McLaren MP4-12C GT3 2012 Spec and Review

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 2012
The all-new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 will be the first McLaren car built for FIA GT series racing since the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR. The MP4-12C GT3 is based on the new MP4-12C high-performance sports car and a team experienced in Formula 1 racing is adapting the carbon chassis-based 12C to racing specification.

[Source: McLaren]

McLaren MP4 12C GT3 2012

• 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 �lvaro 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

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 �lvaro 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 atAut�dromo 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 4^th, 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 5^th 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 378� x 36mm Iron ventilated disc
Rear brake system	Akebono 4 piston monoblock calliper 355� 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

Ends
Notes to editors:
* F�d�ration 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 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 13^th.


• 1996: six F1 GTR �LM�s finished 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 8^th, 9^th and 11^th.


• 1997: two �Longtail�s finished 2^nd and 3^rd.


• 1998: one �Longtail� finished 4^th, with a second withdrawn after an accident.

McLaren MP4-12C 2012 Spec and Review

McLaren MP4-12C 2012
The McLaren MP4-12C 2012 is the first sub-�200,000 high performance sports car in the world to feature a one-piece carbon chassis. The MonoCell weighs just 75kgs (165lbs), and is a safety cell which, like the MP4/1, is unique in offering an unrivalled package of strength, light weight and the structural integrity and dimensional accuracy to form the bedrock to segment-beating performance.

[Source: McLaren]

McLaren MP4-12C 2012

JOHN WATSON DRIVES SILVERSTONE IN THE NEW McLAREN MP4-12C, THIRTY YEARS AFTER BRITISH GRAND PRIX WIN IN MP4/1

• Watson pilots new carbon-based MP4-12C prior to the 30th anniversary of McLaren introducing a carbon monocoque to Formula 1


• Strength, light weight and structural integrity are key features of carbon fibre chassis in both MP4/1 and MP4-12C

On 4 March  2011, John Watson, former McLaren Formula 1 driver and 1981 British Grand Prix winner in the MP4/1, was invited to Silverstone by McLaren Automotive to drive the new McLaren high-performance sports car, the MP4-12C. The 12C is the first in a new range of carbon-based road cars from McLaren and the first car to feature an innovative one-piece, hollow carbon chassis structure: the MonoCell. The MP4/1, also on display, was the first racing car, and first car of any kind, to feature a carbon chassis.
Watson was joined at Silverstone by former McLaren Technical Director John Barnard, McLaren Automotive Technical Director Dick Glover, and Claudio Santoni Function Group Manager for Body Structures at McLaren Automotive, as McLaren celebrated its role as a carbon pioneer in the automotive industry over the last 30 years.
Arguably the world�s greatest ever sports car, the McLaren F1, featured the world�s first carbon chassis in a road car. This was produced manually and took up to 3,000 hours to complete each unit. The bonded carbon chassis of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, the world�s most commercially successful carbon-based car, reduced that manufacturing time ten-fold. The new carbon manufacturing process developed by McLaren for the 12C will mean the MonoCell can be produced in a four hour cycle.
Pioneering this industrialisation process means McLaren Automotive is making carbon a reality to car enthusiasts seeking the ultimate in lightweight and safe chassis construction at a price point more affordable to a wider market.
The new MP4-12C is the first sub-�200,000 high performance sports car in the world to feature a one-piece carbon chassis. The MonoCell weighs just 75kgs (165lbs), and is a safety cell which, like the MP4/1, is unique in offering an unrivalled package of strength, light weight and the structural integrity and dimensional accuracy to form the bedrock to segment-beating performance.
The MonoCell�s composition and construction process were defined over a three year period as the first, and vital, step in McLaren Automotive�s launch as a fully-fledged sports car company.
Dick Glover, McLaren Automotive�s Technical Director, said: �It was a real privilege to see our past and present coming together over our first and latest carbon chassis. John Watson and John Barnard are great characters from our past, and for many of the current McLaren team to meet them today felt really special. They both highlighted the pioneering spirit that led to the development of MP4/1 and that passion to innovate remains intact at McLaren Automotive: the 12C�s MonoCell is living proof.�
Claudio Santoni, Function Group Manager for Body Structures at McLaren Automotive, said: �The MonoCell is extremely light, which helps reduce the 12C�s CO2 emissions to unprecedented levels for high-performance sports cars.  It is also incredibly strong and predictable in form and behaviour, providing a great foundation to world-beating performance; acceleration, braking, changes of direction and vehicle stability are all significantly better than on any car with aluminium chassis that I have ever known. This is because, using a carbon composite means we can manufacture the MonoCell with aerospace industry levels of precision, which is fundamental to accurate dynamic suspension geometry control,� Santoni concluded.
On March 5, 1981 McLaren Racing introduced the carbon monocoque to Formula 1 in the McLaren MP4/1: it offered an unbeatable combination of strength and lightness.
It had an immediate dynamic impact, with John Watson winning the 1981 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It also proved an effective safety cell, with Watson walking away from a dramatic high-speed crash at Monza later that season. Within a few years, every other Formula 1 team on the grid had followed suit, and McLaren�s place as carbon innovators was sealed.
John Watson said: �I�m very proud to have been a part of McLaren launching the first carbon fibre chassis in Formula 1. After that crash in Monza, I was back driving one of our Formula 1 test cars within four days at Donington. Despite the accident appearing horrific to those watching, I was clearly protected by a safety cell of the strength and rigidity the world of Formula 1 had never before seen. I�m sure that because of that innovative technology, I walked away unscathed.�
After making his track debut behind the wheel of the 592 bhp, 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 12C, Watson exclaimed: �The MP4-12C is mind-bogglingly quick! It is by far and away the fastest road car I�ve ever driven. Between 80-130 mph it really feels as fast as my old Formula 1 car. I only drive it in Normal mode, so I can�t begin to imagine what it is like in Sport or Track modes!�

McLaren MP4-12C Price Confirmed

McLaren has announced the pricing for the McLaren MP4-12C, which starts at �200,000 in Germany and �168,500 in the UK.

Power for the 2011 McLaren MP4-12C comes from a 3.8L V8 twin-turbo engine producing around 600-hp mated to a 7-speed Seamless Shift dual-clutch gearbox (SSG). 0 to 60 mph is expected to come in the low 3 second range with a top speed of more than 200 mph. Sales in the United States begin in the summer of 2011 with prices to range between $225,000 and $250,000.

The McLaren MP4-12C can sprint from 0 to 200 Km/h (124 mph) in 10 seconds, (0 to 62 mpg in 2.8 seconds) while CO2 emissions are under 300 grams per Km.

The MP4-12C is expected to go on sale in the U.S. next summer at an estimated $245,000, after a spring launch in Europe. McLaren Automotive said that pricing for North America, Canada, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and South Africa will be confirmed at a later date.






Press Release

McLAREN AUTOMOTIVE ANNOUNCES MP4-12C PRICING FOR UK AND EUROPE

• McLaren MP4-12C priced at �168,500* and from �200,000 in EU

• McLaren-designed one-piece carbon chassis (the carbon MonoCell) introduces new performance, safety, and weight standards to the �core' sports car segment

• 'Pure' McLaren concept offers unique innovation and service to high-performance sports car buyers

WOKING, UK (24 November, 2010) - The McLaren MP4-12C, the first in a range of high-performance sports cars from McLaren Automotive, goes on sale in the UK and Europe in spring 2011 at a groundbreaking price for a carbon chassis-based car. At �168,500* in the UK, and from �200,000 in the EU, it will be the only car in its competitor set to:

• offer a carbon chassis (the MonoCell)

• be conceived, designed and developed within a Formula 1 factory

• offer the heady combination of 600PS, from a 3.8-litre engine producing less than 300g/km CO2 in a car with a dry weight of around 1300kgs

Antony Sheriff, Managing Director of McLaren Automotive said: "When we embarked on this challenge to design, develop, build, sell, and service the world's most exciting and high-quality high-performance sports cars - from a brand new factory at our Formula One headquarters - we knew expectations would be high. To deliver a true McLaren sports car, and, frankly, a reason to exist amongst great competition, it was clear we needed a unique concept that offered tangible advantages. With a unique carbon chassis as the foundation, and a powerful, but highly efficient McLaren engine at its heart, the 12C offers staggering value: no other carbon-based car can compete at this price-point, or with the 12C's technology and performance.

"Add to that a focus on ensuring that our customers will be offered spectacular care by a focused, financially strong global dealer network, and I believe we have launched a new type of car company, not just a new car. Announcing such competitive prices is a major step for us and another milestone achieved," Sheriff concluded.

The 12C's MonoCell introduces genuine innovation to the automotive industry and new performance standards below �200,000. It is �pure' McLaren, with all parts, from engine to switchgear, designed by McLaren.

12C prices in UK and European markets, inc. VAT:
United Kingdom �168,500*
Germany �200,000
France/Monaco �201,000
Italy �201,680
Belgium �203,360

*RRP includes VAT at 20%: on-the-road price adds road fund licence (�950) and first registration fee (�55)

The 12C can be specified with a wide range of personalisation options, pricing for which will be confirmed at launch. There are 17 high-grade exterior paint finishes, including �McLaren Orange' - a solid hue that was made famous by the McLaren racing cars of the 1960s and ?70s.

A choice of 14 interior trims can be specified inside the cabin. Performance upgrades include a sports exhaust system, carbon ceramic brake discs, polished-finish callipers and two lightweight forged wheel options. The �standard' 12C features just one piece of carbon - the MonoCell - but carbon fibre options will include mirror casings, engine bay panels and engine cover.

McLaren continues carbon innovation; 30 years since McLaren MP4/1 introduced carbon monocoque to motor racing; carbon MonoCell contributes to performance, efficiency, cabin space and driveability

McLaren introduced a carbon monocoque to motorsport in the 1981 MP4/1 Formula 1 car. In 1993, the McLaren F1 debuted a carbon chassis on a road car. In 2009, the last of over 2,200 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLarens was produced at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC); the best-selling carbon-based car ever. Now McLaren's expertise in working with this lightweight and strong material has led to the industrialisation of carbon chassis construction: where production of one McLaren F1 carbon chassis took thousands of man hours, each 12C MonoCell will be moulded in less than four hours. This step-change in manufacturing makes this technology available to sports car buyers in a new segment, and McLaren Automotive is committed to building all of its future cars around a carbon chassis.

The 12C is the first �pure McLaren' road car, with every one of its components designed specifically for the 12C. No compromise has been taken in developing the 12C. An intelligent design philosophy means performance is delivered in abundance, but not at the expense of efficiency: nearly 600 hp at less than 300 g/km CO2 are unprecedented statistics. The MonoCell also contributes to a spacious driver-focused interior that defies the 12C's compact exterior dimensions.

Designed, engineered, developed and manufactured by a team featuring extensive experience in McLaren's racing successes, up to 1,000 12Cs will be built in the car's first full year. A �40m manufacturing plant, the McLaren Production Centre (MPC), is currently under construction on a site adjacent to the MTC and will be fully operational by the middle of 2011. The future range of around 4,000 high-performance McLaren sports cars will all be built annually at MPC.

An initial network of 35 retailers with a passion for McLaren's plans, and a reputation for excellent customer service, will be appointed to represent McLaren across 19 countries worldwide. In the UK, McLaren will be represented initially in Birmingham, London, and Manchester, with details of all retailers on the McLaren Automotive website:

http://www.mclarenautomotive.com/uk/insider/archive/2010/11/09/RetailerContactDe

Video:Mclaren MP4-12c Press Launch

McLaren has released an official video of last week's MP4-12C press launch.

The 12C is powered by a bespoke McLaren �M838T� 3.8 litre, V8 twin-turbo engine producing around 600bhp, driving through a McLaren seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG). It is targeting not only new standards for power and performance in its sector, but also class-leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions; supported by McLaren�s experience of active aerodynamics to aid cooling, grip, handling and road holding.

The MP4-12C will likely accelerate from 0-100 km/h in less than 3.8 seconds and have a top speed in excess of 300 km/h (186 mph).

It will be priced between �125,000 ($186,155 / �139,447) and �175,000 ($260,487 / �195,225) and "will feature innovative technical and customer-focused engineering and design that will offer new levels of performance in its price bracket."

via:world car fans





Press Release

On 18 March 2010, McLaren Automotive held a press conference for global media entitled �Inside McLaren - the Launch of a New Car Company'. The video footage includes the new McLaren MP4-12C high performance sports car, McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman Ron Dennis, McLaren Automotive Managing Director Antony Sheriff and 2009 and 2008 Formula 1 World Champions Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

Notes to editors:

The McLaren MP4-12C goes on sale in spring 2011 from bespoke McLaren Automotive retailers in 19 countries across the globe. It sits in the market of �core' sports cars that cost between �125,000 and �175,000 and will feature innovative technical and customer-focused engineering and design that will offer new levels of performance in its price bracket.

The 12C will be built initially at the award-winning Fosters+Partners-designed McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, England. In spring 2011, the innovative combination of hand-built and �lean' production processes will transfer to the new �40 million McLaren Production Centre next door to the MTC.

The McLaren Automotive retail network will be confirmed through the second half of 2010, along with pricing of the 12C and final performance figures for the car.

Mercedes SLR Stirling Moss Edition and Hakkinen Shooting Commercial in Barcelona

Somebody at Daimler must have been a big fan of recent photos showing the Audi A1 S-line in Barcelona's Raval district.� The company has been working on a new video shoot for the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss Edition a few kilometers away from the A1 location, and close to scenes used in a video of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

The SLR Stirling Moss Edition was the last version that became the SLR McLaren, and was filed in 2009. Is inspired by the 300 SLR that Stirling Moss took the victory in the Mille Miglia in 1955, along with journalist Denis Jenkinson, ie, which has no windscreen or roof or anything like it.

With a weight of 200 kilos less than the conventional SLR, and a little more power (650 horses on the original 617), accelerates from 0 to 100 in 3.5 seconds and can take the 350 km / h. S'en only 75 produced, which were offered only to customers who already have a SLR to your garage. The price? Well 750.000 .- �. Almost nothing.
via:worldcarfans

McLaren MP4-12C GTR Rendered

Jonsibal.com has published a new rendering featuring a proposed McLaren MP4-12C GTR. Jon drew up the idea in several different classic liveries, including Fina, Gulf, and Marlboro.


"I gave the car wider fenders to house four OZ wheels (with some lip) the previous F1 GTR ran back in the days," said the artist on the website. "I also added splitters in the front and rocker panels to keep the air moving underneath as fast and clean as possible."


The artist was a big fan of the Gordon Murray design for the McLaren F1, and the GTR version that followed. Photos of the F1 GTR are included on this page. The follow-up rendering to the MP4-12C GTR will be a Long Tail variety, an homage to the GTR '97 Long Tail. Once Jon sends it out, we will bring it to you.


The 2011 McLaren MP4-12C will be launched next year with a 3.8-liter V8 engine that produces 600 hp (447 kW) and up to 422 ft-lb. Pricing will be set at �150,000.


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Mercedes-Benz is building the last examples of the SLR

The end of a great era: Mercedes-Benz is building the last examples of the SLR

Stuttgart/Woking - The last examples of the Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss are currently being built, bringing the active era of the SLR super sports car from Mercedes-Benz and McLaren to an end. In 2004, with the swing-wing Coup�, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren jointly set out to continue the story of the legendary SLR racing sports cars of the 1950s. Five exciting variants in the SLR family have been produced - two coup�s, two roadster versions and finally the uncompromisingly purist SLR Stirling Moss. This breathtaking, high-speed racer is a limited edition of 75 examples, and is the final chapter in the modern SLR story. Overall 2000 SLR models have been produced - substantially more than any other sports car in this elite category. An SLR also represents a membership ticket to the SLR. CLUB. The spirit of the SLR will live on in this exclusive community of gentleman-drivers even after production ceases.

Three letters are all it takes to make car fans go into raptures: SLR. On paper, the legendary name simply stands for "sporty", "light" and "raceworthy". But, for connoisseurs, this magical combination of letters designates a dream car of special standing, promising unequalled driving enjoyment - a unique symbiosis of outstanding dynamics, superior performance and exceptional comfort.

In January 2009 Mercedes-Benz presented the most spectacular and uncompromising version of the reinterpreted 300 SLR as the last model in the SLR family - the SLR Stirling Moss. With neither a roof nor a windscreen to separate the driver and front passenger from nature, allowing them to enjoy sheer high-speed excitement with all the attributes of a speedster. Further attributes of the new Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss include highly sophisticated technology and breathtaking design that provides a new take on the SLR legend. A V8 supercharged engine developing 478 kW (650 hp) accelerates the SLR Stirling Moss from zero to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds, and is good for a top speed of 350 km/h - performance that no other standard-production car can match. This extreme concept makes the new high-performance sports car a worthy and legitimate bearer of the name of British motor-racing legend Stirling Moss, who piloted the legendary Mercedes-Benz SLR racing cars to a succession of victories in the 1950s.The SLR Stirling Moss accompanied by the 300 SLR and members of the SLR. CLUB celebrated its maiden journey at this year's Mille Miglia, in the hands of the former Mercedes Formula 1 drivers Mika H�kkinen and David Coulthard. Sir Stirling Moss himself had even made a return to Brescia to be an eye-witness to this historic event. The SLR Stirling Moss is a limited edition of 75 examples, and production of the SLR series will then cease at the end of 2009.


The SLR spirit lives on

The SLR project was conceived for a limited period, and as a limited edition, from the very start, and is now coming to a magnificent, entirely fitting end with the SLR Stirling Moss. The SLR spirit lives on, however, and will be perpetuated by the enthusiastic members of the SLR. CLUB. In addition to a passion for driving, the members of this exclusive community of gentleman-drivers, all of whom have an SLR model in their garages, share a discerning, sophisticated lifestyle and the enjoyment of encounters with like-minded enthusiasts. The high-quality event calendar of the SLR. CLUB includes driving events on the most demanding race circuits, participation in the Mille Miglia and tours covering the most picturesque routes in Europe. Individual, long-term backup and care at the very highest level for SLR. CLUB members is assured by dedicated Mercedes-Benz personnel well beyond the end of production.


The birth of a legend

The SLR legend was born in 1955, when Rudolf Uhlenhaut, then head of passenger-car testing and in charge of racing-car development at Mercedes-Benz, transformed a fascinating idea into reality. He combined the design and technology of the spectacular Mercedes-Benz 300 SL "Gullwing" model produced since 1954 with the outstanding characteristics of the 300 SLR, one of the most successful racing machines of all time, which at that time dominated all the major road races - above all the notorious Tourist Trophy in Northern Ireland and the two Italian classics: Targa Florio and Mille Miglia. Here Stirling Moss and Dennis Jenkinson piloted the racing Mercedes to victory in a record time that still stands to this very day. But the Brits were not the only ones to achieve success in the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR. Juan Manuel Fangio, who went on to become Formula-1 World Champion five times, and the speedy Karl Kling drove the sports car from Untert�rkheim to many a place on the rostrum.The road-going Coup� version of this legendary racing machine - better known as the "Uhlenhaut Coup�" among automotive aficionados - was at the heart of the passionate affection for the SLR held by automotive enthusiasts.


High-class synthesis of legend, performance and comfort

The models in the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren family, which have been rolling off the assembly lines at the world championship-winning team's headquarters in Woking since 2004, are the most emphatic reminders of the glory years of the SLR during the 1950s. They have brought the core values of the historic SLR models into the modern era - an exciting design featuring many details reminiscent of its predecessors, innovative technology and carefully hand-crafted, high-grade materials. They also continue the tradition of the high-class Gran Turismo models in time-honoured fashion. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren models offer a beguiling mix of optimum handling, extremely high speed and outstanding acceleration, not to mention a wealth of exquisite appointments, all of which makes for a truly unique driving experience.

To keep faith with the traditionally unique standing of the SLR, Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive pooled all of their extensive motor-racing know-how to produce the super sports car. By way of example, the SLR models set the very highest of standards in terms of handling, rigidity and safety for high-performance cars thanks to the extremely widespread use of exceptionally lightweight yet very strong carbon-fibre materials, including the carbon-fibre front structures based on Formula 1 monocoque constructions, which optimise the car's crashworthiness.


Outstanding powerplant for the front-mid-engine concept

In addition to this, the front-mid-engine concept allows the masses to be concentrated near the centre of the car, which makes for a low mass moment of inertia and consequently exceptional agility and handling dynamics. This concept, together with a chassis configuration born on the racetrack, forms the basis for optimum handling and peerless driving enjoyment.Here an important part is also played by the powerful high-tech engine with motor-racing genes, which was developed at Mercedes-AMG and provides power in abundance. In the Coup� and Roadster models, the driver can call upon 460 kW (626 hp) from the eight-cylinder powerplant with a displacement of 5.5 litres, while the "722" models develop 478 kW (650 hp), ranking the SLR engines among the most powerful units for road-going production sports cars.


Exciting design and exquisite interior

The design of the SLR high-performance sports cars generates sheer excitement by virtue of the stretched bonnet, taut waistline, rear-set passenger cell and short rear end of the Coup� and Roadster - making the thrill of high-speed performance visible as well. Features born on the racetrack include the downforce-enhancing aerodynamic concept incorporating a diffuser, an enclosed underbody, a spoiler and the AIRBRAKE.

As for the interior of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren models, the designers have created a synthesis of puristic sports-car feeling and extraordinary luxury. Exquisite materials such as carbon fibre, aluminium and leather developed exclusively for the SLR are of the highest quality and exclusivity. They dominate the passenger area of the Gran Turismo and further emphasise the unique nature of the car.
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