New McLaren Inspired by Formula 1

By Craig Taylor

May 17, 2010

McLaren Automotive takes great pride in its most successful carbon-based vehicle on the market, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren—and with good reason. Between 2003 and 2009, 2114 of them were sold. The Formula 1 (F1) on the other hand, despite it's stunning features, was too expensive at $1 million. Falling short by a 200-vehicle production, only 100 F1s were ever sold between 1993 and 1998. 

Reducing weight is an obsession at McLaren, born from principles that have driven its racing teams to success. Its newest supercar, the MP4-12C is not expected to go on sale until spring 2011, but early data reveals a car of exceptional performance. Weighing in at 3100 pounds, not only is the 12C incredibly fast (0-60 mph under 3 seconds), McLaren says it also features leading-class fuel economy and CO2 emissions. 

“We are very encouraged with this first release of performance data from the latest XP-Beta development cars. We are focusing on ‘real-world’ performance that has relevance for 12C drivers on track or on road,” said Mark Vinnels, McLaren program director.

The 12C’s interior is simple and elegant. The controls are positioned on both sides of the driver, with paddle shifters on the backside of the steering wheel. The doors open up and forward, just like those in the Ferrari Enzo and Mercedes McLaren.

Inspired by the F1, the 12C features a range of new technologies at a significantly lower cost of about $225,000. Its compact 3.8-liter, twin-turbocharged V-8 can produce 600 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque.