Monday 10th November 2014

McLaren P13 becomes Sports Series

Interesting details emerge alongside pretentious marketing video

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Viral marketing campaigns, eh? They take forever, they tell you next to nothing and - once the product being teased finally emerges - your response is often little more than "meh."

And if this was anybody else giving us pretentious videos with portentous voice-overs talking about black swans our instinct would be to drag it into the virtual recycling bin. But this is McLaren and so, reluctantly, we're going to bite.

Nope, not with Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman..

Because while the video itself tells you nothing beyond the fact McLaren's marketing department has possibly too much money, more details about the company's forthcoming junior model are always welcome. We can stop referring to it by its internal code of P13, because we've been told it will be known as the Sports Series, and also that we'll be seeing it next year.

"Series" suggests there will be more than one, of course - and although we can confidently expect there to be both coupe and roadster versions, we've also heard from within McLaren that there will be a more practical version with more luggage space to act as a junior GT. And, very interestingly, McLaren has recently registered the trademark 'Longtail'. We'll keep digging on that one.

Other stuff is as previously reported. The Sports Series will use the same carbonfibre tub as the 12C, 650S and P1, and we believe it will be powered by a downtuned version of the same Ricardo-built twin-turbocharged V8. Expect it to be priced against rivals like the 911 Turbo and the next-generation R8 V10.

See the video here.

 

[k-ink]

l'll take my black swan in matt white please.

[tim milne]

If you're going to do pretentious marketing drivel, at least spend 30 seconds doing the research for the concept:

From Wikipedia:

Black swan theory

The black swan theory is a metaphor that describes an event that comes as a surprise, has a major effect, and is often inappropriately rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight.


It's hard to think of anything more predictable than McLaren making another slightly different car or it having less effect on anyone other than the handful of people who buy it.

Edited by tim milne on Monday 10th November 13:01

[Al U]

Looks good.

[LaurasOtherHalf]

A video of a bloody feather?

Tossers!

[daytona365]

What ? Is that it ?

[vimfuegoturbo]

I agree with Tim Milne.

Regardless of how the car turns out, this video is quite possibly the most pretentious, condescending promo for ANY product I've ever seen...

[Munter]

It harms their image with me. But I guess I'm not their target market. So it must be supposed to impress someone. Someone with a reasonable chunk of disposable income. Who's very easily impressed.

Joey Essex?

[tim milne]

Dear McLaren marketing department.

May I suggest the following strategy your next product launch.

1. Make a video as follows:

- Show the current range.
- Pan in and out fetishistically over the weave of the carbon fibre and other details (maybe to music).
- Announce that you're making another one very similar, but at a slightly different price point.
- Maybe illustrate this by lining them up in price order.
- Hold a raffle to choose the name (as opposed from the random name generator you currently use)

2. Send it to all the people who bought the last one and ask them to take part in the raffle and tell their friends.

3. Wait for the orders to come in (until you've sold the few dozen cars you need to).

4. Rinse and repeat for next model.

[jcl]

How embarrassing.

Maybe they should use Ferrari's marketing model and put the extra cash into making the 650S comparable to a 458 Speciale.

[Don1]

Pretentious wk.

[myhandle]

Come on PH, this is quite old news ... sniffpetrol.com produced a satire of the news a few days ago, surely satire should come after news.

[andyps]

tim milne said:

If you're going to do pretentious marketing drivel, at least spend 30 seconds doing the research for the concept:

From Wikipedia:

If you are going to be critical at least spend 30 seconds finding a reputable source for quotes you want to use.

[zeppelin101]

No such thing as bad publicity.

[benters]

surprised Ron allowed a feather in the wind tunnel. . .filthy things those swans if Marlow embankment is anything to go by

[tim milne]

andyps said:

tim milne said:

If you're going to do pretentious marketing drivel, at least spend 30 seconds doing the research for the concept:

From Wikipedia:

If you are going to be critical at least spend 30 seconds finding a reputable source for quotes you want to use.

I thought it summed it up quite succinctly.

[MDubyaB]

Sometimes I feel like McLaren are actively trying to make me hate them.

[PGNCerbera]

I don't know why McLaren give me the sts but they really do. From Ron Dennis boasting the P1 will destroy everyone around the 'ring (and then not releasing a time - cocks) to this awful marketing guff.

And yes, there is such a thing as bad publicity. remember a certain Mr G Ratner

[gregf40]

andyps said:

tim milne said:

If you're going to do pretentious marketing drivel, at least spend 30 seconds doing the research for the concept:

From Wikipedia:

If you are going to be critical at least spend 30 seconds finding a reputable source for quotes you want to use.

Do you still use Encyclopedia Britannica?

[TNH]

benters said:

surprised Ron allowed a feather in the wind tunnel. . .filthy things those swans if Marlow embankment is anything to go by

They get Swans on the lake outside MTC. #SwanWatch if you follow the F1 team on twitter.

[AlfaKev]

Henceforth this car will be known as the "Mucky Duck".

Can we make that stick?








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