The McLaren MP4-12C is revealed as the first in a range of
high-performance sports cars from McLaren Automotive, the independent car
division based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. The 12C,
and future models within the range, will challenge the world’s best sports
cars, benefiting from the expertise and virtuosity of the McLaren Group.
The McLaren F1 first hit the streets it almost immediately
catapulted to the top of the performance car scene, taking home the title of
world’s fastest production car in 1998 and holding it up until 2005. Building a
car better than the original F1 was always going to be a difficult challenge,
and perhaps that is why for McLaren’s next supercar the company isn’t setting
its sights too high.
The first car from the new company, the McLaren MP4-12C, is
a high performance two-seat mid-engine model in the ‘core’ sports car market
segment for cars costing between £125,000 and £175,000. The 12C is pure
McLaren, featuring no carryover parts from any other car, and will be produced
by McLaren in the UK. It goes on sale through a dedicated, worldwide retailer
network in early 2011.
The new McLaren MP4-12C features a raft of technologies
never before seen in the sports car or automotive world. From the engine to the
transmission, the suspension to the braking system, the use of aerodynamics to
electronics, the MP4-12C genuinely is packed with unique features that should
give it an edge in what’s shaping up to be a very tough segment to compete in.
At its heart, the MP4-12C features a revolutionary
carbon-fiber chassis structure called the Carbon MonoCell: the first time a car
in this market segment is based around such a strong and lightweight racing car
engineering solution and the first time any car has ever featured a one-piece
carbon-fiber structure.
Behind the tub sits a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine
producing around 600 horsepower and 433 lb-ft of torque, offering what McLaren
claims is the highest horsepower to CO2 ratio of any internal combustion engine
on the market – gasoline, diesel or even hybrid. Contrary to earlier
speculation that suggested Mercedes could continue furnishing its erstwhile
partner with at least the engine blocks while producing its own SLS supercar
and furnishing Pagani as well, McLaren says the unit was developed entirely in
house. The bespoke mill features a flat-plane crank, dry sump and can rev up to
8,500 rpm, though 80% of the torque is said to be available from as low as
2,000 rpm. That ought to be good for a 0-60 time in the low threes and a 200+
mph top end.
With the new MP4-12C, McLaren's betting the economy will
bounce back soon. It's planning on building 1000 units in 2011, a quarter of
which will go each to the domestic UK market and over here to the United
States. The C designation also suggests that they're planning a roadster
version to join the coupe. But for now, we'll just enjoy this first batch of
images in the gallery below and peruse the lengthy press release after the
jump.
Posted by , Published at Sunday, January 22, 2012 and have
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