Flemke - Is this your McLaren? (Vol 5)

[hyphen]

flemke said:

Dr Gitlin said:

flemke said:

I am not sure that they will do a "GTR" in the sense of a pseudo-racing car aimed at the amateur market for private track days, in the manner of Ferrari FXX and P1 GTR.

This bit didn't age well.

Yes, there I go again, overestimating the intelligence of McLaren's customer base.
I had presumed that they would not have as many as 75 customers who were complete f**king morons, but it appears that McLaren disagree.

[waremark]

anniesdad said:

Flemke,

I'm not sure you'll put up with all this exhaust rattling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLkFlvKqbZY

I actually liked the look in that colour. Is it a production car? The rattle has to be a fault rather than a characteristic.

[flemke]

waremark said:

anniesdad said:

Flemke,

I'm not sure you'll put up with all this exhaust rattling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLkFlvKqbZY

I actually liked the look in that colour. Is it a production car? The rattle has to be a fault rather than a characteristic.

Prototype. Production of customer cars won't start until June.

(That's not to say that that particular prototype won't end up being cleaned up and sold as a good-as-new chassis that just to happens to be outside the "500 only" cars that they will officially sell.)

[ZOLLAR]

waremark said:

anniesdad said:

Flemke,

I'm not sure you'll put up with all this exhaust rattling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLkFlvKqbZY

I actually liked the look in that colour. Is it a production car? The rattle has to be a fault rather than a characteristic.

Will the positioning of the exhaust and the subsequent exhaust gases not cause some sort of long term damage to the underneath of the rear spoiler?

[trackdemon]

ZOLLAR said:

waremark said:

anniesdad said:

Flemke,

I'm not sure you'll put up with all this exhaust rattling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLkFlvKqbZY

I actually liked the look in that colour. Is it a production car? The rattle has to be a fault rather than a characteristic.

Will the positioning of the exhaust and the subsequent exhaust gases not cause some sort of long term damage to the underneath of the rear spoiler?

Blowing hot gas under the wing to decrease air pressure and increase downforce?

[AlmostUseful]

ZOLLAR said:

Will the positioning of the exhaust and the subsequent exhaust gases not cause some sort of long term damage to the underneath of the rear spoiler?

You’ll probably find one of the engineers working on it might have considered that. Probably...

[Storer]

flemke said:

(That's not to say that that particular prototype won't end up being cleaned up and sold as a good-as-new chassis that just to happens to be outside the "500 only" cars that they will officially sell.)

With your level of 'bitterness' towards the senior management at McLaren I am surprised you are determined to be a 'glutton for punishment'.

Nobody likes depreciation, which is unlikely on the limited run cars you have purchased from McLaren, so I suspect it does help make the pill a lot less painful to swallow.

If you are more interested in the way a car looks and drives (it's raison d'etre) than making a profit when selling on, then you will enjoy the experience much more. If making money is a major part of the 'deal' for you, then it is to be expected that the manufacturer will try to extract the maximum they can from that 'profit'. It is their reason to be in business. They may not have lied originally with the P1, but were tempted to take the 'profit' of a few extra when they saw the demand.
I suspect they are very careful how they word any statement on the maximum number of a model they plan on producing these days!

[flemke]

Storer said:

flemke said:

(That's not to say that that particular prototype won't end up being cleaned up and sold as a good-as-new chassis that just to happens to be outside the "500 only" cars that they will officially sell.)

With your level of 'bitterness' towards the senior management at McLaren I am surprised you are determined to be a 'glutton for punishment'.

Nobody likes depreciation, which is unlikely on the limited run cars you have purchased from McLaren, so I suspect it does help make the pill a lot less painful to swallow.

If you are more interested in the way a car looks and drives (it's raison d'etre) than making a profit when selling on, then you will enjoy the experience much more. If making money is a major part of the 'deal' for you, then it is to be expected that the manufacturer will try to extract the maximum they can from that 'profit'. It is their reason to be in business. They may not have lied originally with the P1, but were tempted to take the 'profit' of a few extra when they saw the demand.
I suspect they are very careful how they word any statement on the maximum number of a model they plan on producing these days!

I meant the comment that you quote as tongue-in-cheek.

In the case of the P15 GTR, one knew both from McLaren's previous actions and from their replies to customers that some kind of "racing" version would in all likelihood be forthcoming. As you say, McLaren recently have been very careful in the wording of their representations of production numbers.
In that context, I don't mind that they are doing this GTR thing. I wish that it was not so ugly, but I also wish that the road version looked better.

As you say, I was very unimpressed with some of the things that they did before. At this stage, however, I think that McLaren and the marketplace understand each other, and that should reduce the risk of future misunderstanding. For transactions with McLaren, the meaning of caveat emptor is just different now, and that is okay.

[Joe911]

flemke said:

As you say, I was very unimpressed with some of the things that they did before. At this stage, however, I think that McLaren and the marketplace understand each other, and that should reduce the risk of future misunderstanding. For transactions with McLaren, the meaning of caveat emptor is just different now, and that is okay.

They have serious form on this now, and one attitude is that - we are all aware of that form and so can make our own more educated decisions. Another way to view it is that they have run rough-shod over their loyal customers, and got away with it with no repercussions - so that's sets the scene for how they will continue to behave.
Of course that's not dissimilar to how the leader in the market behaves.

Presumably we can just 100% assume the usual slew of 20 prototypes of the P15, and GTR, being available once the main production run is over. It would be nice if they came at a discount - but I assume it's more like a run-out premium (due to some extra whizz-bang carbon goodies and a 1of 20 badge)?

I am surprised that you were not offered a GTR prior to the Geneva launch. Is that because they know you don't buy that stuff, or because they literally didn't tell anyone.

[cc8s]

They have 2 MVs and 15 VPs already and have just started on PPs. I'd expect 20+ again

For interest's sake, I was speaking to a chap very knowledgable on Ferraris who was saying there are actually nearer to 380 F50s that he knows. Ferrari made around 10 'real' prototypes and 15 'post-production' prototypes. Interestingly similar to the P1 situation (minus GTRs and LMs).

[flemke]

Joe911 said:

flemke said:

As you say, I was very unimpressed with some of the things that they did before. At this stage, however, I think that McLaren and the marketplace understand each other, and that should reduce the risk of future misunderstanding. For transactions with McLaren, the meaning of caveat emptor is just different now, and that is okay.

They have serious form on this now, and one attitude is that - we are all aware of that form and so can make our own more educated decisions. Another way to view it is that they have run rough-shod over their loyal customers, and got away with it with no repercussions - so that's sets the scene for how they will continue to behave.
Of course that's not dissimilar to how the leader in the market behaves.

Presumably we can just 100% assume the usual slew of 20 prototypes of the P15, and GTR, being available once the main production run is over. It would be nice if they came at a discount - but I assume it's more like a run-out premium (due to some extra whizz-bang carbon goodies and a 1of 20 badge)?

I am surprised that you were not offered a GTR prior to the Geneva launch. Is that because they know you don't buy that stuff, or because they literally didn't tell anyone.

Not sure which, and tbh don't care.

[ZOLLAR]

AlmostUseful said:

ZOLLAR said:

Will the positioning of the exhaust and the subsequent exhaust gases not cause some sort of long term damage to the underneath of the rear spoiler?

You’ll probably find one of the engineers working on it might have considered that. Probably...

One would hope, stranger things have happened though..

[epom]

ZOLLAR said:

AlmostUseful said:

ZOLLAR said:

Will the positioning of the exhaust and the subsequent exhaust gases not cause some sort of long term damage to the underneath of the rear spoiler?

You’ll probably find one of the engineers working on it might have considered that. Probably...

One would hope, stranger things have happened though..

The fat dude that sits on them to test them is it ? Or was that the Carrera GT ??

[Joe911]

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/geneva-motor-show...

[Jacobyte]

Back to the F1

Any news on the steering wheel boss? I was hoping there might have been some progress with the chaps in Hampshire.

[flemke]

Jacobyte said:

Back to the F1

Any news on the steering wheel boss? I was hoping there might have been some progress with the chaps in Hampshire.

I wish!
I left them the bits in November, also spent probably 10-12 hours redoing the "artwork" (logo) myself to correct the graphic errors in the original, then got that written in a format compatible with their machine tools.

I heard nothing for a couple of week so I called, the head man told me that they had been really busy but he would get to it. That was before Christmas; I have heard nothing since.

[Caddyshack]

I know someone who can make all the bits you need. My car is with him now having WRC bits done, I spoke to Man about him the other day...Man can pass you my number if you need to get in touch with me. (Toby). I am just up the road from Lanzante, near where Russel Lewis used to be.

[Jacobyte]

flemke said:

I wish!
I left them the bits in November, also spent probably 10-12 hours redoing the "artwork" (logo) myself to correct the graphic errors in the original, then got that written in a format compatible with their machine tools.

I heard nothing for a couple of week so I called, the head man told me that they had been really busy but he would get to it. That was before Christmas; I have heard nothing since.

Arrgh, that's not great at all - I was hoping to hear a rather more encouraging report.

Hopefully the impending spring will bring them back to life (I'll give 'em a polite prod).

[flemke]

Caddyshack said:

I know someone who can make all the bits you need. My car is with him now having WRC bits done, I spoke to Man about him the other day...Man can pass you my number if you need to get in touch with me. (Toby). I am just up the road from Lanzante, near where Russel Lewis used to be.

Thanks. I want to give these guys a final chance, as they already have the crucial parts belonging to me down there, plus we know that the artwork is in the right software for their equipment. I am also waiting on McLaren for something relating to this, so another reason to give it a bit more time.

[flemke]

Jacobyte said:

flemke said:

I wish!
I left them the bits in November, also spent probably 10-12 hours redoing the "artwork" (logo) myself to correct the graphic errors in the original, then got that written in a format compatible with their machine tools.

I heard nothing for a couple of week so I called, the head man told me that they had been really busy but he would get to it. That was before Christmas; I have heard nothing since.

Arrgh, that's not great at all - I was hoping to hear a rather more encouraging report.

Hopefully the impending spring will bring them back to life (I'll give 'em a polite prod).

Yes.
Since my last contact with them, by a great stroke of luck McLaren have located in inventory some little parts that they did not know they had, which will make the job a lot easier. I am waiting for them to make their next trip to their warehouse (100 miles away from Woking) to retrieve the parts, then I shall take the parts to the place that has been dragging its feet and say, "Here you go - are you going to do this or not?"