Posted on 09/09/2009 9:05:52 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
McLaren unveiled its new supercar today, a 240mph machine which has been dubbed the ‘F1 car for the road’.
The fluidly-styled, gull-winged car is part of an aggressive strategy of expansion for the British racing specialist, which aims to challenge the dominance of Lamborghini and Ferrari.
The MP4-12C, known until now only by its codename P11, is scheduled to go on sale in 2011. It will feature many technical innovations gleaned from the company’s racing division, but is intended as a 200mph-plus ‘affordable’ supercar for everyday use. At around £150,000, it will cost more than a Porsche Turbo and a bit less than a comparable Ferrari.
To make the car more useful day to day, the self-adjusting suspension varies the damper settings to ensure a soft ride for urban driving, then stiffens up to improve driving dynamics and handling as speeds increase. It is powered by an enormous 3.8 litre V8 twin turbo engine which develops 600bhp. The two-seater will accelerate from 0 to 60mph in just 3.4 seconds.
The new McLaren will be put together at the company's factory in Woking, Surrey. In an interview with the Sunday Times, McLaren boss Ron Dennis outlined his intention to create a global supercar brand with a stable of high-performance models. Dennis revealed plans to build three new models over the next six years, eventually producing 4,000 cars a year (Ferrari makes about 6,000). “We’re building more than one car; we’re building a brand,” he says.
The new McLaren uses lightweight aluminium and carbon fibre, which allows for greater performance, while minimising weight. McLaren claims that the average fuel consumption will hover around 22mpg, which is not hugely impressive, but emissions of carbon dioxide are expected to be below 300g/km.
McLaren hopes to sell 1,000 in the first
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
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Always nice to see another car on the market that I can’t afford.
McLaren bump. gotta love it.
“enormous 3.8 litre V8 twin turbo engine”
Uh, that’s “enormous” now?
I’d have to see how this car performs against a Z06 Corvette before I say anything about the performance:price ratio.
Yes, I always worry about fuel consumption and CO2 emissions when I buy my supercars. In fact, it's the very first thing I check when I walk into the showroom.
About 228 cubic inches for us who still think in “real” units, not some sissified CGS or SI bosh. “Enormous” — don’t make me laugh.
If it is british .. I will NEVER own it no matter what my financial status is. I spent 15 years of misguided youth with British Leyland products.
They taught me perseverance, they taught me that Lucas electrics knew nothing about electricity, they taught me the dangers of seeking out and finding joy and ecstacy, only to be dumped in the cesspool of automotive hell for months. They taugh me budgeting and financial lessons, proving that no matter how much I tried budgeting in preparation of a monetary disaster, I could never never stay on top of it.
British Leyland broke my heart and my patience and my wallet and any desire to ever own anything British again. No wonder those people can keep a stiff upper lip .. they were taught well by their automotive disasters.
I want a small, daringly designed 4-cylinder 2-seater for $25,000. It is feasible. Perhaps Hyundai will do it.
I learned vicariously through my brother’s experience with his Triumph Spitfire, aka, the garage mechanic’s companion.
Back in high school, a friend’s dad bought a prototype car from a developer that was going out of business. I believe they had put over $200k into the build (in the 80s) and he was able to get it for about 10% of that. It was called The Spirit and had a beefed up mid-mounted 351 Cleveland in it and fat tires on an aliminum frame with a fiberglass body. The car sat so low to the ground that the rearview mirror was mounted on the top of the roof and there was a plexiglass porthole in the roof for the driver to see what he was leaving in the dust. My friend’s older brother got to drive it and said he broke the tires loose without clutching while doing about 55 on the road. It was an amazing ride. Never found out what eventually became of it.
No real point to my tale, just wanted to share.
Bosche electrical systems will make you yearn for the reliability of Lucas, just ask any VW owner.
I like that “garage mechanics companion” lol And yes I owned a spitfire. Please excuse me ... I was and maybe still am a slow leaner. I later bought a TR5 and a TR7 as well .... I had convinced myself tht after the Spitfire, any type of change would be for the better.
NOPE ... turned out the spitfire was more reliable than the TR5 AND the TR7 together. The idioocy of youth.
I like that “garage mechanics companion” lol And yes I owned a spitfire. Please excuse me ... I was and maybe still am a slow leaner. I later bought a TR5 and a TR7 as well .... I had convinced myself tht after the Spitfire, any type of change would be for the better.
NOPE ... turned out the spitfire was more reliable than the TR5 AND the TR7 together. The idioocy of youth.
sweeet...
Isn't that only 231 cubic inches? That's enormous???
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