When
in the concept phase, this 200mph supercar was called the P12. Now
renamed the P1 and unveiled to the public next week at the Paris Auto
Show, the new flagship two-seater from McLaren goes from 0 to 62 mph in
under three seconds. When it goes into production later next year, it
will sit above the existing 12C and 12C Spider, in terms of both price
and performance with a price of around $1.3 Million (£800,000).
McLaren
Automotive will use its first ever international motor show appearance
to preview its next generation ultimate supercar – the McLaren P1 –
which takes much of its technological and spiritual inspiration from the
company’s Racing division. The McLaren P1 has one simple goal: to be
the best driver’s car in the world on road and track.
At the Paris Motor Show,
the McLaren P1 is previewed as a design study. Next year a production
version, which the company aims to put on sale within 12 months, will be
revealed.
‘The
McLaren P1 will be the result of 50 years of racing and road car
heritage,’ says McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman Ron Dennis.
‘Twenty years ago we raised the supercar performance bar with the
McLaren F1 and our goal with the McLaren P1 is to redefine it once
again.’
‘Our
aim is not necessarily to be the fastest in absolute top speed but to
be the quickest and most rewarding series production road car on a
circuit,’ says McLaren Automotive Managing Director Antony Sheriff. ‘It
is the true test of a supercar’s all round ability and a much more
important technical statement. Our goal is to make the McLaren P1 the
most exciting, most capable, most technologically advanced and most
dynamically accomplished supercar ever made.’
When
the McLaren P1 goes into production later next year, it will sit above
the 12C and 12C Spider, in terms of both price and performance.
McLaren Automotive heritage:McLaren
Automotive has a 20 year heritage in producing landmark sports cars for
the road: the McLaren F1 road car, which was launched in 1992, set the
world land speed record for a production car, and is regarded as one of
the iconic sports cars of the modern age. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
(2003 – 2009) is the most successful supercar ever in its price bracket,
having sold twice as many cars as its nearest carbon-based rival.
McLaren
Automotive has now moved from these successful automotive projects to
launching a new car company that will design, develop, and distribute a
range of high performance, highly efficient and technologically
innovative sports cars through a global network of highly respected
premium car retailers in every major automotive market.
Around
4,000 sports cars will be built annually by the middle of the decade in
the advanced new manufacturing facility, the McLaren Production Centre.
McLaren Automotive’s debut model is the 12C. Drawing on the company’s
long-standing Formula 1 experience in its concept and development, the
12C is lighter, faster, more powerful, more fuel efficient and more
exclusive than its key competition. It supports its performance
benchmarks by introducing a unique one-piece moulded carbon chassis into
the ‘core’ sports car segment in a new production method that brings
the performance of £500,000 cars to market at a third of the price. All
future McLarens will continue the themes presented by the 12C:
innovation, integration of Formula 1 technology, and ultimate
performance.
In 2011 McLaren Automotive announced the launch of
McLaren GT; a new race car manufacturer combining the expertise of
McLaren Automotive, McLaren Racing, McLaren Electronic Systems, McLaren
Applied Technologies and CRS Racing. McLaren GT is responsible for
developing the first racing derivative of the 12C sports car, the
MP4-12C GT3. Twenty-five examples of the MP4-12C GT3 are now racing
with private teams in Europe in 2012.
More information will be
released following the McLaren Automotive press conference scheduled for
17.45 CEST (16.45 BST), on Thursday 27 September 2012.
