12C [Official] McLaren MP4-12C

[Zafiro]

This is getting redicolous. When will they reveal the weight?

 

[martinbo]

Relevant? Yes but less of a limiting factor in terms of driving capabilities. No doubt less weight will always be preferable but in today's world of fancy electronics and abundance of money poured into development of luxury cars, the common logic of a "lightest car is the most agile or sporty one" is fallible. Technology has come along way, and last week I was blown away by Sony's announcement of a TV that receives it's power wirelessly from a breakout box.

Ok, you make a fair point.

Now let's see how this pans out for the MP4-12C. Methinks it will put its weight advantage to great use.

 

[Wunderkind]

This is getting redicolous. When will they reveal the weight?

I'll hazard a guess.

1350kg with fuel and fluid.

 

[Zafiro]

Methinks it will put its weight advantage to great use.

Take a guess, what is the weight going to be?

 

[martinbo]

Take a guess, what is the weight going to be?

1300 kg dry.

Edit: Nah, let me go out on a limb. 1220 kg dry.

 

[m-power]

McLaren Spider

AutoExpress: McLaren Spider





It's only just been revealed to the public... but the new McLaren has already blown its top! Auto Express has learned that the Surrey-based company is planning to produce a Spider version of its MP4-12C supercar. And here is an exclusive look at how the stunning drop-top will look.


Going head-to-head with the Ferrari 458 Italia Spider, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and forthcoming Mercedes SLS AMG Cabriolet, the McLaren will boast a retractable hard-top, potentially the work of convertible expert Webasto. Layouts released of the firm’s new Woking factory show that an area of the facility has been devoted to ‘RHT [retractable hard-top] Sub Assembly’.


The tiny hood is likely to be made from lightweight aluminium or even carbon fibre, and will fold away behind the occupants’ heads ahead of the engine, slotting neatly beneath a pair of sporty buttresses.

The Spider is unlikely to weigh much more than its fixed-roof brother.


It will be powered by the same 600bhp 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, and should reach 0-60mph in 3.5 seconds and accelerate on to 200mph – roof-up, of course. But the model won’t come cheap – buyers will have to pay a significant premium over the £150,000 coupé version, with prices likely to start at around £175,000.




Read more: McLaren Spider is out in the open | Auto Express News | News | Auto Express

 

[Wunderkind]

AutoExpress: McLaren Spider

Nice chop by Autoexpress. The MP4-12C combined with a F430 Spider.

 

[martinbo]

"Official" weight as quoted by EVO in the November issue is 1300 kg straight. I am unable to dig up any more official sources.

 

[Mr Robert]

"Official" weight as quoted by EVO in the November issue is 1300 kg straight. I am unable to dig up any more official sources.

But, in the same article the weights of the SLS and the 458 were also mentioned, the Ferrari in "dry" weight and the Mercedes in EC measurement. No mention (that I could see) of what method was used or aimed at regarding the 1.300 kgs figure for the McLaren.

 

[Zafiro]

McLaren MP4-12C Live Launch
Auto Express will be at the launch of the McLaren MP4-12C from 10.30am tomorrow. Watch it on Twitter and on LIVE video

Read more: New McLaren MP4-12C Live Launch | Auto Express


Auto Express will be reporting live from the launch of the new 458 Italia-rivaling McLaren MP4-12C. The live video stream begins at 10.30am tomorrow.

In the run up to the event, we've had unprecedented access to the new supercar, and McLaren Automotive, the company that will build it, and take the fight to the mighty Lamborghini and Ferrari.

Check back tomorrow to watch the live video stream above, read our exclusive interview with McLaren Automotive boss Ron Dennis, and see videos of the car being put through its paces around the globe.

Read more: New McLaren MP4-12C Live Launch | Auto Express

 

[martinbo]

Folks get over to Autocar and check out the vid with Lewis and Jenson driving the MP4-12C. Very entertaining. Very McLaren.

McLaren MP4 - new details + pics - Autocar.co.uk

McLaren’s all-new MP4-12C supercar will be lighter, greener, more efficient and more powerful than both its key rivals, the Ferrari 458 Italia and Mercedes SLS AMG, when it arrives in UK showrooms early next year.

The MP4 is now entering its final stages of development - having completed more than one million test miles on five continents - and building work is underway at the McLaren Production Centre where the car will be built from early 2011, although initial production will commence at the McLaren Technology Centre later this year.

The MP4 has been given a target price of less than £175,000, and company boss Ron Dennis has pledged that buyers will not only get the fastest car money can buy, but also the highest build quality and highest level of dealer and aftersales support from any car manufacturer.

Initially 35 dealers will be set up worldwide - whittled down from an intial shortlist of 600. Cars will be available to order in two to three months time according to McLaren, which it has already had 1600 serious expressions of interest in buying the car.

MD Anthony Sheriff also stressed that McLaren has no desire to become a volume manufacturer: "We do not want the volumes of our rivals," he said, "we want exclusivity."

The MP4’s Ricardo-developed twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre 90-degree V8 engine will rev to 8500rpm, with its maximum 592bhp output arriving at 7000rpm. The peak 442lb ft of torque is available from 3000rpm, although 80 per cent is available between 2000-6500rpm. By comparison, the 458 produces 562bhp and 398lb ft and the SLS 563bhp and 479lb ft from their V8 engines.

McLaren says the car will travel from 0-124mph in less than ten seconds, and stopp from 124mph in less than five seconds. It will stop from 100mph in 30 metres - or seven car lengths.

McLaren also says the MP4’s CO2 emissions will be sub-300g/km, less than the 458’s 307g/km and SLS’s 314g/km.

Power is sent to the rear wheels of through a bespoke twin-clutch seven-speed gearbox. Gears are selected using an F1-style aluminium rocker style that pivots off the centre of the steering wheel. Normal, sport and track driving modes are selectable within two different customisable configurations. H (Handling) alters the steering weight, stability control and suspension and roll stiffness while P (Powertrain) alters throttle response, engine acoustics and gearshift times and feel.

It uses a carbon composite monocoque to help keep weight to a minimum. McLaren claims the MP4 has a dry weight of less than 1300kg and lightweight materials have been used wherever possible to save weight, including the brakes, wiring and bodywork. Even with fluids on board, McLaren says the MP4 will be lighter than the 1485kg 458 and the 1620kg SLS.

At 4507mm long, 1908mm wide, 1199mm high and with a wheelbase of 2670mm, the MP4 is smaller than both of its key rivals. Despite this, McLaren claims there will be class-leading interior comfort, function and space. Interior features include a portrait 7-inch touch screen and Wi-Fi.

The two-seater has a 43:57 weight distribution. McLaren says this distribution, rather than a 50:50 one, helps reduce the understeer that’s normally associated with mid-engined cars.

Much of the design and development work has been carried out by employees from McLaren’s F1 racing team. F1 tech employed includes an electronic differential system, a brake steer system and an air brake that can be employed to increase downforce.

Its design has been aerodynamics-led, meaning the car has undergone extensive development work in McLaren’s wind tunnel, its F1 simulator and using CFD. Several electronic systems have also been passed down from the F1 team.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis also reiterated that the McLaren MP4-12C is only the first car in a range that the company plans to build. "This is the first step in a range," he said.

So, Ricardo is the engine manufacturer! Hmph - didn't see that one coming. I wonder if this is a start of a new collaboration for McLaren's F1 program in the future?

 

[Monster]

The two-seater has a 43:57 weight distribution. McLaren says this distribution, rather than a 50:50 one, helps reduce the understeer that’s normally associated with mid-engined cars.

Really? I always thought it is the opposite.

 

[Mr Robert]

I have read somewhere about understeer in RWD mid-engined cars but from what I can remember that had to do with too little weight on the front wheels.

 

[martinbo]

Really? I always thought it is the opposite.

This is another example of the confusion that arises around understeer. Understeer is the product of not just one engineering or packaging characteristic - it can result from a number of approaches with respect to engine placement, front axle load, driven wheels, torque distribution.

The whole idea behind a mid-engined car is to locate the masses as centrally as possible - in this case the engine is mounted behind the cabin - in order to improve the car's agility because it is less reluctant to rotate. Still, the potential for understeer exists because of other factors such as diminished front-end grip resulting from less mass being placed over that axle.

It's never a hard and fast rule. Most importantly when assessing a vehicle's propensity toward understeer we can't just have a static state of the vehicle in mind. We need to be mindful of the dynamic state of the vehicle at a point in time (e.g. accelerating or decelerating, amount of throttle, amount of steering lock etc). A 911 is a classic example of having to bear the dynamic state of a vehicle, in an instant in time, in mind because one moment it's understeering (under acceleration, front initially goes light) and the next it's oversteering (apply more throttle to the rear wheels and grip limit of the rear tyres is exceeded).

 

[Centurion]

I received some press embargoed images in the press pack shortly before the press conference. But I can now share them, enjoy:

 

[Mr Robert]

Going by looks, this is the car to have in the segment.

 

[LaArtist]

^really?
i think it looks rather dull

 

[Merc1]

The design is sports car 101, kinda like we've seen it all before, but its still a looker IMO. The battle between this car and the 458I is going to be really something.

M

 

[LaArtist]

^yep looks like a toy car..or if you made a kid draw a sports car..
Typicall shape.. to boring imo..
But should be one hell of a ride

 

[NarutoRamen]

Oh, that flat black is SEXY!!