McLaren Automotive is about to introduce its much awaited super sports car MP4-12C to the world, and it is expected to be as iconic as their McLaren F1 supercar.
The rules in the sports car world are about to be re-written.
But, will it be able to win over the likes of Ferrari 458 Italia and Porsche 997 Turbo MkII...?
READ THIS FURTHER TO UNVEIL THE SECRETS
The McLaren MP4-12C, is a high performance two-seat mid-engine model in the 'core' sports car market segment for cars costing between £125,000 and £175,000. The 12C is pure McLaren, featuring no carryover parts from any other car, and will be produced by McLaren in the UK. It goes on sale through a dedicated, worldwide retailer network in early 2011.
"McLaren is already a car maker with maturity and experience, having produced iconic cars such as the F1," said Antony Sheriff, McLaren Automotive Managing Director.
Under the skin
At its heart, the McLaren MP4-12C features a revolutionary carbon fibre chassis structure, the Carbon MonoCell: the first time a car in this market segment is based around such a strong and lightweight racing car engineering solution and the first time any car has ever featured a one-piece carbon fibre structure.
This step change in sports car design means that the 12C introduces new standards not just in handling, ride and outright performance, but also safety, economy and practicality in an already competitive sector.
McLaren pioneered the use of carbon composite construction in the 1981 Formula 1 MP4/1 model and set a trend that all Formula 1 teams have followed. The company brought carbon fibre to road cars for the first time with the 1993 McLaren F1 and then built on this experience with a carbon fibre chassis and body on the SLR manufactured to the same exacting standards, but in higher volumes.
So, until now, carbon chassis have remained the preserve of the most expensive exotic cars; a purchase for the super-rich where costs are driven by the complexity of carbon fibre chassis design and build.
The 12C is powered by a bespoke McLaren 'M838T' 3.8 litre, V8 twin-turbo engine producing around 600bhp, driving through a McLaren 7-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 12C is all about performance," said Sheriff. "And in McLaren, we have a very broad definition of performance. We don't just look at the traditional one-dimensional parameters like top speed, we focus equally on useable measures such as in-gear acceleration times, braking performance in all conditions, and efficiency of power delivery combined with the lowest possible fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Sure, 12C is very fast, but it is also the most efficient, most driveable high-performance sports car in the world."
A feather made of carbon
Weight is the enemy of performance in every area of car design.
It affects acceleration, speed, handling, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions - everything. McLaren Automotive engineers pursued weight saving obsessively. For example:
It affects acceleration, speed, handling, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions - everything. McLaren Automotive engineers pursued weight saving obsessively. For example:
- The Carbon MonoCell not only reduces the weight of the structure but also allows for the use of much lighter weight body panels.
- The close position of the driver and passenger allows a narrower, lighter body while giving improved visibility with a clearer perception of the car's extremities.
- Brakes with forged aluminium hubs save 8 kg and weigh less than optional carbon ceramic brakes.
- Lightweight exhaust pipes exit straight out the rear of the car, minimizing their length and weight.
- Airflow-assisted Airbrake deployment dramatically reduces weight of the Airbrake activation system.
- Small, compact downsized engine coupled to lightweight compact SSG minimizes vehicle length, weight and polar moment of inertia.
- Significant weight was pared off the alloy wheels through intensive Finite Element Analysis of wall thicknesses.
- The engine cooling radiators were mounted at the rear, as close to the engine as possible, to minimize the pipework, the fluids contained within them, and therefore weight. They were also mounted in car line to minimize vehicle width.
No-nonsense designing
The overall design theme supports engineering aerodynamic ambitions. Purity of lines then give the car its character. Successful car design is based on proportions and McLaren's styling team, whilst driven by the demands of the purest airflow, honed a mix of concave and convex surfaces that present balanced proportions and a feeling of lightness. Nothing is out of place on the car and surfaces interact smoothly and with purpose.
The 12C's face is dominated by large and distinctive air intakes and bi-xenon headlights with LED running lights inspired by the form of the McLaren logo. The McLaren logo itself also graces the bonnet of a car for the first time.
Illumination from the running lights bleeds into three distinctive gills just above the headlamps. The windscreen is deep and low for superb forward visibility and redolent of the McLaren F1: in wet weather it is swept by a single weight-saving pantograph wiper blade, as was the F1.
The concept of dihedral doors is simply to allow the driver and passenger to get into and out of the car as easily as possible as well as allowing a smaller door opening than would otherwise be necessary. With its single hinge, the dihedral doors offer weight-saving features and are unique to the McLaren brand. As is the unique handle-free door entry system.
The 12C's rear is unique. It has an aggressive, business-like appearance with its downforce-optimised rear diffuser. The exhaust pipes exit high and in the centre of the car and the rear end is open to ensure efficient evacuation of hot air from the engine bay. The engine itself is visible through the top deck. The LED tail light clusters do not dominate the rear and are hidden behind horizontal black bars. They are only visible when illuminated: the two upper bars light up as LED brake lights and turn indicators.
Aerodynamic efficiency drove the 12C's design. High downforce helps maintain traction, cornering ability and stability while low drag aids top speed and acceleration. It has a completely flat underbody and smooth upper body surfaces to yield a highly effective drag coefficient and generate very high levels of balanced downforce at high speed.
A nose splitter gives more downforce at the front while guide vanes near the front and rear wheels help to increase downforce with minimal drag penalty and direct air towards the all-important diffuser at the rear.
The active Airbrake is another innovation that made its debut on the F1 supercar and was also incorporated into the SLR. It deploys hydraulically under braking, or when the driver wants to trim the car for increased downforce by using a switch on the Active Dynamics Panel.
Overall, the 12C is lower, shorter and narrower than key competitors, but has much shorter front and rear overhangs due to its longer wheelbase - a layout that promotes stability and assists handling response.
Driver-centred interiors
Such attention to detail is to be found throughout the McLaren 12C's interior and the car does not suffer an over abundance of switches, knobs and dials.
The layout and ergonomics of the interior are aided by the 12C's packaging. The driver and passenger sit closer together, giving the driver a better feeling of control for placing the car on the road accurately as well as leaving more room between the driver and the door panel. This allows not only more space for arm movements during hard driving, but also provides space for an additional 'door console'.
Like the McLaren F1, the driver has controls on both sides, which allows for a rational positioning of switches:
- Climate controls on each door console
- Telematics on the upper centre console
- Active Dynamics Panel on the middle centre console
- Transmission and minor controls on the tunnel console
- Trip computer and cruise controls on steering column
The Active Dynamics Panel provides two rotary switches and four push buttons:
- 'Start/Stop'
- 'Active' activates all the dynamic controls.
- 'Winter' sets powertrain, suspension and electronic aids to maximum driver support.
- 'Launch' initiates the launch control system.
- The two rotary switches control 'powertrain' and 'handling', each having three position settings for normal, sport and high performance driving modes.
- 'Powertrain' changes throttle response, gearbox strategy, shift times and impulse (how much one can feel the gearchange). The coaxial 'Manual' button controls use of manual gearbox functions.
- 'Handling' changes stability control, steering weight, suspension firmness and roll stiffness. The coaxial 'Aero' button allows the driver to deploy the airbrake for increased downforce.
The supportive, light weight seat is comfortable and electrically-adjustable for height. There is plenty of storage space in the car with a shelf behind the seats big enough for small bags and a 'floating' centre console that leaves space beneath for a large storage container.
The interior's simplicity belies a world-class level of comfort and safety features that will include a full quota of airbags, fully automatic dual zone climate control, sophisticated telematics and audio systems, parking sensors, trip computer, cruise control and electric memory seats.
McLaren MP4-12C Technical Specifications
- Drivetrain layout: Longitudinal mid-engine, RWD
- Engine configuration: V8 twin turbo
- Engine material: Aluminium block and cylinder heads
- Oiling: Dry sump
- Compression ratio: 8.7:1
- Valvetrain: 32-valve, DOHC, dual VVT
- Redline: 8,500 rpm
- Bore x Stroke: 93 x 69.9 mm
- Engine displacement: 3799 cc
- Power: 600 PS / 592 bhp @ 7000 rpm
- Torque: 600 Nm / 443 lb-ft @ 3000-7000 rpm
- PS per litre: 158
- Transmission: 7 Speed SSG with Pre-Cog
- Body structure: Carbon fibre MonoCell with aluminum front and rear frames
- Wheelbase: 2670 mm
- Track
- Front: 1656 mm
- Rear: 1583 mm
- Length: 4507 mm
- Width: 1909 mm
- Height: 1199 mm
- DIN weight: 1434 kg / 3161 lbs
- Dry weight: 1336 kg / 2945 lbs
- Dry weight with lightweight options: 1301 kg / 2868 lbs
- Weight distribution at DIN
- Front: 42.5%
- Rear: 57.5%
- Active aerodynamics: McLaren Airbrake
- Suspension: ProActive Chassis Control
- ProActive Chassis Control modes: Winter / Normal / Sport / Track
- Powertrain modes: Winter / Normal / Sport / Track
- Brakes: Cast iron discs with forged aluminum hubs (F 370mm / R 350 mm)
- Wheel sizes
- Front: 19" x 8.5" J
- Rear: 20" x 11" J
- Tyres: Pirelli PZero
- Front: 235/35 R19
- Rear: 305/30 R20
- Maximum speed: 330 km/h (205 mph)
- 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 3.3 s
- 0-200 km/h (124 mph): 9.1 s
- 0-400 m / ¼ mile: 10.9 s @ 216 kph (134 mph)
- 0-1000 m: 19.6 s @ 272 kph
- Braking
- 200-0 km/h: 123 m
- 100-0 km/h: 30.5 m
- 62-0 mph: 100 ft
- 124-0 mph: 403 ft
- Power to weight: 461 PS (455 bhp) per tonne
- CO2: 279 g/km
- Fuel consumption (combined): 11.7 l/100 km / 24.2 mpg (UK)
Supercar War!!!
"I am confident that now is the right time for McLaren Automotive to become a full line high performance sports car manufacturer." stated Ron Dennis.
The market for high performance sports cars has grown substantially since the turn of the century. McLaren divides the market into segments that encompass both more comfort-orientated GT cars and the hard-edged supercars for road and track use.
The 'core' segment runs from around £125,000 to £175,000 featuring such cars as the Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo, Audi R8 5.2 FSI Quattro, Porsche 911 Turbo, Bentley Continental GT and Aston Martin DB9.
The second segment is the 'high' category with prices ranging from £175,000 to £250,000 and consists largely of front-engined GT cars such as Ferrari 599 GTB and Ferrari 612, with just one mid-engined contender, the Lamborghini Murcielago.
The final segment is the 'ultimate' group, a sector more or less initiated by the McLaren F1 in 1993 and now populated by a select group of cars including the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, Bugatti Veyron, and cars from the likes of Pagani and Koenigsegg that followed legends such as the Porsche Carrera GT and Ferrari Enzo.
In 2011, McLaren will bring technology and performance exclusive to this 'ultimate' sector into the 'core' segment.
Production and Distribution
The production process for the McLaren MP4-12C will enable McLaren to build on its recent success of record production volumes and quality for a luxury supercar with the SLR.
The McLaren Production System brings a large scale lean production mentality into a small-scale, flexible operation.
12C volumes will remain low, but will require a change of mindset for McLaren's production line teams as the company moves to higher volumes. But the build process will still focus on craftsmanship, a hand-built philosophy but with a lot of science behind it.
The risk has been removed from the production process so that final production quality will be guaranteed.
Not only is McLaren establishing a new company, a new production plant, an all-new high performance sports car engineered and developed in house... it is also building a global network of retail distribution partners.
The 12C will be available in a broad range of exterior paint colours and interior colours and configurations, while carbon fibre components and lightweight forged wheels will reduce weight yet further.
Development
The company is in the period of developing a range of innovative high-performance sports cars that will also be highly efficient, high-quality, lightweight, practical, dynamic, safe, comfortable and visually arresting. The MP4-12C fits in all these adjective quite easily.
On 17 Jan 2011, the first McLaren MP4-12C production car entered the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) General Assembly Hall in Woking, England.
A lot is being expected from this car.
Through a rich modern history, McLaren's automotive division has already built the world's most critically acclaimed supercar, the McLaren F1 (1993-1998) and the world's best-selling luxury supercar, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (2003-2009).
McLaren Automotive now looks to the future with a new range of revolutionary sports cars.
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