The mighty McLaren MP4-12C will go on sale in 2011
McLaren Automotive has released first pics of their brand-new supercar, the MP4-12C. And to go with the pics, a massively verbose 10,000-word press release from which we’ve tried to cull most of the useful bits for this post.
As you would expect from the company that built the legendary McLaren F1 in the 1990s, the MP4-12C features Formula 1-inspired engineering, chassis architecture, and focus on efficiency. This car is, in fact, the first in a series 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,’ claims the press release.
The MP4-12C’s engine, built by McLaren themselves, is a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that revs to 8,500rpm, produces around 600 horsepower, and is mated to a dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox. The car features a carbonfibre chassis, dubbed the Carbon MonoCell, which is a super-light and very strong one-piece carbonfibre structure. The chassis will, according to McLaren, introduce new standards not just in handling, ride and outright performance, but also in safety, economy and practicality. ‘Sure, 12C is very fast, but it is also the most efficient, most driveable high-performance sports car in the world,’ says the redoubtable press release from McLaren.
The McLaren MP4-12C is good looking in an understated (for a supercar) sort of way...
What about the car’s styling? ‘Many sports cars and supercars present an ‘in-your-face,’ ‘look-at-me’ image that can become wearing and boorish. [We wonder what Lamborghini would have to say to that?!? Ha ha!] The ultimate backhanded compliment becomes, ‘It was of its time.’ Great design, however, is timeless and looks relevant years later. Take the McLaren F1 as an example,’ says Frank Stephenson, McLaren Automotive Design Director. ‘I hope that with the 12C we have produced a car that looks great today and will still look great in years to come,’ he adds.
Right, to quickly wrap it up, the McLaren MP4-12C will be produced in the UK, will go on sale in 2011 and will be priced at the equivalent of about Rs 1.25-1.50 crore in Europe. It will be packed with technology and will feature dozens of smart, innovative solutions that are likely to make it lighter, quicker, faster and better handling than anything else available in 2011. Is McLaren building a new-age McLaren F1 for the 21st century? You bet.
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