A McLaren MP4-12C was involved in a severe crash at the Nurburgring race track in Germany, prompting speculation that the car was attempting to record a lap time on the famed circuit before the first cars were delivered to customers.

Reports  from Evo magazine state that the MP4-12C was travelling extremely fast around the track before the incident, and squealing tires and the sound of an impact could be heard at one point. A covered truck then apparently collected the damaged McLaren. Meanwhile, Evo spoke to a McLaren representative claimed that there was no attempted made at setting a lap time, stating ‘The run came as part of the development program. The car was out there completing laps as part of ongoing tests and wasn’t trying to set a benchmark time. At this point we’re not trying to set lap times but we’re confident that the car will be very fast around the Nürburgring when the time comes.”

The representative later claimed that the car would be analyzed at the McLaren Technical Centre in England, and that it was not a production-spec vehicle.

[Source: Evo]

There’s some irony in a racing version of a street-legal car getting its own street-legal version—but there’s never anything wrong with welcoming an even faster supercar into the world. And now the McLaren MP4-12C GT3, a car with a name seemingly handpicked from a bag of Scrabble pieces, will be getting its own license-plated edition.

The racing version of the “base model” MP4 supercar was just introduced to tackle the GT3 class. A street-legal version would follow in the footsteps of the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. And what will owners get for their price premium? Less weight, fewer creature comforts, more liberally slathered carbon fiber appointments, and an air of track-tested exclusivity, just like the aforementioned models.

McLaren recently announced that they will introduce a new model every year for the next 5 years. So does this count? Well, if McLaren follows through on their promise to build a range-topping F1 successor by 2014, then we will let this slide.

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C GT3

[Source: InsideLine]

Despite a 13 year hiatus from producing road-cars, McLaren is now planning on launching a new road-going vehicle every year, starting with the introduction of the new MP4-12C supercar.

While timelines are still hazy, we do know that forthcoming products include an MP4 GT3, intended for international motorsports competitions, and an open roof MP4-12C. Beyond that, a new smaller sports car aimed at the Porsche 911 and a flagship supercar positioned above the MP4-12C should give the brand a suitable product line to do battle with sports car makers from Italy and beyond.

McLaren also is experimenting with new technologies to maximize horsepower and fuel economy, including new battery technology that can extract one horsepower from a lithium ion cell the size of a AA battery. While McLaren claims that getting this into a road-going car isn’t going to happen immediately, the company is advertising aggressively for hybrid system engineers on their website. Truth be told, there’s far worse than a KERS system in a sports car, even if “purists” bristle at the though.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Having debuted to critical acclaim at last year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, McLaren Automotive’s highly anticipated road car, the MP4-12C has now gone into production, the very first example taking shape at the McLaren Technical Centre in Woking, Surrey, just outside of London.

The company has said that it plans to build 1,000 of the MP4-12Cs for 2011 and most of those will be assembled at McLaren’s brand new bespoke Production Centre, adjacent to the current facility, though chassis #001 will be entirely assembled at the existing MTC, in order to monitor engineering and production processes, which the company has been fine tuning, ever since the Technical Centre first opened back in 2004.

In addition, prototypes have undergone rigorous testing at the hands of McLaren F1 drivers and former World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button, who have been providing valued feedback during the MP4-12C’s development.

So far, the MP4-12C has a long waiting list of customers, stretching across the globe; Antony Sheriff, Managing Director of McLaren Automotive recently said, “meeting our prospective customers at launch events around the world, from Dubai to Cape Town, Paris to Los Angeles, has filled us with inspiration. There is a genuine desire for McLaren to be launching our own range of sports cars, and an exciting appreciation of what McLaren stands for: innovation, technology leadership, and a winning mentality.”

It has taken just five years for the MP4-12C to evolve from a concept developed in McLaren’s own F1 simulator to an ultra high performance car fully certified for street use. McLaren currently has a retailer network of 35 locations in some 19 different countries that will sell the final, production ready MP4-12C.

Pricing the U.S. is set at $229,000 for the 600-hp, twin-turbo V8 machine.

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

See a short compilation video of the car over the past year after the jump:

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A supercar needs a super watch, and that’s why McLaren has partnered with Swiss luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer to bring us the special edition MP4-12C Chronograph.

Boasting innovative, high-performance and precision manufacturing principles, the TAG Heuer McLaren MP4-12C Chronograph gathers its inspiration from the McLaren MP4-12C, following its lead when it comes to color, materials and design. Its carbon dial is just like the 12C’s carbon fiber MonoCell (an engineering solution that makes the 12C incredibly light) and the watch’s movement can be seen through sapphire inserts on the dial, which reveals the “engine” behind the watch face.

It doesn’t stop there. The MP4-12C Chronograph also features a Flyback function that lets you reset to zero, and immediately restart it by pressing once on the push button. Other extras include a Titanium case that minimizes weight, an Alcantara leather strap, orange super luminescent markers on the hands, and orange stitching on the bracelet.

Only 1000 of these beauties are being made, so be sure to look for them in the later part of 2011.

[Source: Top Speed]

[Source: Autoblog]

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

McLaren previewed what a race-ready version of their MP4-12C sports car will look like, when a small batch of GT3 class cars goes on sale in time for the 2012 FIA GT3 Series in Europe.

Apparently the GT3 version was developed alongside the road car, and considering that the race-trim McLaren F1 was able to win LeMans back in 1995, we’re optimistic that the MP4-12C GT3 will be an awesome performer – even if the name is an alphabet soup.

Customers can register their interest at the website below, but be advised that McLaren probably won’t even look at you unless you have some kind of offshore account to pay for this thing.

[Source: McLaren]

The McLaren MP4-12C will go on sale in the UK with a base price of £168,500, narrowly undercutting the Ferrari 458 Italia by £1,045. But due to new UK tax laws, the McLaren’s “on the road” price, including taxes and registration, will actually be £5 more than the 458 Italia.

A price increase is expected for the 458 Italia to account for the new taxes, but the car features ceramic brakes as standard, while they remain optional on the McLaren. The MP4-12C will be sold through three retail stores in the UK, in London, Manchester and Birmingham. McLaren’s last supercar, the F1, sold for £635,000 when released in 1994.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Aiming for a total production volume of 4,500 units, McLaren will introduce one new model (or a version of an existing model) per year for the next five years. McLaren North American chief Tony Joseph laid out the British automaker’s plans at a sit down lunch in Toronto, Canada – the first stop of a 10 city dealer tour in North America and the only one in Canada.

Joseph joined McLaren in early 2009, at which point we were surprise to learn that McLaren already had a prototype vehicle built. In fact, Joseph says the MP4-12C is part of a careful plan to take the racing company into the street car business; a plan that has been culminating for six years.

The connection to racing is extremely important for McLaren, helping it build a strong reputation. Stating that McLaren is “The most successful racing team in history,” Joseph continually came back to two key philosophies for both the brand and the car, namely, “substance over flash,” and “lower volume, higher standards.”

McLaren’s current plan is to sell just 1,000 units of the MP4-12C in its first year of production and so far that number seems easily attainable. Before the dealer network was announced several weeks ago and before the high-profile unveiling in front of one of the world’s wealthiest crowds at Pebble Beach, McLaren had already racked up 2,700 names of interested buyers. While Joseph did caution that “interested” doesn’t necessarily equate to a sale, McLaren would need just over a third of those potential clients to make its sales target. According to Joseph, the majority of those names weren’t Mercedes owners or Ferrari owners, but Porsche owners, a group that Joseph hints is familiar with the “substance over style” approach.

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C Launch in Toronto, Canada

As though the twin-turbocharged 592-hp carbon-chassis MP4-12C couldn’t get any cooler, McLaren has revealed that it will offer an optional Hero Cam setup in its new exotic.

It’s not clear if the option is included with or in addition to the Navigation system and 80 gig hard drive, but it will be available and if you’ve got the $225,000-plus to throw down on this high-tech exotic, then you certainly won’t be hard-pressed to shell out the extra cash for a fully loaded model.

There’s one video camera out the back, one recording the road ahead, plus, there’s even one located just over the driver’s right shoulder to get that perfect F1-style shot showing the driver’s head bobbing around under the incredible acceleration, braking and lateral g-forces.

Peter Freiberger, McLaren’s sales manager, informed us that owners will be able to download the videos via a USB key. We wonder how longer it will take before the first shots show up on YouTube – and then how long before the first bit of incriminating video is recorded.

It may be on the Concept Lawn at Pebble Beach, but the McLaren MP4-12C is not a hypothetical model – even if it’s named like one. One of very few carbon chassis vehicles in the world (a list which also includes the Lexus LFA, displayed directly next to the MP4-12C at Pebble Beach), this new McLaren model was not designed to be the supercar performer that the McLaren F1 was, but rather a usable exotic that will rival, and possible beat, the Ferrari 458 Italia in all categories.

Seeing it in person for the first time, with the Pebble Beach venue being its first North American showing, we’re still not sold on its looks, with an overall shape that doesn’t make us want to put up a poster of the car on our wall.

Power for the MP4-12C comes from a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 that makes 600-hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque and makes it to the ground through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. McLaren estimates a 0-60 mph time of less than 3.0 seconds. The elapsed time to 124-mph (200 km/h) is set at under 10 seconds.

Exact pricing for the MP4-12C has yet to be set, but will be between $225,000 and $250,000. So far, six dealers have been announced in North America, including Auto Gallery in Beverly Hills, CA; Park Place in Dallas, TX; Miller Motorcars in Greenwich, CT; Price Family Dealerships in San Francisco, CA; Lake Forest Sportscars of Chicago, IL and Dew Luxury Motor Cars in Tampa Bay, FL. McLaren is expected to announce their representatives in Philadelphia, Orange County, Toronto and Miami shortly.

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

McLaren’s upcoming MP4-12C supercar has attracted roughly 2700 expressions of interest from prospective buyers, enough to fill two years worth of production.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has been actively promoting the MP4-12C, claiming that its performance, build quality and dealer service surpass anything else in its category. The McLaren brand and unique powertrain (a 3.8L V8 making nearly 600 horsepower and assembled by Formula 1 contractor Ricardo) also lend cachet to the MP4-12C, which must compete with offerings like Ferrari’s 458 Italia and the upcoming Lamborghini Murcielago replacement.

[Source: Autocar]

Having already announced it’s new MP4-12C exotic and setting up a worldwide dealer network, McLaren is now planning a successor to its F1 supercar, reports AutoCar. When the McLaren F1 debuted back in 1992 it created a new standard for performance vehicles and set a top speed record that stood for over a decade until the launch of the Bugatti Veyron in 2006.

McLaren has already announced plans to build additional models, with rumors of a more entry-level vehicle competing with the Porsche 911. This is the first serious report that a true successor to the F1 is in the works.

According to reports, an inside source at McLaren has said the new car will be “revolutionary” and will also look the part. Apparently McLaren designers have taken note of the fact that while the MP4-12C is regarded as an incredible machine, it’s styling isn’t nearly as captivating as the F1.

Other than the fact that it will use a carbon fiber monocoque chassis and feature a mid-engine layout, there are no confirmed details on the car and it’s not known if like it’s predecessor it will use a central driving position.

[Source: AutoCar]

The last time McLarens were sold in North America (not counting the Mercedes McLaren SLR, of course), a company called Ameritech was importing the McLaren F1 on the sly.

For the launch of their new MP4-12C supercar, McLaren is going all out. As the rendering shows, the new showrooms will be ultra-modern, stark affairs designed to appeal to the wealthy, sophisticated clientele who are apt to buy a McLaren over a nameplate that will impress the opposite sex.

The first six locations announced are Auto Gallery in Beverly Hills, CA, Park Place in Dallas, TX, Miller Motorcars in Greenwich, CT, Price Family Dealerships in San Francisco, CA, Lake Forest Sportscars of Chicago, IL and Dew Luxury Motor Cars in Tampa Bay, FL. McLaren is expected to announce their representatives in Philadelphia, Orange County, Toronto and Miami shortly. Despite the expected price tag of between $225,000 and $250,000, the cars should have no trouble finding owners in these markets which are chock full of finance types, professional athletes and inherited money.

McLaren’s MP4-12C is the company’s first road-going 2-seater car. No, really. The British racing firm’s first effort, the McLaren F1, was famously equipped with a 3-seater configuration, with a drivers seat mounted in the center, and two bucket seats mounted on either side. A famous saying (sometimes attributed to F1 designed Gordon Murray) is that the 3-seater existed so that there was one seat for your wife, and one for your mistress.

With the MP4-12C, McLaren is back to the 2-seat configuration, but it may not be the sole option. Reports coming out of Germany say that a 2+2 variant is in the works, though its hard to imagine how McLaren will fit two more seats back there. Of course, the Porsche 911 and Lotus Evora are technically 2+2 cars, but in reality, the rear seats aren’t good for anything more than toddlers or golf clubs.

[Source: Autoblog]

Once a fixture of only the most expensive Formula 1 race cars, carbon fiber monocoques have now filtered down into the slightly more accesible world of supercars, and McLaren  is leading the charge, after announcing plans to build two more carbon-monocoque supercars after the MP4-12C.

McLaren will be partnering with Carbo Tech, whose factory in Salzburg, Austria can supply up to 4,000 of the light weight structures per year. Carbon Fiber has the potential to be a wonder-material for the auto industry, due to its strength, malleability and light weight (which can in turn increase performance and reduce weight). However the material has traditionally been extremely expensive, and only within the realm of exclusive racing teams.

Toyota and BMW are currently investing heavily in new production facilities and development techniques relating to carbon fiber, in preparation for future products like the Lexus LFA and BMW’s Megacity urban car. The increased investment and upcoming mass production of vehicles with carbon fiber content should help amortize the costs and enable car makers to use carbon fiber on their entire range of products, allowing the benefits to be passed on to the rest of the vehicle range.

At McLaren’s price range, the cost prohibitive qualities of carbon fiber are much less of an issue, and the sports car firm claims that 1,600 orders have been placed for the MP4-12C already, a significant amount for such a niche, low volume sports car.

[Source: Inside Line]

Even after the legendary McLaren F1 was out of production, McLaren maintained a single showroom on London’s Park Lane. The location was hardly a showroom at all, with a single McLaren F1 located behind a window that faced onto the busy thoroughfare, so passerby’s could gawk in wonderment at the million dollar machine.

With McLaren’s MP4-12C set to launch as a much more accesible vehicle (in relative terms), McLaren found itself in need of a distribution channel, and has been courting a potential sales force for nearly a year. Now, they’ve finally announced where they’ll be slinging their supercars. North America will get 10 outlets, with Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Tampa as the U.S. locations, and Toronto as the sole Canadian outlet. Elsewhere, familiar hotspots like Paris, Dubai, Tokyo, London and Milan will get showrooms, as will other financial and cultural capitals scattered around the world. McLaren expects to produce 1,000 cars per year, but has already received pre-orders for over twice that number.

[Source:  TopSpeed]

Hit the jump to read McLaren’s official press release

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Ron Dennis, the man in charge of McLaren Automotive, recently slammed the Bugatti Veyron calling it “a complete piece of junk.” McLaren, for those who don’t know, held the record for the world’s fastest production car with the McLaren F1 from 1992 until the launch of the Bugatti Veyron in 2005. The McLaren managed 243-mph in the F1, which was topped by 10 mph by the Veyron. McLaren has also just released a new model, the MP4-12C, which is designed more as a true exotic than an all-out supercar.

Dennis wouldn’t be the first person to attack the looks of the Veyron, calling it “pig ugly,” but his criticism is more than just aesthetic. In an interview with Arabian Business, he said the car “doesn’t go around corners,” and even spoke frankly about an unnamed (cough, Top Gear, cough) BBC program in which the two cars drag raced each other in Abu Dhabi. The shootout had to be rigged says Dennis to make the Veyron look as fast as it does. “We had to do that whole thing about ten times before it [the Veyron] managed to get off the line cleanly and catch us up. Because every time they dropped the clutch it bogged down and we were gone.”

Watch the video after the jump and be sure to give us your opinion:

[Source: ArabianBusiness]

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After officially revealing its MP4-12C exotic several months back, McLaren Automotive has now announced estimated performance numbers and they’re as shockingly amazing as the rest of the car. The British sports car maker and Formula 1 team claims a 0-60 mph time of less than 3.0 seconds. The elapsed time to 124-mph (200 km/h) is set at under 10 seconds.

How does the car achieve such an astonishingly low time. Well, its a combination of light weight and horsepower. McLaren has already released that the MP4-12C’s twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 makes 600-hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque and will come with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. No curb weight numbers are yet available, but a dry weight (without fluids) is set at 2,860 lbs – meaning it should still only to out at 3,200 lbs total. Much of this has to do with the car’s ultra-light carbon monocoque chassis.

In terms of acceleration, the MP4-12C (according to McLaren, of course) is faster than the Corvette ZR1, Ferrari F430 Scuderia and Porsche GT2.

But how does it handle? See after the jump for video of McLaren F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button driving the MP4-12C on the track.

Watch out Ferrari.

[Source: Car & Driver]

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If you’re at all interested in cars, you’re certain to be interested in McLaren’s new exotic, the MP4-12C. And if you’ve read anything about the new Ferrari-fighter, you’re likely impressed by its technological sophistication and want to know more about it. Well today must be your lucky day as McLaren Automotive has just release a short video highlighting the company’s extensive development process.

Not only is the MP4-12C stunning, but it has been built to rival the world’s best, with a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine that makes 600hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque. No performance specs have yet been released but we expect a 0-60 mph time of around 3.5 seconds with a top speed in the 200 mph range.

The V8 engine is mated to a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that promises even faster gear changes than conventional systems thanks to the ability to let the driver pre-load a gear by half pressing the shift paddle, which will ready the transmission for the next gear.

What really separates the MP4 from cars like the 458 however is the use of a full-cabon monocoque chassis (like the new Lexus LFA), rather than a weaker and heavier structure made of welded aluminum, steel, magnesium or other materials. This main chassis component weights just 176 lbs so we should expect the vehicle’s curb weight to be impressively low.

The MP4 will go on sale in 2011 with roughly 1,000 units being made ensuring the new car is highly exclusive. The car is expected to cost  £160,000 ($265k).

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

McLaren has officially made it clear that the company’s new M4-12C exotic will be sold in North America with the appointment of a director to the region.

Anthony Joseph will head up McLaren Automotive North America, while Christian Marti was also appointed as the regional director for Europe. A network of 10 McLaren franchises in the U.S. and Canada will be set up for the MP4′s production launch in 2011.

“This is such an amazing opportunity to be part of the launch of not just a brand new range of high-tech sports cars, but the launch of a new car company in a region which will be a major market for McLaren Automotive,” said Joseph. “Utilizing our engineering expertise and racing heritage, we will build cars using nothing but McLaren components, in lower numbers, and higher quality than our competitors. This ensures exclusivity, which I’m sure will be a major factor in generating strong demand and ongoing high residual values from 2011.”

Joseph has a long history in the automotive industry, having started with Subaru of America in the 1990′s as a district sales manager, before moving to Porsche North America in 1998 and then on to Maserati and finally to Ferrari before landing the position at McLaren.

The McLaren MP4-12C is aimed squarely at exotics like the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo. It is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine that makes 600hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque. No performance specs have yet been released but we expect a 0-60 mph time of around 3.5 seconds with a top speed in the 200 mph range. The V8 engine is mated to a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The vehicle’s weight promises to be exceptionally low thanks to a full-carbon monocoque chassis, rather than a weaker and heavier structure made of welded aluminum, steel, magnesium or other materials.

The MP4 will go on sale in 2011 with roughly 1,000 units being made ensuring the new car is highly exclusive. The car is expected to cost £160,000 ($265k).

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

If a picture is worth a thousand words then we have a lot of words for you. After McLaren released a whole bunch of CGI images earlier today, along with specs of the new MP4-12C exotic, the British automaker has now released a gallery of real life images of the car… and it looks even better.

While not quite the full-blown supercar that the F1 was, the MP4 is a serious exotic, aimed squarely a the Ferrari 458 Italia. The powerplant is a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine that makes 600hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque. McLaren says the engine offers the highest horsepower to CO2 ratio of any engine on the market – including hybrids. No performance specs have yet been released but we expect a 0-60 mph time of around 3.5 seconds with a top speed in the 200 mph range.

The V8 engine is mated to a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that promises even faster gear changes than conventional systems thanks to the ability to let the driver pre-load a gear by half pressing the shift paddle, which will ready the transmission for the next gear.

What really separates the MP4 from cars like the 458 however is the use of a full-cabon monocoque chassis, rather than a weaker and heavier structure made of welded aluminum, steel, magnesium or other materials. This main chassis component weights just 176 lbs so we should expect the vehicle’s curb weight to be impressively low.

“It is a long-held dream of mine to launch high performance sports cars that set new standards in the industry,” said Dennis.

“We began designing and building cars for aficionados of thoroughbred sports cars almost 20 years ago. Incorporating the leading edge technologies that the McLaren Group has built up within its various companies, I believe we are now perfectly placed to open up this new chapter in McLaren’s history as well as play a part in the regeneration of high-tech manufacturing in the UK and global automotive environment,” he concluded.

The MP4 will go on sale in 2011 with roughly 1000 units being made ensuring the new car is highly exclusive. The car is expected to cost  £160,000 ($265k).

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

After a bit of a hiatus Ron Dennis, the man responsible for the legendary McLaren F1 and less spectacular McLaren SLR, is back at it. Today he introduced the world to his latest creation, the MP4-12C.

While not quite the full-blown supercar that the F1 was, the MP4 is a serious exotic, aimed squarely a the Ferrari 458 Italia. The powerplant is a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine that makes 600hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque. McLaren says the engine offers the highest horsepower to CO2 ratio of any engine on the market – including hybrids. No performance specs have yet been released but we expect a 0-60 mph time of around 3.5 seconds with a top speed in the 200 mph range.

The V8 engine is mated to a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission that promises even faster gear changes than conventional systems thanks to the ability to let the driver pre-load a gear by half pressing the shift paddle, which will ready the transmission for the next gear.

What really separates the MP4 from cars like the 458 however is the use of a full-cabon monocoque chassis, rather than a weaker and heavier structure made of welded aluminum, steel, magnesium or other materials. This main chassis component weights just 176 lbs so we should expect the vehicle’s curb weight to be impressively low. 

“It is a long-held dream of mine to launch high performance sports cars that set new standards in the industry,” said Dennis. 

“We began designing and building cars for aficionados of thoroughbred sports cars almost 20 years ago. Incorporating the leading edge technologies that the McLaren Group has built up within its various companies, I believe we are now perfectly placed to open up this new chapter in McLaren’s history as well as play a part in the regeneration of high-tech manufacturing in the UK and global automotive environment,” he concluded.

The MP4 will go on sale in 2011 with roughly 1000 units being made ensuring the new car is highly exclusive. The car is expected to cost  £160,000 ($265k).

GALLERY: McLaren MP4-12C

Official release after the jump:

Continue Reading…

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 9th, McLaren will unveil its next exotic, the MP4-12C. The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it has an historical significance, namely, that it has the name MP4 name as all of the McLaren race cars.

In an interview with the Times of London ahead of the vehicle’s debut creator Ron Dennis revealed that he intends to not only build the MP4-12C, but two other sports cars, one to compete with the Porsche 911 and another along the lines of the Porsche Carrera GT.

As for the MP4, Dennis says it will have a timeless design, with a high-revving V8 engine, a seven-speed gearbox and a light-weight carbon fiber chassis. Oh, and scissor doors will also be a part of the package. Other features include a variable rate suspension that stiffens up with speed, as well as a wireless connection that will allow you to download MP3s from your driveway.

While it’s not expected to be at the same level as the F1 supercar, this exotic, says Dennis will, “on all performance parameters and price… be better than our competition.” Dennis also said he intends to produce racing versions of the car to compete in motorsports.

McLaren Automotive, which recently emerged when Dennis left the McLaren Group F1 team, is funded by Dennis, the Swiss engineering company TAG and Mumtalakat, a private equity firm of the Bahrain government. The group has already spent £100,000,000 on the project and will announce shortly that it will quadruple that number of the coming years. “We’re building more than a car,” said Dennis. “We’re building a brand.”

[Source: Times Online]