Monday 7th September 2009

McLaren MP4-12C Set For Take-Off

New British 911-fighter gears up for the road and racing

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Prototype Maccas snapped recently

It's going to be a big week for British sports car fans as McLaren plans to reveal its all-new new mid-engined Porsche and Ferrari rival - in words and pictures at least - this Wednesday.

We're hoping for a fairly comprehensive technical overview, and lots of pictures of the new machine, so don't forget to come back for a look-see!

If you read the Sunday Times at the weekend, you'll know the car will be called the MP4-12C, as the name was revealed in an interview with McLaren boss Ron Dennis - who also announced plans to take the car racing.

Having cut his ties with F1 earlier this year, it's clear Dennis still has competitive urges: "We'll enter racing championships with racing variants of this car," he told the newspaper, giving rise to the tantalising prospect of seeing the McLaren name return to sports car racing - perhaps at Le Mans or even in the new FIA GT1 series.

The car was codenamed P11

Big Ron also let a few more crucial details slip, including the fact that the MP4-12C will have a carbon chassis, scissor-type doors, active dampers that adjust to driving conditions, and a V8 mated to a seven-speed gearbox. (The engine has been widely reported as Mercedes-Benz based.)

Designed as an 'every day' supercar, the car apparently comes with a wi-fi compatible sat-nav and hard-drive entertainment system among its creature comforts. The interior design is said to be more futuristic than the exterior which, judging by the camouflaged prototypes that have been widely 'scooped', appears to be uncontroversial.

The MP4-12C will cost as much as £150,000 according to the Sunday Times article, and McLaren expects to sell 1000 examples a year, with deliveries starting in 2011. The new machine will be joined by two McLaren siblings by 2015, including a sub-£100k entry model and a £300k-plus flagship.

Although the MP4-12C won't be appearing at the Frankfurt motor show next week, the new McLaren's reveal has presumably been timed to muddy the waters for Ferrari which will show its new 458 Italia for the first time in Germany.

[willcrookz]

Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh eventually.

[CypherP]

As am I. I'm really hoping this will be a great car. Would be great to see new Mclarens out there on the roads.

[AUDIHenry]

Terrible time to launch a car, though.

Reminds me of the fate that met the Cizeta-Moroder.

[rev-erend]

Can't wait for the camoflage to come off..

[Shabs]

the pic in the Sunday Times looked like as Lotus, I only realised it wasn't when i read the article in detail. I had had a few beers though, but still

[glazbagun]

I've often wondered- is there a technical advantage to scissor doors other than making a wide car easier to get in and out of in a confined space??

[kambites]

glazbagun said:

I've often wondered- is there a technical advantage to scissor doors other than making a wide car easier to get in and out of in a confined space??

No, but with how wide modern supercars are, that's a pretty substantial advantage. I guess it allows for different body shapes to some extent too.

Edited by kambites on Monday 7th September 12:13

[Papa_Hotel]

glazbagun said:

I've often wondered- is there a technical advantage to scissor doors other than making a wide car easier to get in and out of in a confined space??

I'm kinda wondering this myself.... McLaren are hardly known for putting style over substance, so what's the point of these doors? A stylistic flourish? I can't see why. FFS even Lamborghini and Pagani, the nutbars of the supercar world don't do these.

[hondafanatic]

Am I the only one thinking 'st name'?

[Mat Hammond]

Shabs said:

the pic in the Sunday Times looked like as Lotus, I only realised it wasn't when i read the article in detail. I had had a few beers though, but still

To be fair that is an artist's impression... (if it was this picture?)

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/ind...

And I am sure the engineering/tech is way way beyond the Lotus.

I'd love to see them race the thing!

Edited by Mat Hammond on Monday 7th September 12:26

[Established 1984]

hondafanatic said:

Am I the only one thinking 'st name'?

No you're not.

I wonder if they were bench marking against the AW11.

[louiebaby]

hondafanatic said:

Am I the only one thinking 'st name'?

Nope.

[kambites]

Mat Hammond said:

And I am sure the engineering/tech is way way beyond the Lotus.

It will be interesting to see, since the new Esprit will pretty much be going head-to-head with this if they ever get around to making it.

[Established 1984]

Mat Hammond said:

And I am sure the engineering/tech is way way beyond the Lotus.

You clearly no nothing about what Lotus Engineering do...

[Risotto]

Papa_Hotel said:

glazbagun said:

I've often wondered- is there a technical advantage to scissor doors other than making a wide car easier to get in and out of in a confined space??

I'm kinda wondering this myself.... McLaren are hardly known for putting style over substance, so what's the point of these doors? A stylistic flourish? I can't see why. FFS even Lamborghini and Pagani, the nutbars of the supercar world don't do these.

The F1 doors were dihedral, to allow easier access to the central seat I imagine so I guess they're continuing the unconventional door idea, but I'm not sure what the reason might be in this instance.

I agree it's a terrible name for the car!

[Captain Beaky]

hondafanatic said:

Am I the only one thinking 'st name'?

Even bikes have better names than that. Let's hope they announce something at the launch.

[fathomfive]

The guy filling the car on the left (in the first pic) has the gayest pump-pose ever.

Edited by fathomfive on Monday 7th September 12:38

[BoRED S2upid]

Scissor-type doors

[mat205125]

Looking forward to reading about it, plus see / hear it. A GT3 class LeMans racer would be great.

Just being picky, but why call it the MP4-12C if it is V8 powered?

[BBS-LM]

I must admit Mclaren have some stiff competition with the new Ferrari 458 Italia which should go as good as it looks. Lets hope Mclaren have something impressive to show, and not another Mercedes Mclaren SLR?