[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

In the words of Motortrend:

We head out to Mojave Air & Space Port with the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, Lamborghini LP560-4, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren & Bentley Continental SuperSports to see if we can conquer the Mt. Everest of motoring – The Big Two. 200 Miles Per Hour!

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Check out the press release below.

(from Gemballa Racing Press Release) “GEMBALLA racing” to enter two McLaren MP4-12C GT3s in the 2012 motorsport season.

Motorsport commitment is the next milestone

Frankfurt, 22/08/2011. Setting yet another milestone in the year of its 30th Anniversary, GEMBALLA is proud to announce the debut of GEMBALLA racing. The new team will enter two McLaren MP4-12C GT3 cars in the 2012 motorsport season.

Team owner and GEMBALLA investor, Steffen Korbach, has hired Sascha Bert to manage his new motorsport venture. A well-known racing driver and instructor, Bert is a former German kart champion, Formula 3 and FIA GT driver, and has stood on the winners’ podium at the Nürburgring VLN 24-hour race amongst others. As Korbach said in Frankfurt today, “Sascha Bert is an absolute pro, and is ideally qualified to manage our new racing team.”

“We chose the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 because we think this car has the potential to be one of the season’s leaders,” Korbach explained. “We have also put together a team of drivers and mechanics who are proven winners. Racing is in our blood! We want to win!”

The GEMBALLA name has been synonymous with high performance, reliability and extraordinary qualities for 30 years. Now, 17 years after the McLaren F1 GTR won the gruelling 24-hours of Le Mans on its debut outing, GEMBALLA racing will capitalise on McLaren’s competition pedigree to mount its own challenge.

Race bred by a marque that has always been a front-runner in Formula 1, the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 incorporates world-class technology. Based on the recently launched MP4-12C supercar, the GT3 racecar features a 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine, bespoke racing gearbox, carbon safety cell, race front splitter, large fixed rear wing, optimised air vents at the front and a racing diffuser at the rear. The steering wheel with integrated display is an ode to Formula 1.

GEMBALLA racing SE is an independent company headed by GEMBALLA Supervisory Board director, Marco Marquardt, and will be devoted exclusively to motorsport.

More information on the GEMBALLA racing team, its partners and sponsors will be available soon.

GEMBALLA has been a global player in the personalisation of Porsche cars for 30 years, and is a German KBA-licenced constructor of GEMBALLA-branded vehicles. Notable examples are the GEMBALLA Avalanche, based on the Porsche 911, and the GEMBALLA Mirage GT, based on the Porsche Carrera GT.

To commemorate the 30-year market presence of the GEMBALLA name, GEMBALLA recently unveiled the TORNADO, based on the Porsche Cayenne, and the MISTRALE, based on the Porsche Panamera. Both vehicles have over 700hp, and are limited to a numbered run of 30 cars each. For more information, please visit: www.gemballa.com.

Top Gear lines up a Bugatti Veyron and McLaren F1 to see which is the superior supercar. This may be the ultimate supercar showdown, each with a very hefty price tag and ridiculous amounts of power. Check out this video Top Gear put together.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

• McLaren Automotive, McLaren Racing, McLaren Electronic Systems and McLaren Applied Technologies join forces with CRS Racing in development and support of new MP4-12C GT3
• New MP4-12C GT3 specification features technology from Formula 1 team suppliers
• McLaren GT plans to offer MP4-12C GT3 owners access to advanced McLaren Simulator programmes from 2012
• 20 MP4-12C GT3 race cars homologated for GT3 racing in 2012
• McLaren GT announces 2011 race schedule for new MP4-12C GT3 with special appearance planned for Goodwood Festival of Speed
• Andrew Kirkaldy, Oliver Turvey and Álvaro Parente to race the 12C GT3 in 2011 as McLaren GT prepares to deliver a race car of unrivalled quality to privateer teams in 2012
• New video available at www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv: the MP4-12C GT3 and its road car equivalent in action

McLaren GT, a new race car manufacturer which brings together the expertise of McLaren Racing, McLaren Automotive and CRS Racing, today unveiled its GT3 car and plans for a 2011 development programme.

The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will be the first McLaren car built for FIA* GT series racing since the McLaren F1 GTR finished production in1997. The 12C GT3 is based on the new MP4-12C high-performance sports car and a team of engineers, designers and test drivers with vast experience in Formula 1 and GT racing has been assembled to undertake the process of adapting the carbon chassis-based 12C to racing specification.

Martin Whitmarsh, McLaren Group Chief Executive Officer said: “McLaren has racing in its blood and it was a natural step to take our MP4-12C road car and turn it into the most reliable, efficient and easy to drive GT3 car. Every car on the grid will have its performance balanced by race rules, meaning our objective must be to select a technical specification that ensures any driver is able to access the 12C GT3’s performance limit with ease.

“We have worked with CRS Racing to ensure the 12C’s design and development programme is as close as possible to one McLaren Racing would employ in developing a Formula 1 car. The team at CRS is well qualified to shape decisions in this area as they have an outstanding record in racing GT3 cars, and understand what is required to be successful in that level of competitive motorsport.

“In return, McLaren Racing is able to bring new levels of technology to GT3 racing. No other GT3 car in 2012 will be supplied with a road-car carbon chassis, or a steering wheel and other associated technology from a Formula 1 car.

“The 12C GT3 will be supplied with the 12C’s carbon MonoCell and the same steering wheel design employed by Lewis Hamilton in his MP4-24 Formula 1 car. Plus, we are working closely with Formula 1 suppliers past and present: Akebono, Mobil 1, McLaren Electronic Systems, Ricardo and Michelin for example. This blend of road car and Formula 1 technology and experience will be a great advantage to anyone racing a 12C GT3 in 2012.”

Drivers and FIA approved races confirmed for 2011

McLaren GT aims to deliver the highest quality, most reliable and most driveable car on the GT3 grid when 20 cars are delivered to privateer teams for racing in Europe in 2012. The unique combination of McLaren and CRS Racing’s technology and development methodology is matched by McLaren GT’s appointment of experienced and successful racing drivers to develop the 12C GT3 at challenging races over the 2011 season.

McLaren GT plans to debut the new MP4-12C GT3 at this season’s Blancpain Endurance Series race at Spain’s Circuito de Navarra, followed by Magny-Cours in France and Silverstone in England. As part of the development programme for the 12C GT3, McLaren GT also expects to enter the Total 24 Hours of Spa endurance race.

CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy will be joined by 2010 Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver Oliver Turvey and Portuguese racing driver Álvaro Parente in the McLaren GT driver line-up for the 2011 development programme.

McLaren fans eager to see McLaren’s first GT racing car since the legendary McLaren F1 GTR can expect to see the new 12C GT3 driven up the famous Hill at Goodwood Festival of Speed from 01-03 July 2011.

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 development targets

McLaren GT comprises a team of designers, engineers and test drivers with vast experience in developing successful race and road cars. Marcus Waite, McLaren GT Chief Engineer, began his career working with the McLaren Formula 1 Simulation Group. A move onto the Formula 1 team where he was Senior Test Team Engineer for many years was then followed by his appointment to McLaren Automotive as Test Team Leader responsible for the new MP4-12C sports car. Combining practical experience of Formula 1 car development methodology and a deep understanding of the 12C road car’s technical specification is invaluable to McLaren GT.

Marcus Waite said: “We have defined the technical requirements for the 12C GT3 in the McLaren simulator and I am pleased to say that feedback from the three new drivers in the team means we can immediately focus on fine-tuning the set-up of the car, rather than address any fundamental changes.

“There is no substitute for having the 12C GT3 pound around the European circuits on which we plan to race, so that is exactly what we are doing. A varied circuit programme is vital. Circuito de Navarra in Spain is a great track: a mixture of slow and fast corners and long straights, meaning the new engine calibration we are testing has to undertake relentless accelerations from low speeds. A successful shakedown there means we are now confident of powertrain durability.

“We followed Navarra with a test session at Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal. The long, sweeping and fast bends of that circuit were a good test for the new oil tank we have designed for the 12C GT3. The oil is constantly moving and yet the new tank proved robust in that environment.

“These are just two examples of the way we will test every component of the 12C GT3 before delivering cars to race teams in 2012. I personally will not be satisfied until we have undertaken test programmes that significantly surpass the requirements of 3hr and 24hr endurance racing. We are committed to dealing with emerging issues that race teams often face in their first season running a new GT3 car and we will ensure our first customers receive a very reliable race car next season.”

Formula 1 simulator readies the new 12C GT3 for its track debut

On March 4th, virtually 30 years to the day that the world’s first carbon-based racing car, the McLaren MP4/1 was shaken down at Silverstone (March 5th 1981), the 12C GT3 also debuted at the UK circuit.

One week later, it took to the Circuito de Navarra in Spain for its first FIA circuit test. These shake down and test sessions followed months ofextensive testing on simulated versions of international race circuits including Silverstone, Circuit de Catalunya and Paul Ricard. In simulated tests, McLaren GT was able to fine-tune engine calibration, power steering, spring rates, weight distribution, gear ratios and differential settings.

Mark Williams, Head of Vehicle Engineering at McLaren Racing, said:“The new 12C GT3 was initially developed in the Simulator where we were able to fully explore the parameter space before defining the power, weight and downforce targets. We used Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to develop the aerodynamic configuration and then tested the various map shapes in the McLaren Simulator, working with the McLaren Automotive simulation team to define the vehicle set-up and access the resultant driveability. Being able to review our aero package and car set-up using a simulator developed for Formula 1 prior to first track running is unique. No other GT3 car will have been specified using this level of technology.”

Following the Spanish shakedown session, Andrew Kirkaldy Team Principal at CRS Racing and McLaren GT Project Manager, said: “The performance of the car in Navarra was testament to the work we were able to do in the McLaren simulator in selecting the right set-up for the car. The virtual and real world versions of the 12C GT3 felt near-identical.

“The new aerodynamic body panels and features designed for the 12C GT3 are of outstanding quality and markedly increase the dynamic performance of the car. This level of quality can only be achieved using FE design analysis and knowing how best to apply carbon fibre. McLaren has this knowledge in abundance.

A new aerodynamics package produced entirely from carbon fibre has been developed by McLaren Racing in compliance with GT3 regulations, incorporating a new front splitter, door blade, rear wing, diffuser and louvres in the front fenders.

In partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies, McLaren GT plans to offer its clients the opportunity to develop their 12C GT3 using bespoke programmes in the McLaren Simulator. Chris Goodwin said: “The simulator is a huge competitive advantage to McLaren Racing in developing its Formula 1 cars and to McLaren Automotive in developing its future range of sports cars.

“We recognise that the teams racing the 12C GT3 next year will be ahead of their competitors if they are able to use a bespoke McLaren simulation programme throughout the race season. We plan to announce full details of the simulation programme available to 12C GT3 owners and other potential clients later this year.”

The McLaren MP4-12C: The essence of a race car

Racing experience and development tools have played a key part in readying the 12C GT3 for its 2011 race programme. But, before the racing car takes to the competitive grid, McLaren, in the form of McLaren Automotive set out to develop a high-performance sports car that set new standards for speed, handling, efficiency, braking and driveability: formed from an obsession for aerodynamic purity and lightweight engineering. Assets and goals that make the McLaren MP4-12C a perfect road car from which to develop a race-winning GT car.

Once plans were agreed to take the 12C racing, key members of McLaren Automotive’s design and engineering teams were eager to support this natural step at McLaren.

Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive Programme Director, said: “It was an obvious decision to take the 12C racing. From the early stages in the car’s development we were integrating key members of McLaren Racing into the road car development team and this blend of experience and skill, combined with a ‘can-do’ attitude and desire to push what is technically possible, has led to both a great road car and a unique racing car. At the McLaren Technology Centre headquarters we walk past the McLaren F1 GTR that won Le Mans in ’95 every day. Racing has changed since then, and we have no plans to develop a McLaren to win Le Mans outright again, but car number 59 is truly inspirational for us all.”

Frank Stephenson, McLaren Automotive Design Director, said: “Conceptually, the 12C road car and future McLaren road cars are ‘easy’ cars to design. We strive for form that is driven by aerodynamic efficiency, and this rules out arguments over styling or unnecessary bodywork details that can easily become dated as fashions change. Our design team is passionate about designing cars that tell you what’s going on under the skin and remain relevant: we are an engineering company at heart and we shouldn’t hide that fact. That’s why supporting the development of the GT3 car was a great project to work on: the car needs more air to breathe and needs even greater downforce to hug the track. Yet it also has to quicken pulses as it goes about its business. The GT3 car really gets the heart racing!”

Under the McLaren Orange skin, the 12C GT3 shares the same 75kg carbon ‘MonoCell’ chassis as the 12C road car. Since the modern McLaren was formed in 1981, the company has used only carbon fibre for the chassis construction of all its road and race cars: it was a natural choice for the heart of the MP4-12C. Lightweight construction and manufacturing innovation through Resin Transfer Moulding was a priority for the engineers and designers responsible for the 12C’s chassis. The result is a road car that, at1301kg**, is the lightest in the ‘core’*** sector of the high-performance sports car market.

Andrew Kirkaldy said: “I believe the MP4-12C is an engineering masterpiece and that starts with its carbon chassis. A rigid chassis is hugely important to a racing driver. The McLaren MonoCell is unequalled as a safety cell, and our engineers can be sure that any changes made to the chassis set-up will have the desired effect because of its structural rigidity and predictability.

“The 12C is the first road car I have driven on a track and been truly overwhelmed by its dynamic performance. We have had to engineer certain aspects of our GT3 car to race specification, but I can’t think of a better place to start than the new 12C.”

CRS Racing to deliver on expectations of a new McLaren race car

The prevailing design concept of the new McLaren MP4-12C road car is ‘designed around the driver’, and this is just one example of McLaren’s uncompromising commitment to offering a new driving experience in road and race cars. CRS Racing Team Principal Andrew Kirkaldy brings a decade of GT-level racing experience to McLaren GT and, as the team’s project manager, Kirkaldy was able to specify the cockpit and other attributes of the 12C GT3 to ensure restrictions normally associated with GT3 race cars are removed from the McLaren.

Andrew Kirkaldy said: “CRS Racing is delighted to be working with McLaren. The expectations are high and rightly so. Together we share the passion for design, engineering innovation and racing success that will ensure the 12C GT3 is the most competitive in the series from 2012.

“When Martin Whitmarsh first approached CRS Racing I was delighted that his main objective for McLaren GT was to make the needs of customers and drivers an absolute priority. That message transcends everything we are now undertaking. The development programme will be rigorous to ensure reliability, the technical specification of the 12C GT3 will surpass rival cars due to the links we have with Formula 1 technology suppliers, build quality will reflect the high standards introduced in the 12C road car, and the maximum performance will be accessible to drivers of varied experience levels.

“Before McLaren GT, CRS was a customer of race car manufacturers. On occasion, it became accepted that GT cars are unreliable straight out of the box because manufacturers deliver cars before the technology is proven for racing. At McLaren GT we know expectations are higher. We want our customers to experience outstanding performance with metronomic reliability.

“Our combined experience means we can identify problems encountered previously by race teams or drivers and address them. In the cockpit of the 12C GT3 for example, we have ensured that the pedal position is exactly in line with the seating and steering wheel positions. The driving position in many GT3 cars is compromised by comparison.”

Specification and performance reflect McLaren expectations

Just as with the 12C road car, McLaren is working closely with specialist suppliers to deliver an innovative and lightweight car. The 3.8-litre McLaren V8 twin turbo ‘M838T’ engine supplied in the road car also features in the 12C GT3, but de-tuned to 500 PS (from 600 PS) in order to provide optimum power for this performance-balanced race car.

The new MP4-12C GT3 will feature a unique engine calibration, bespoke racing transmission developed in partnership with Ricardo (who also developed the engine with McLaren) and a suspension arrangement tuned specifically for racing.

Mark Williams said: “With the tyre grip balance moving forward on the GT3 racing tyres it was necessary to move the centre of gravity further forward and the only way to do this was to reduce weight at the rear. A six-speed sequential shift gearbox by Ricardo was selected because a race-specific transmission is 80kg lighter than the Seamless Shift, seven-speed gearbox used in the road car. All the internal components have been proven in other racing series. We then challenged Ricardo to reduce weight further, meaning the unit has a bespoke casing design. That is just one example of how we are continually looking to reduce weight and increase efficiency.”

McLaren GT has selected the TAG-400 Engine Control Unit for the new 12C GT3. The TAG-400 is a compact, self-contained engine management system and data logger for race engines designed and built by McLaren Electronic Systems. The procurement of components from suppliers used to working with partners in Formula 1 is another example of McLaren GT delivering on its objective to build a GT3 car of unrivalled quality and reliability.

Williams said: “McLaren GT is a smaller organisation than McLaren Racing, but we are applying Formula 1 methodology in every possible area.

“We have worked with Akebono in Formula 1 for many years, and I am delighted to be able to call on such a committed and reliable partner for McLaren GT. Akebono will supply brake callipers and has also designed a bespoke brake pad for the 12C GT3. Our own experts from McLaren Racing have worked closely with Michelin to develop the correct tyre model for the 12C GT3 simulation programme. And strong supplier relationships are important to the suppliers themselves. I am sure that Mobil 1 and Ricardo will learn a lot working together on advanced lubricants for the 12C GT3’s new transmission.”

MP4-12C GT3: the customer commitment

With a rigorous development programme complete at the end of the 2011 GT3 season, McLaren GT will put in place a robust support programme to ensure all customers of the MP4-12C GT3 are able to stay competitive throughout the 2012 season.

Martin Whitmarsh said: “We speak regularly with prospective customers for the 12C GT3 now and these relationships will only strengthen when teams take delivery of the 20 cars we plan to build for next season.

“This is the first step into GT3 racing for McLaren and we understand that our focus on quality must be consistent through design, development, technology, finish and customer service. I am proud of the relationships McLaren Racing has with sponsors and partners now and I look forward to extending this to customers of the new MP4-12C GT3.”

Initial demand for the first 20 McLaren MP4-12C GT3s is high, with interest suggesting that McLaren and CRS Racing could sell the run five times over. However, neither company has any desire to stretch the market and lead to a risk of either oversupply or restrictions on customer service. Retained value in each GT3 car is also of high priority to McLaren and CRS, and the first customers when they take delivery.

Looking further ahead, around 20 more GT3s plan to be built through 2013 and ’14, but both McLaren and CRS remain open-minded and optimistic about developing racing cars for other series’ and markets.

Andrew Kirkaldy summed up the customer-oriented attitudes at both companies: “We will treat our customers with respect. Having spent time now at McLaren’s amazing headquarters, and seen at close hand their aspiration to launch a new type of sports car company, it is clear that they are, as ever, keen to do things better. Whether this is through race support, parts supply, or even the simple fact that the car’s list price is its price – there are no hidden extras – we want to make doing business with us a pleasure. If we can celebrate race wins together in spring 2012 then even better!”

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Technical Specification

Width (mm) 1995mm
Height (mm) 1145mm
Wheelbase (mm) 2670mm
Fuel tank capacity 120 litres
Chassis/body McLaren carbon fibre MonoCell with aluminium front and rear frames and bespoke carbon body panels
Aerodynamics Front and rear diffuser, front splitter, dive planes and adjustable rear wing.
Transmission 6 speed sequential using actuation via steering wheel mounted paddles
Limited slip differential with a range of ramps and adjustable pre-load.
Wet sump Sintered clutch hydraulically operated
Driveshafts with tripod joints
Engine type V8 twin turbo McLaren M838T
Engine capacity 3.8L
Bore x Stroke 93 x 69.9
Max. Engine speed Limited to 7500rpm
Cylinder block Cast aluminium , 90 deg V angle, dry sump scavenge, Nikasil coated liners
Crankshaft Forged steel flat plane
Pistons Forged aluminium
Conrods Forged steel
Cylinder head Cast aluminium with plastic composite cam covers, inlet & exhaust variable cam timing
Valvetrain 32V with 40 deg variable cam timing on intake & exhaust. Low mass with sliding contact end pivoted pinger followers, single variable rate springs and hollow cast chilled iron camshafts
Intake system Two water/air charge air coolers. Plastic composite plenum.
Exhaust system Cast stainless steel exhaust manifold with compact MHI fixed geometry turbo chargers. 970 deg C turbine inlet temperature.
Fuel system Returnless fuel rail with twin fuel tank mounted pumps and twin spray injectors
Engine management MESL TAG400 ECU & CIU 100
Interfacing with Bosch ABS and Shiftec control units
Wiring harness Modular installation: Engine, chassis, fuel cell
Lubrication MOBIL1: engine and transmission
Cooling Air/water heat exchangers for engine water and charge air cooling combined with water/oil heat exchangers for engine, transmission & PAS.
Front axle SKF integrated axles with handed single wheel retaining nut
Rear axle SKF integrated axles with handed single wheel retaining nut
Front suspension Double wishbone adjustable for ride height camber and toe
Rear suspension Double wishbone adjustable for ride height camber and toe
Dampers Coil over Multimatic dampers with DSSV technology with independent bump and rebound adjustment
Front brake system Akebono 6 piston monoblock calliper
378Ø x 36mm Iron ventilated disc
Rear brake system Akebono 4 piston monoblock calliper
355Ø x 32mm iron ventilated disc
Steering Electro-hydraulic PAS
Wheels Forged Aluminium
Front 12” x 18”
Rear 13” x 18”
MESL TPS system compatible
Cockpit electronics Multifunction steering wheel with integrated driver display
Central switch panel with systems display screen
Steering wheel Derived from MP4-24 Formula 1 wheel retaining integrated driver display, paddle shift and switches

* Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile

**Dry weight with lightweight options

***McLaren Automotive defines the ‘core’ sector of the high performance sports car market as those cars priced from £125,000-£175,000 in the UK

McLaren’s Racing Pedigree

Defined by race wins in a broad series of global racing championships, McLaren is the most successful motor racing team in history. No other racing team has won the ‘triple crown’ of Le Mans (on debut), Indy 500 (three wins) and Formula 1 World Championships. In the North American Can-Am race series McLaren won 43 of 71 races, taking five titles between 1966 and 1972.
In Formula 1, McLaren has won 170 races: better than one in four of the races in which it has competed since 1966, and more races won per season competed than any rival (3.75). These wins have resulted in eight Constructors’ Championships and 12 Drivers’ Championships. McLaren, and Ron Dennis’ influence on Formula 1 has been manifest. In 1981 (Dennis’ first season as team principal), the McLaren MP4/1 became the first-ever race-winning car featuring a carbon fibre-based monocoque chassis.
This revolutionary design, inspired by aerospace technologies, has since become the standard chassis structure for racing teams: lightweight, safe, strong, and dimensionally predictable.

McLaren’s Road Car Heritage

1993 – 1997: McLaren F1: The McLaren F1 was, and in many eyes remains, the definitive sports car: the first road car with a carbon fibre construction.
Just 106 examples of this iconic supercar were made (72 road cars, 28 racing cars, six prototypes), but recent auction prices for F1s value the standard F1 road car at between £2 – £2.5 million, almost five times its original retail price: appreciation unheard of in a modern car. It was also the last true road car to win Le Mans and the first to achieve this feat since the ‘60s.
2003 – 2009: Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren: The SLR was conceived and styled by Mercedes-Benz as a powerful, touring sports car before being presented to McLaren Automotive to engineer, develop and manufacture. The SLR was prodigiously fast, exclusive and a technological tour de force. With over 2,100 examples produced, the SLR became the most successful ultimate supercar ever built, selling twice as many as the next best-selling carbon based car (Porsche Carrera GT).
2011 – : McLaren MP4-12C: the carbon-based 12C goes on sale globally from June 2011 through 35 experienced premium car retailers in all regions. Up to 1,000 will be built in the cars first full year, hand-built in the brand-new £40 million McLaren Production Centre that is connected to McLaren’s Formula 1 headquarters in Woking, England. The 12C is the first in a range of high-performance sports cars from McLaren.

McLaren F1 in Le Mans

1995: with an F1 GTR piloted by J.J.Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya, McLaren won on debut; four other F1s finished 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th.
1996: six F1 GTR ‘LM’s finished 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 11th.
1997: two ‘Longtail’s finished 2nd and 3rd.
1998: one ‘Longtail’ finished 4th, with a second withdrawn after an accident.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

(from McLaren Press Release) McLaren Automotive’s first major milestone of 2011 as MP4-12C enters production

* First McLaren MP4-12C (‘Chassis 01’) production car takes shape in McLaren Technology Centre
* 2011 milestone announced with a new high quality ‘best of’ short film capturing highlights of the 2010 12C launch programme: available to view at www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv

WOKING, UK (02 February) – Following a successful public world debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed, and a series of exclusive presentations to prospective customers and media across the globe in 2010, the first McLaren MP4-12C high-performance sports car has begun production at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, England.

McLaren Automotive plans to build up to 1,000 12Cs in 2011. Most will be manufactured in a bespoke new £40m McLaren Production Centre, which is due for completion in May on a site adjacent to MTC. However, ‘Chassis 01’ is being built in the existing MTC production facility, where outstanding quality and highly efficient production methods have been fine-tuned since the Foster + Partners-designed building opened in 2004.

The innovative 12C was first presented to the public at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England in July 2010, prior to a North American debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August. 12Cs were then presented at exclusive events to prospective customers and media around the world as McLaren Automotive toured many of the cities that will form a network of 35 retailer launch locations.

Milestone events in the 2010 launch year for the 12C have been captured in a new short film, which can be viewed online at McLaren Automotive’s official You Tube channel: www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv

This short film features appearances from Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, the 2008 and 2009 FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ World Champions. Both have enjoyed testing prototype 12Cs and continue to feed back their thoughts on the car’s development. The video also captures visitors’ reactions to the 12C at its debut events. Brand new footage reveals McLaren Automotive’s Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin taking the car winter testing at Dunsfold Aerodrome – also known as the BBC Top Gear test track – as he assesses ESP calibration on Winter settings as part of the 12C’s variable Proactive Chassis Control system.

Antony Sheriff, McLaren Automotive Managing Director said: “Meeting our prospective customers at launch events around the world, from Dubai to Cape Town, Paris to Los Angeles, has filled us with inspiration. There is genuine desire for McLaren to be launching our own range of sports cars, and an exciting appreciation of what McLaren stands for: innovation, technology leadership, and a winning mentality.

“In five years, the MP4-12C has evolved from a concept we developed in our own Formula 1 simulator, to a groundbreaking high-performance sports car offering unique technologies and outstanding dynamic performance. It has been an intensive development programme, but now the fun really begins as our future owners look forward to taking delivery of their 12Cs.

“Feedback from our customers shows they understand McLaren Automotive is as committed to delivering a high quality sports cars and a fantastic ownership experience as a our Formula 1 team is to winning races. With ‘Chassis One’ now in production, our new network of 35 retailers in 19 countries worldwide is ready to deliver on this promise.”

About McLaren

McLaren Automotive is an independent company, chaired by Ron Dennis, and based at the McLaren Technology Centre, the McLaren Group’s headquarters in Surrey. McLaren Automotive has a rich and seamless heritage in producing premium sports cars for the road: the McLaren F1 road car, which was launched in 1992, set the world land speed record for a production car, and is regarded as one of the best examples of supercar exotica. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is the most successful supercar ever in its price bracket, having sold twice as many cars as its nearest carbon-based rival. McLaren Automotive is now launching a new car company through a global network of highly regarded premium car retailers who will sell a full range of McLaren high-performance sports cars built at an advanced new manufacturing facility, the McLaren Production Centre. McLaren Automotive’s debut model is the MP4-12C. Drawing on the company’s long-standing Formula 1 experience in its concept and development, the 12C will be lighter, more powerful, more fuel efficient and more exclusive than its key competition. It will achieve its performance benchmarks by introducing a unique one-piece moulded carbon chassis into the ‘core’ sports car segment in a new production method that brings the performance of £500,000 cars to market at a third of the price. All McLarens will be based on this innovative carbon technology; McLaren has not built a racing or road car on anything other than a carbon chassis in 30 years.

Carbon pioneers

McLaren is a carbon pioneer. In 1981 McLaren Racing introduced the carbon monocoque to Formula 1: it offered an unbeatable combination of strength and lightness. The monocoque had an immediate dynamic impact, with John Watson winning that year at Silverstone, and also proved a very effective safety cell when Watson walked away from a dramatic high-speed crash at Monza. Within just a few years, every other Formula 1 team on the grid had followed suit. The Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team will compete in 2011 with McLaren’s 200th carbon fibre chassis.

The legendary McLaren F1 sports car was the first road car to feature a carbon chassis when it launched in 1993. Two years on, a McLaren F1 entered the famous Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race and won on its debut. F1s also finished 3rd, 4th and 5th. From 2003-09, McLaren worked in partnership with Mercedes-Benz to produce the carbon-based Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. With 2,153 SLRs manufactured in its seven year production run, the SLR is the most successful car in the£300,000+ price-point and the most successful of any car built on a carbon chassis.

Now, the McLaren MP4-12C takes carbon innovation to a new level. And offers a design and production process that could see the benefits of carbon fibre chassis’ cascaded down to even more affordable cars.

The new McLaren MP4-12C was debuted at the 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed and current Formula 1 world champion Jenson Button and previous title holder Lewis Hamilton take this bright orange magnificent piece of machinery for a cruise. Check out this video.

[Source: EVO]

The expected price of the F1 successor is unknown, but it’s likely to be sufficiently more than the MP$-12C. But rather than a limited edition, as the F1 was, it is expected be a regular series model.

Although this brings up some excitement, 2012 is merely a year and a half away. To build the next McLaren F1 supercar in this time seems a little tight in our books. We won’t hold our breaths until someone from McLaren goes on the record with this one.

[Source: Autocar, Autoblog]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvjEQDNXlhU]

If you enjoyed this post, you should subscribe to our RSS feed. Also, you can subscribe by e-mail and get the latest news about cars, auto industry, concept cars, tuning in your inbox. It’s completely free! Subscribe to our Twitter to get the latest tweets

The Frankfurt Auto Show is one of the world’s largest, equaled in Europe only by the earlier Geneva expo.  The coming event was expected to draw a number of debuts, but the week has produced a flood of exciting premieres even before the show has officially opened.  No category has been more blessedly affected than that of the exotic car.

The floodgates were opened yesterday on the McLaren MP4-12C’s reveal, with hi-res images and video clips springing about on every automotive news site.  The MP4-12C, P12 in factory terminology, is the British company’s second dedicated street car.  The MP4-12C carries a heavy burden on its beautifully sculpted shoulders, of course: the car wears the name of the late (great) Bruce McLaren, and rolls in the tire tracks of the F1.

The F1 itself was a revolutionary supercar in the 1990s.  Public sight was first laid upon it in Monaco in May of 1992.  The car bore both a beautiful shape and incredible engineering.  The structure was made largely of carbon fiber, a strong and lightweight composite quite foreign to road cars at the time.  The cabin was appointed with custom-trim Connolly leather and an extension of the composite design theme.  The driver was mounted in the exact center of the car, with two rear passenger seats placed behind.  Doors were of the scissor variety for easy and flashy access.

But the F1′s place above all other automobiles was set in stone with the German power of its naturally aspirated BMW 6.1 L V-12.  With this, the F1 could achieve 60 mph in 3.2 sec., 100 in 6.3, and an established top speed in excess of 240 mph.  Only one hundred and six McLarens were ever built–for a princely sum of £640,000.

There were supercars before and  there supercars after the F1, but none could ever achieve the same grace.  The Bugatti Veyron would break the record with the burden of two tons and the need for four turbochagers.  It could be said the Bugatti was more a pricey accessory than the genuine marvel the F1 had been.

Hence, the excitement of the MP4-12C.  It would be incorrect to proclaim the car as a successor to the F1: the MP4-12C is not of the proper supercar mold.  Instead, it runs more along the lines of lesser exotics, like the F430 and 911 Turbo.

There is no record-breaking speed limit here, no one thousand horsepower, and no $1,000,000 price tag.  It ranks well in all areas, but the MP4-12C is really an endeavor in building an excellent and more accessible premium sports car.  The engine is a twin-turbo, mid-mounted 3.8 L V-8 good for a maximum of 600 hp.  Shockingly, the high majority of that power is available at just 2,000 rpm.  The standard transmission is an in-house 7-spd. dual-clutch automated gearbox adjustable for various modes of driving–a must for serious exotic contenders.

Like the F1, the MP4-12C saves weight by employing composites and aluminum in its overall structure.  Total weight hovers around 3,000 lbs. making it more than featherweight, yet lighter than the “race-spec” Porsches and Lambos that have been put out over the past ten years.  The styling is part of an “organic” movement seen in the shapes of the Ferrari 458 and Lotus Evora: uninterrupted lines and seamless curves.

The MP4-12C is just the first of a new menu of sports cars coming from McLaren Automotive.  The landscape has changed much since the F1 hit Monaco in 1992, however.  Will it stand out?  Certainly.  The MP4-12C’s only real flaw would be the cluttered designation.  That hasn’t stopped the current of fascination and jubilation over this long-awaited debut.  Perhaps what is more special is that the McLaren offers something Maranallo, Stuttgart, and Sant’Agata don’t: real exclusivity.

After all, how many cars do you hear being a bargain at $200,000?