McLaren MP4-12C

[rDynamic5]

I think they did a good job with the exterior design of the car. I'm sure it is very efficient and will probably age well, maybe unlike some of the more angular designs popular right now. I would not at all be surprised to see it sell well, especially considering the (relatively) reasonable price tag.

[WhiteBlue]

http://www.examiner.com/x-32892-Automot ... s-released?

Official figures are for 1300 kg weight. That is a very respectful figure. Compared to the Mercedes SLS with 1620 kg it is almost 20% weight saving. The power to weight ratio will benefit accordingly.

The one thing that stinks is the lack of availability. McLaren apparently were too cash strapped to build up their manufacturing resources and processes parallel to the development of the car. Here they get hit compared to existing manufacturers who just have to upgrade their facilities instead of building up from zero.

[noname]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoe ... start.html

according to autoexpress the car is selling well and manufacturing resources are not an issue, as old SLR assembly area is used.

[thestig84]

Many car manufacturers, for standard- as well as supercars, don't "make" their engines anymore the way they used to.

I think McLaren asking Cosworth Technologies (Mahle) to build the engine to their spec is the engineerish way to go.

The engines are actually built by Ricardo in the uk.

[Lightspeed]

Is the M838T Engine on this thing sourced from Mercedes? Or have McLaren licensed Engine IP from Mercedes?

[Just_a_fan]

Is the M838T Engine on this thing sourced from Mercedes? Or have McLaren licensed Engine IP from Mercedes?

There is no Merc link at all as far I know.

McLaren's move in to the road car market proper (as opposed to the F1 which was a special "one off") is one of the reasons why Mercedes went alone in F1.

[Lightspeed]

I find it hard to believe that McLaren were able to obtain the technology base for designing and building a state-of-the art V8 overnight.

I strongly doubt if its entirely an in-house development.

[deus1066]

The full launch video is available here (over an hour long):

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArtic ... rs/248298/

[Just_a_fan]

I find it hard to believe that McLaren were able to obtain the technology base for designing and building a state-of-the art V8 overnight.

I strongly doubt if its entirely an in-house development.

Never said it was in-house, only that it's not Mercedes. There are a lot of people out there who can design and build world class high performance road car engines...

[autogyro]

I find it hard to believe that McLaren were able to obtain the technology base for designing and building a state-of-the art V8 overnight.

I strongly doubt if its entirely an in-house development.

Never said it was in-house, only that it's not Mercedes. There are a lot of people out there who can design and build world class high performance road car engines...

Yes there are and they all use huge amounts of fossil fuel.

[Just_a_fan]

I find it hard to believe that McLaren were able to obtain the technology base for designing and building a state-of-the art V8 overnight.

I strongly doubt if its entirely an in-house development.

Never said it was in-house, only that it's not Mercedes. There are a lot of people out there who can design and build world class high performance road car engines...

Yes there are and they all use huge amounts of fossil fuel.

Good.

I like the internal combustion engine in decent multi-cylinder configurations such as V8s.

[WhiteBlue]

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoe ... start.html

according to autoexpress the car is selling well and manufacturing resources are not an issue, as old SLR assembly area is used.

I could not find any statement of the order book in that article.

The old SLR numbers are hardly adequate for what McLaren wants from the MP4-12C. They are building a bespoke factory for these AFAIK. The main point is that any buyer at this time will have to wait another year for first deliveries. It took Mercedes 6 months from launch on the IAA last fall to first delivery next week. McLaren also launched at the same show but it will take them three times the lead time of the new SLS Merc.

You have to remember that they are aiming for 4000 cars annual build and that is an awfully high target. There will be a huge amount of investment required to meet that target including some serious build up of sales & service force, R&D, manufacturing and marketing budget. At the same time Macca is paying back their former Merc equity. It must be a strain on cash flow.

35 sales & service agents globally is hardly an impressive figure. I bet Merc and Ferrari are having this in the USA alone. So it is really going to be an uphill struggle for McLaren. The car itself has impressive figures, as I have already said, but the service and reliability for a car without any track record must be a concern.

[marcush.]

so in 2009 Mclaren announced to build a dedicated facility in woking...
with a whopping 800 new employments..to build up to 20 cars per day ...begiining early in 2011.
On their website...not a single vacancy with reference to car production...hmmm...
have they started to build the facility yet?
to all of my personal experience if they really want to build and sell cars as early as next year for customers..they should now be close to having all series tooling
and your production should prepare for building cars etc and in the process of closing in on preseries production....you need to get meileage on these cars to really ironout the last bits that could destroy your reputation..
If they are planning to sell cars worldwide you need to pass all sorts of homologations with those countries..USA and China famous for not making it easy for the manufacturer..so maybe they are planning for a low key start in GB for 2011? what about the new laws concerning leadfree products which will if they move their SOP ? if they fail to pass their homologation they might need to have to step up in alot of areas to confirm to the leadfree issue..questions over questions..

http://www.automobilsport.com/cars-tuni ... y,news.htm


but then -so it seems all ging forward with 300 jobs already confirmed..I´m too much automotive biased...after all this is MCLAREN

http://europeanmotornews.com/2010/03/18 ... -business/

[autogyro]

All this is starting to show a huge problem developing in performance car manufacture. Even Ferrari are making hybrid systems their main promo tool.
Unfortunately it is a sick con and the figures are manipulated even better than the labour party budgets in the UK.
All these cars can hope to do when meeting the Urban cycle demands of road regulations, is to turn off that wonderful and dirty V8/V12 and run only on electric power.
I see no chance whatsoever for McLaren in the future in performance cars, they should move into other things and fast.
It is a shame that Dennis did not follow the advice of Max Mosley instead of trying to emulate Enzo, those days are gone for ever.

[thestig84]

I find it hard to believe that McLaren were able to obtain the technology base for designing and building a state-of-the art V8 overnight.

I strongly doubt if its entirely an in-house development.

The post above your last I stated that the engine is built by UK firm Ricardo. Dont know why you chose to ignore it.

marcush. The factory is well underway and they must have all the tooling as they are building the 12c as we speak on an old slr production line (link earlier in the thread)

I see no chance whatsoever for McLaren in the future in performance cars, they should move into other things and fast.

Well its selling nearly as quick as it accelerates so Im pretty sure they have a ripe future.