Vodafone McLaren MP4-27 Mercedes

[neilbah]

Gridlock, i think its just an illusion of the snow plough with the teatray underneath but trick of perspective...

[Richard]

Umm, do the press photos (taken before the launch) show a front duct, which I highlighted the rear of and which you can see the front of here:

It's not there at the press conference, as you can see if you look under the nose on the front-on shot at the top of this page.

What you are seeing is the snow plough with the tray behind.

The top face of the “duct” is actually the plate of the snow plough - located between the front wheels.

The bottom face of the “duct” is the tray - located further back under the cockpit.

Its simply a trick of perspective that the tray appears to be the same width and attached to the plough.

The pics at the launch and the official pics do match.

[Coefficient]

"Has anyone else noticed how high (compared to 2011) that tea-tray is? It seems to extend all the way forwards to the front wing uprights.

After looking a second time from the side on view , it looks like an additional tray to the tea-tray that protrudes from the front of the main tub (under the driver). I think it's what beelsebob is asking about a couple of posts back."


I think you're referring to the snow plough which has featured on Mc Cars since MP4 25.

[kakogohrena]

MP4-27 vs MP4-26 comparison http://mclarenf-1.com/index.php?page=srch&ch1=15&ch2=22
MP4-27 vs MP4-25 comparison http://mclarenf-1.com/index.php?page=srch&ch1=5&ch2=22

[Sawtooth-spike]

MP4-27 vs MP4-26 comparison http://mclarenf-1.com/index.php?page=srch&ch1=15&ch2=22
MP4-27 vs MP4-25 comparison http://mclarenf-1.com/index.php?page=srch&ch1=5&ch2=22

The Mp4-26 and 27 are at slightly differant angles, You can tell when you look at the far side front wheel

[Gridlock]

What you are seeing is the snow plough with the tray behind.
..
The pics at the launch and the official pics do match.

I thought that was probably it, except for the side-on shot with the thing protruding backwards. Unless it's some sort of towing hook I can't see what it could be, given that it seems to be smack in the "no bodywork" area.

[myurr]

Beam wing has been raised and now sits above the crash structure. Gearbox and entire rear end looks a lot smaller mechanically. Mirrors seem to have been raised and are in a quite different position. Snorkel has been lengthened with the secondary inlet removed. Wheelbase has been shortened very slightly by moving the front wheels back a bit. Nose is basically the same profile but with a lower tip. Brake ducts are a different philosophy from last years tall but narrow design.

Scarbs tweeted that there were some interesting drill holes in the wheels, wonder what they're going to be mounting there.

[Coefficient]

More Rake,Modified U-pods,slightly shorter wheelbase & a dipping nose.

....

Modified U=pods? there nothing like last years....and I'm pretty sure once the testing/racing starts you'll see more differences and its very likely the car's 94% different.
....

Yes, this car is in typical Mclaren Vanilla Launch Configuration. They do it every year. I attended the Launch of MP4 25 and when you got up close you could tell it was just a show car. There was no engine installed and gearbox was a plastic dummy. Also, they had a box round the diffuser that said "please no photographs on it" because the diffuser wasn't fitted. It also featured a standard sharkfin engine cover yet at later tests the car had the F Duct, not to mention a real engine and gearbox.

They'll base line the chassis set up in the first test and then all the body work will start coming out bit by bit. They've hidden more than ever this year imho.

[munudeges]

Yes, the nose is legal and I'm pleased to see they've been sensible and created a nose as smooth as possible to fit in with the regulations. That Caterham step nose that everyone was talking about is stupid. Come on Mike Gascoyne..........

The engine cover looks much improved otherwise the car looks quite conventional, but we haven't got to see the exhaust position or the diffuser. I think we can safely say this will not be the car that turns up to the first test or the first race.

[RichardF1]

The car looks beautiful. Looking at the twitpic, the exhaust looks like it is pointed to the brake ducts, and inside the ducts are more ducts? Could those ducts be positioning airflow through the tyres as 1)a heat up strategy and 2)the exhaust going through the sculpted brake ducts which they began to run toward the end of the season. Or would they be able to point the flow to the diffuser? Unless they're selling a dummy and want us to just speculate

[Blackout]

This thing that some people call 'dolphin nose' contains sensors like laser sensors witch mesure ride height. Mclaren cars and other cars use it since many years...

[thestig84]

Beam wing has been raised and now sits above the crash structure. Gearbox and entire rear end looks a lot smaller mechanically. Mirrors seem to have been raised and are in a quite different position. Snorkel has been lengthened with the secondary inlet removed. Wheelbase has been shortened very slightly by moving the front wheels back a bit. Nose is basically the same profile but with a lower tip. Brake ducts are a different philosophy from last years tall but narrow design.

Scarbs tweeted that there were some interesting drill holes in the wheels, wonder what they're going to be mounting there.

Yeah the mirrors are huge and straight off the RB7, not the area I would have thought they would copy! The brake ducts look like last years 26 launch versions so Im sure we will see them change along with the wings and perhaps the exhaust.

I dont think the wheel holes will have anything mounted. Just cooling/weight saving. The fairings were also not fitted.

All in all it looks tidy and just what I had heard, although that sounded a bit plain too. I am expecting it will change a fair bit

[ianwit]

That looks like the back end of a tapering duct underneath the nose cone, the opening of which is visible on the front shots between the wing supports. The only thing that concerns me about this supposition is that they didn't have to show it at this stage. I like the packaging it looks minimal with plenty of scope for innovation.

[Giblet]

The abruptness of the cooling hole in the rear that looks edged with metal is interesting. The shape is also interesting.... they are definitely trying to put more air towards the beam wing and diffuser top and less towards the top and rear wing.

If the exhaust is coming out the 'keyhole' (term coined called it) primarily, it could be acting like a second diffuser mass flow over the undertray diffuser.

[Gridlock]

This thing that some people call 'dolphin nose' contains sensors like laser sensors witch mesure ride height. Mclaren cars and other cars use it since many years...

Umm.. OK...