37 replies to this topic

[jgm]

Does anybody have any idea about who designed and built the engine for this car? Ilmor perhaps?

[primer]

Interweb rumours say it might be Mahle. Mclaren specified their requirements, Mahle designed it and will build it for them. Still some other reports say that the basic design has been 'taken' AMG-Mercedes, but I don't know which production Mercedes engine could be the inspiration for a twin-turbo 3.8l V8.


I have not seen a single report proposing it may be Ilmor.

Edited by primer, 01 December 2009 - 15:07.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Oh, 12C the road car. I was thinking of the 1997 F1 car.

[hunnylander]

Does anybody have any idea about who designed and built the engine for this car? Ilmor perhaps?

The engine has been developed in partnership with Ricardo.

And according to a Finnish car magazine, the engine is manufactured by (the help of) Menard Competition Technologies.*

Let's forget about the early rumors, the Mahle and the AMG rumors are bullshit, they predicted a 6.3L AMG-based engine, so it was complete rubbish (AMG is the subsidiary of Daimler, which is now an enemy, not a close partner anymore, and the engine is 3.8L), also no German connection, as Mahle is German. The McLaren engine is a British product.

*For the record, amongst other serious things MCT made the Superleague Formula V12 engine.



http://www.insidelin...first-look.html

[SimonW]

Don't forget Mahle have low volume engine manufacturing capability in the UK - the ex-Audi ex-Cosworth road engine facilities in Northampton, Wellingborough and Worcester

Simon

[V8 Fireworks]

Oh, 12C the road car. I was thinking of the 1997 F1 car.

I think McLaren MP4 would be a better name, MP4-12C is too complicated and why is it named after an F1 car?

The MP4 - 12C should be the 12 cylinder, convertible version or something.

Edited by V8 Fireworks, 02 December 2009 - 02:03.

[Wuzak]

Instead of giving the car a designation perhaps McLaren could give the car a name, like Ferrari has in recent years. They have plenty of race victoreis to use for inspiration.

Or, perhaps, they could use their founder's name, as Ferrari did - ie name it the McLaren Bruce!

That could be followed by the McLaren Teddy and the McLaren Ron.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Or the McLaron

[alexbiker]

How soon before someone hacks the SatNav into Ronspeak?

"At the conjunctional point of specified bituminous transport paths, it would be advantageous to laevorotate the anterior aspect of the package as a whole in order to progress towards a mutually acceptable destination."

Before you'd worked out that meant "turn left at the next junction" you'd be parked in the front window of the restaurant accross the street. Which would probably count as an "erroneous nourishment retailer defenestration occurrence."

Edited by alexbiker, 03 December 2009 - 07:28.

[Dmitriy_Guller]

Has McLaren ever made a road car that was a financial success?

[cheapracer]

Has McLaren ever made a road car that was a financial success?

From which business point of view? Do you really think Ron's or thousands of other company CEO's or Exec's pockets aren't lined before a loss report?

[primer]

Has McLaren ever made a road car that was a financial success?

They have only made one.

[Ross Stonefeld]

What about the SLR?

[alexbiker]

Has McLaren ever made a road car that was a financial success?

The F1 is still turning a big profit. Not on sale price, but on refurbs, clutches every 5000 miles and £10k services. They also get changed around when sold to new orders, done by McLaren cars in Woking for megabucks. The F1 is still an ongoing project - there was a little article last year displaying a one-off tuned-up 850hp engine going into a car, and McLaren cars do the conversions of the LM racers to road cars.

Just as Bugatti will make money, despite selling at a loss. . . .

[GeorgeTheCar]

The standard street-friendly cast-iron brake rotors carried by forged aluminium carriers weigh 18 pounds less than the optional, track-ready carbon-ceramic rotors.

Quoted from

http://www.insidelin...first-look.html

Perhaps someone can explain?

[gruntguru]

The standard street-friendly cast-iron brake rotors carried by forged aluminium carriers weigh 18 pounds less than the optional, track-ready carbon-ceramic rotors.

Quoted from

http://www.insidelin...first-look.html

Perhaps someone can explain?

Misprint?

[Nathan]

MP4-12C is too complicated and why is it named after an F1 car

McLaren's reasoning is this...

MP4 = McLaren Project 4 (you would think road cars would maybe be the fifth project?)
12 = McLaren developed a performance rating system. Apparantly this car is a 12 on the scale.
C = Carbon tub

What about the SLR?

Mercedes project by-and-large.

[Tenmantaylor]

http://www.bbc.co.uk...nology-12691062

Great article about the MP4 12C, McLaren and the history of their pioneering use of carbon fibre, and the material in general.

[Tony Matthews]

http://www.bbc.co.uk...nology-12691062

Great article about the MP4 12C, McLaren and the history of their pioneering use of carbon fibre, and the material in general.

I'm surprised McLaren are allowing that exploded image to be used still, containing as it does that obvious error...

[jcbc3]

It was even in CAR Magazines coverage. Maybe they just aren't as anal as us?

[cheapracer]

Pfffft can't even get passed a VW Jetta at the Nurb, even right in it's tow.

http://www.streetfir...deo_2057751.htm

[Ellios]

*edit for additional footage

Edited by Ellios, 04 May 2011 - 19:38.

[OSX]

Jay Leno, On Buying His McLaren
14 July 2011



"Anything McLaren builds, I like. I’ve got one of the original McLaren F1s, so I was anxious to place my order for an MP4-12C, the latest supercar out of Woking.

I was amazed how easy the process was. Buying a supercar usually involves dealing with ridiculous salesmen who tell you the car is sold out or otherwise unavailable. This is especially true of Italian supercars. The idea of just calling McLaren and ordering my car was refreshing. They told me the list price and I paid it.

But what I found most fascinating when dealing with McLaren representatives was their honesty."

Leno gets a McLaren driving lesson (video)

Full article: http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/07/jay-l...ng-his-mclaren/

[cheapracer]

Full article: <a href="http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/07/jay-leno-on-buying-his-mclaren/" target="_blank">http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/07/jay-l...ng-his-mclaren/</a>

I think if you have to make so many justifications about the car you just bought then you're not entirely happy.

Just watched the Top Gear test of it and as fast as it is they also feel it missed the mark as a driver's car like other testers have. I'm kind of happy about that, a 'sportscar' should foremostly be fun to drive and have a connection with you regardless of it's place on the status ladder and this flop will encourage others not to make the same mistake.

[Powersteer]

According to a website I visited yesterday after being curious at the McLarens impressively versatile suspension, someone said that it was derived from a WRC banned system used by Sebastian Loeb, anyone know anything about this?

[OSX]

I think if you have to make so many justifications about the car you just bought then you're not entirely happy.

Just watched the Top Gear test of it and as fast as it is they also feel it missed the mark as a driver's car like other testers have. I'm kind of happy about that, a 'sportscar' should foremostly be fun to drive and have a connection with you regardless of it's place on the status ladder and this flop will encourage others not to make the same mistake.

I think the McLaren's traditional orange colour makes the MP4-12C look less pretty than it actually is. I appreciate the colour's historical connection but very few like orange as a colour of a car. The MP4-12C looks way more yummy in silver for instance. And imagine that thing in Ferrari red or glossy black.

[cheapracer]

The MP4-12C looks way more yummy in silver for instance.

Nah, just looks even more boring but hey, that's intended and why Toyota sell so well - the average buyer even the richer ones in that market tend to go for conservative, Porsche is a good example of that.

[saudoso]

McLaren revises new supercar: http://t.co/4nO9pLH

[OSX]

Nah, just looks even more boring but hey, that's intended and why Toyota sell so well - the average buyer even the richer ones in that market tend to go for conservative, Porsche is a good example of that.

Of course it's intended. Personally I prefer the simpler and understated exterior design of the MP4-12C. It's more akin to classic sports cars of the bygone eras that were stylish yet subtle in their look. It looks balanced and perfected unlike so many of the other modern and more extravagant top-end sports cars.

[cheapracer]

It's more akin to classic sports cars of the bygone eras that were stylish yet subtle in their look.

No, just no and either stop taking drugs or admit you work for McLaren's advertising agency ...

[OSX]

No, just no and either stop taking drugs or admit you work for McLaren's advertising agency ...

Ha! I meant that it's akin to classic sports cars of the bygone eras in it's subtleness and not in it's look as you might interpret my earlier post...

[squiresm]

McLaren's reasoning is this...

MP4 = McLaren Project 4 (you would think road cars would maybe be the fifth project?)
12 = McLaren developed a performance rating system. Apparantly this car is a 12 on the scale.
C = Carbon tub
Mercedes project by-and-large.

I realise this post is now about 18 months old but I just noticed it while scanning through. The MP4 was actually 'Marlboro Project 4' - a fusion of Marlboro backing and Ron Dennis' Formula Two team of the late 70s called Project Four, merged with McLaren. Hence the change in naming convention of McLaren's cars from 1981 onwards.

[Spoofski]

I realise this post is now about 18 months old but I just noticed it while scanning through. The MP4 was actually 'Marlboro Project 4' - a fusion of Marlboro backing and Ron Dennis' Formula Two team of the late 70s called Project Four, merged with McLaren. Hence the change in naming convention of McLaren's cars from 1981 onwards.

Trying saying this in front of Ron these days and watching him go a funny purple colour . Allegedly the 'M' is, was, and will always stand for McLaren, not Marlboro. I think the revisionism started around the time Marlboro jumped ship in 1997.....

[J. Edlund]

Trying saying this in front of Ron these days and watching him go a funny purple colour . Allegedly the 'M' is, was, and will always stand for McLaren, not Marlboro. I think the revisionism started around the time Marlboro jumped ship in 1997.....

Originally, the M stood for Marlboro. It was Marlboro (Philip Morris) who suggested that McLaren should merge with Project 4, both Marlboro sponsored at the time and create McLaren International. But since the Marlboro sponsorship was dropped in 1997 the M became McLaren instead.

[GreenMachine]

... The MP4 was actually 'Marlboro Project 4' - a fusion of Marlboro backing and Ron Dennis' Formula Two team of the late 70s called Project Four, merged with McLaren. Hence the change in naming convention of McLaren's cars from 1981 onwards.

... Allegedly the 'M' is, was, and will always stand for McLaren, not Marlboro. I think the revisionism started around the time Marlboro jumped ship in 1997.....

Originally, the M stood for Marlboro. It was Marlboro (Philip Morris) who suggested that McLaren should merge with Project 4, both Marlboro sponsored at the time and create McLaren International. But since the Marlboro sponsorship was dropped in 1997 the M became McLaren instead.

Page 222 of McLaren the Grand Prix, CanAm and Indy Cars, by some little known scribbler called Nye, says 'Marlboro-Project Four'.

[Powersteer]

Oh yeah, usually don't like silver but the it does look very nice there especially with those dark grey wheels and carbon disc..i would probably tint it the same colour as those wheels....maybe not.

[cheapracer]

Oh yeah....

I just can't look at that picture without continually gazing at the Espada in the background, for all the headaches that come with an older Italian Supercar, that's the one I would still take.

[Powersteer]

I just can't look at that picture without continually gazing at the Espada in the background, for all the headaches that come with an older Italian Supercar, that's the one I would still take.

Agree, Six carbed V12 with nearly 400 hp? Once I was Sydney and went to a hangar style sale, which was a totally new experience for me, I remember on the way back I saw a small house which had three cars, your typically normal Holden salon, two of them then on the far right was a broken down Uracco which nearly made my neck twisted..I really would love to own one just to drive once in a while...

Edited by Powersteer, 12 August 2011 - 20:13.