AS PROMISED BY MCLAREN boss Ron Dennis earlier this week, the successor (of sorts) to the McLaren F1 has been revealed ahead of its Frankfurt Motor Show debut next week.
Taking its name from McLaren’s Formula 1 heritage, the MP4-12C is powered by a new, McLaren-designed 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 developing 447kW and 600Nm of torque. Nearly 80 percent of that torque is available from below 2000rpm.
Earlier rumours had pegged a Volvo-supplied V8 developing 410kW as the power source for the new McLaren.
Anthony Sheriff, Managing Director of McLaren Automotive, said the MP4-12C boasts the highest power to CO2 ratio of any internal-combustion-engined car on the market today.
McLaren has not revealed a specific figure for the MP4-12C’s 0-100km/h capabilities, but a sub-3.5 second run seems likely.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission - which McLaren calls ‘Seamless Shift’ - and like the Ferrari 458 Italia - a number of driving modes are available.
Auto, Sport, Winter and Launch Control feature among the selectable modes offered with the seven-speed DCT.
A paddle system inspired by that found in McLaren’s F1 cars is found behind the steering wheel, and both paddles can be either pushed or pulled to perform a gear change, with the left paddle shifting down and the right shifting up.
A carbon monocoque shell - or a ‘Carbon Monocell’ as McLaren calls it - forms the basis of the 12C’s body, developed specific for optimum strength, rigidity and light weight. Weight distribution is 43/57 front/rear.
Composite forged aluminium and cast-iron brakes (which in this case weigh less than carbon ceramic discs, according to McLaren), light alloy wheels and minimal piping contributes further to the MP4-12C’s diet.
A unique system called Brake Steer stops the inside rear wheel spinning during fast cornering, acting to cut understeer.
The MP4-12C’s suspension has been specially designed to keep body roll to an absolute minimum, using hydraulically interconnected dampers - in place of anti-roll bars - to vary the amount of body roll allowed.
The car’s codename-like title - MP4-12C - is almost exactly that. MP4 is the chassis code for the company’s F1 cars, the 12 represents the car’s score on McLaren’s super-secret internal performance ranking, and the C denotes its carbon fibre body.
The 2011 McLaren MP4-12C will launch in Europe from late next year to early 2011, at a price of around AU$250,000.
Loading ...
Comments
Click here to jump to Add Comment box
How do you get a picture next to your name?
Get a Gravatar. Click here to find out more.
*****PRIMO!*****
Stunning job, this would be very serious, if they can sell it for 911S money they have themselves a sure fire winner.
The Poms are masters at kit cars, yes by def. this is a kit car, even though you won’t be building it in your shed anytime soon, i mean that in a nice professional way, McLaren does not do anything but 100% professional.
The origional F1 McLaren road car was based [copy!] of a Ultima GTR while this if its Volvo powered, looks like it could well be based on the new similar powered [copy] Nobel job.
Pity the central seating is no longer present, could bring along 2x girlfriends, now only 1!
Another one for the Zagame group to import?
I want a drive!
Cheers,
F-0
Wow, $250,000? That is certainly alot of bang for your buck. That undercuts the F458 buy more than a half im guessing?
Gut feeling, 1.15s TopGearTrack time, talk about taking a long term punt!
Cheers,
F-0
Hey Frugal, As much as I love the Ultima GTR (one day…) I think that you will find that the Ultima Chassis was only used as a test mule for the F1 engine and some components, but the final product was a much different beast. And just for the sake of splitting hairs I believe that the test mule would have been an Ultima Sports as it pre dates the GTR (although the GTR is an evolution of the same chassis).
It will be interesting to get confirmation whether or not this engine was fully designed and built in house or if it is a heavily massaged volvo unit. You would think that the poms would be a little scared of low volume engines given the issues with the TVR engines (although I cant imagine that the McLaren engineers would try to cut costs and inadvertantly stuff up the engine… As Melling claims TVR did to his….)
Yes I am a picky b@st@rd
Cheers
mtf
The only thing I don’t like about these McLaren’s is that the styling is always underwhelming, and predictable. Sure they are style with ultimate performance in mind, but I prefer aggressive looks.