £1.2 million?

I can only comment on what I have read and the 650 has the same block and tub as the p1 and yes there is a massive price difference between these models,i think the Ferrari looks totally different to the other cars in its stable and it does not share its carbon tub with those models, unlike the mcclaren which does.

Edited by CraigyMc on Thursday 18th December 19:28

Sway

26,070 posts

193 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
I don't know where this confusion has come from.

The 12C/650S use the monocell tub, which permits convertibles.

The P1 uses the monocage tub, which doesn't.

Similar architecture, but very different in reality.

Same for the engine. Same capacity etc., but in reality very, very different. The 12C/650S engine is much taller for one.

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Is there an ounce of humility and fun within a country mile of McLaren?

They are so pleased with themselves.

Who has even heard of the M6GT? A Black Swan moment? Give over.

chelme

1,353 posts

169 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
toppstuff said:
I am a big fan of Mclaren road cars. I prefer them to the Ferrari everyone compares them with.

I have to say, however, that this "Black Swan" malarkey is a total load of pretentious toss. I cringe with the Ferrari "passion and soul/bella machina/forza ferrari" guff - this Mclaren nonsense is almost as bad.

Fire your PR / Agency / Corp Comms team that dreamt up this campaign. And the person on the board who thought it was a good idea. It is drivel. Stop it now.
There is a great deal if truth with Ferrari, hence it's weight in brand power.

I do agree with you with this nonsense though. There is nothing 'black swan' about a car that apes the look of a Ferrari 360 and has nothing new to offer (i.e. the engine is from the 12C not to mention detuned and shares the same components of the older cars). Its like Porsche's 'Define Yourself in Three Letters' B0LLOCKS..

Megaflow

9,347 posts

224 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
redroadster said:
CraigyMc said:
It's not the same tub or engine block.

By the way, do you level the same accusation at the LaFerrari's engine?
After all, by the same logic it's the same F140 as the one in the FF and F12... what's the price difference there? £1.2 million?

Edited by CraigyMc on Thursday 18th December 19:28
I can only comment on what I have read and the 650 has the same block and tub as the p1 and yes there is a massive price difference between these models,i think the Ferrari looks totally different to the other cars in its stable and it does not share its carbon tub with those models, unlike the mcclaren which does.
This is a P1 chassis:


This is a 650S chassis:


Not sure what you have been reading...

As for the engine block, the core architecture of the engine; bore, stroke, cylinder pitch, etc, are the same. But the P1 has a stronger material specification to cope with the power and has a different transmission face to accept the E-Motor, instead of a normal starter and alternator, which is doesn't have. Unlike the 650S.

If you are going to class things such as bore, stroke and cylinder pitch and being the same engine, then the E46 BMW M3 and McLaren F1 have the same engine, the McLaren's V12 being based on the dimensions of the E46's straight six, but doubled up.

Edited by Megaflow on Friday 19th December 08:24

longblackcoat

5,047 posts

182 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
SpeckledJim said:
Who has even heard of the M6GT?
I'd guess that a large number of the people who might choose a McLaren over a Ferrari would know exactly what the M6GT is....

FeelingLucky

1,082 posts

163 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
SpeckledJim said:
Is there an ounce of humility and fun within a country mile of McLaren?

They are so pleased with themselves.

Who has even heard of the M6GT? A Black Swan moment? Give over.
British success story.....must destroy....tear down..

Who's heard of an M6GT, most real petrol-heads I would have thought.

3795mpower

484 posts

129 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
Megaflow said:
If you are going to class things such as bore, stroke and cylinder pitch and being the same engine, then the E46 BMW M3 and McLaren F1 have the same engine, the McLaren's V12 being based on the dimensions of the E46's straight six, but doubled up.

Edited by Megaflow on Friday 19th December 08:24
It's actually closer to being two S50 motors paired up (E36 M3) albeit with double vanos.
Bmw actually incorporated many of the F1 motor's advances into the S50B32 (M3 Evo) unit.

The E46 M3 S54 motor came much later.

Speaking of engines, the F40 inherited it's motor from the 288.

Didn't do that much harm !

toppstuff

13,698 posts

246 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
These "Black Swan moments"...

It has just occurred to me; poor, mangled metaphors, clumsy prose and iffy adjectives. This is not the work of a professional advertising creative, this is Ronspeak.

I would bet the mince pies on my desk that the "Black Swan" campaign was the idea of Ron Dennis.

It all makes sense now.


Megaflow

9,347 posts

224 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
3795mpower said:
Megaflow said:
If you are going to class things such as bore, stroke and cylinder pitch and being the same engine, then the E46 BMW M3 and McLaren F1 have the same engine, the McLaren's V12 being based on the dimensions of the E46's straight six, but doubled up.

Edited by Megaflow on Friday 19th December 08:24
It's actually closer to being two S50 motors paired up (E36 M3) albeit with double vanos.
Bmw actually incorporated many of the F1 motor's advances into the S50B32 (M3 Evo) unit.

The E46 M3 S54 motor came much later.

Speaking of engines, the F40 inherited it's motor from the 288.

Didn't do that much harm !
You are correct. My BMW model numbering is not great, and the E46 wasn't around the ...

paperbag

SpeckledJim

31,608 posts

252 months

Friday 19th December 2014
quotequote all
longblackcoat said:
SpeckledJim said:
Who has even heard of the M6GT?
I'd guess that a large number of the people who might choose a McLaren over a Ferrari would know exactly what the M6GT is....
If 10% of new McLaren owners could identify the picture on McLaren's website as an M6GT I'll eat my hat.