All 'bout Cars: McLaren MP4-12C

This is McLaren's answer to Ferrari and also the legendary F1's succesor. It looks good, performs great and handles very well. It will be the smaller car in McLaren's range, after the highly aniticipated McLaren P1. This product by McLaren competes with established cars such as the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Lamborghini Gallardo.

The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1, which for a long time held the record for the fastest production car in the world. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it is set to be launched in 2011. The MP4-12C will feature a carbon fibre compositechassis, and will be powered by a mid-mounted McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine developing approximately 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and around 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. The car will make use of Formula 1-sourced technologies such as "brake steer ", where the inside rear wheel is braked during fast cornering to reduce understeer. Power will be transmitted to the wheels through a 7-speed Seamless Shift dual-clutch gearbox. When tested on the British motoring show Top Gear, the MP4-12C completed a lap of the test track in 1:16.2 to become the second fastest car on the lap board, 1.1 seconds slower than the Ariel Atom 500, and 3.1 seconds faster than its key performance rival, the Ferrari 458 Italia. However it was slower at three other comparisons: at an EVO magazine test it was over a second slower than the Ferrari around the Bedford Autodrome West track, it was also slower in Fifth Gear and Car Magazine. The MP4-12C will be sold at a price of £168,500 in the United Kingdom., and $229,000 for the US market. To celebrate the launch of the car, McLaren F1 partner Tag Heuer will release the limited edition Carrera MP4-12C watch, available only at McLaren dealers.

Specifications

Design

As with the McLaren F1, carbon fibre (Carbon MonoCell) is used extensively in the vehicle to minimize weight. The MP4-12C will weigh only 1,300 kg (2,866 lb) dry. The chassis is based around an F1 style one-piece carbon fibre tub, weighing only 80 kg (176 lb).

The car will have a conventional two side-by-side seating arrangement, unlike its predecessor the McLaren F1 which featured an irregular three seat formation (front center, two behind either side). To make up for this however, the car's central console is narrower than in other cars, seating the driver closer to the center.

Interior trim and materials can be specified in asymmetric configuration - known as "Driver Zone".

Engine

The car is powered by the M838T 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 engine, McLaren's first ever engine design. It was designed and developed by McLaren in partnership with Ricardo. The design of the engine was based on the Nissan VRH35 racing engine used in Le Mans in 1998. However, other than the 93 mm bore, little of that engine remains in the M838T. It produces 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. It has a redline of 8,500 rpm, with 80% of torque available at just 2,000 rpm. When first announced McLaren claimed that it would have a higher horsepower to carbon dioxide emission ratio than any internal-combustion engine available at the time.

Transmission

The engine is connected to a 7-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox made in Italy by Graziano. Dubbed the "Seamless Shift Gearbox" or SSG, the gearbox features a system dubbed "Pre-Cog" that allows the driver to preselect the next gear by lightly tapping the paddle.

Performance

McLaren have stated the MP4-12C can accelerate from 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 8.9 seconds. The car will have a top speed in excess of 322 km/h (200 mph) and will be able to brake from 200 km/h (124 mph) to a complete stop in under five seconds. Braking from 100 km/h (62 mph) to zero can be done in under 30 metres (98 ft), around seven car lengths. It is expected the 12C will complete the standard quarter mile in slightly less than 11 seconds.

On July 10, 2011, on the BBC programme Top Gear, the MP4-12C set the second fastest lap around the Top Gear Track, posting a time of 1:16.2 The car was developed and tested on the Top Gear test track before its appearance on the show. The MP4-12C finished second behind the Ferrari 458 Italia in Car Magazine'sJuly 2011 group test. It was also beaten into third by the Porsche 911 GT2 in the lap times set at Rockingham Speedway by racing driver Ben Collins.

Nomenclature

The name of the new McLaren sports car is MP4-12C. 'MP4' has been the chassis designation for all McLaren Formula 1 cars since 1981. Since 1997, "MP4" has stood for McLaren Project 4 (from 1981 to 1996, when McLaren's title sponsor was Marlboro, the "M" stood for this), resulting from the merger of Ron Dennis' Project 4 organisation with McLaren. The '12' refers to McLaren's internal Vehicle Performance Index through which it rates key performance criteria both for competitors and for its own cars. The criteria combine power, weight, emissions, and aerodynamic efficiency. The coalition of all these values delivers an overall performance index that has been used as a benchmark throughout the car's development. The 'C' refers to Carbon, highlighting the unique application of carbon fibre technology to the future range of McLaren sports cars. The elements of this name represent everything that the McLaren MP4-12C stands for:

MP4-12C shares its name with the MP4/12 Formula 1 car that raced in the 1997 season. This car featured a second brake pedal discovered by photographers to counter understeer on the exit of the corners by selecting the inside rear wheel, similar to the computer controlled "brake steer" system of the MP4-12C.

Variants

Convertible

In addition to the coupe, a convertible version of the MP4-12C is under development at McLaren. The convertible is planned to have a retractable hardtop that will be made from either aluminium or carbon fibre. McLaren is working to preserve the coupé's 200 mph top speed. Meanwhile, the unique butterfly wing doors of the coupé will be retained.

Motorsports

GT3

In December 2010 McLaren announced that they would produce a small number of MP4-12C cars in order for them to compete in the FIA GT3 European Championship. McLaren stated that they will provide maintenance for the cars and will begin racing in 2012 with the CRS Racing team. The MP4-12C will be the first car to compete in sportscar racing for the company, since the F1 GTR. It received its début with a single car entry for the Spa Francorchamps round of theBritish GT championship. This was followed by a three car entry in the 2011 Spa 24 Hours.

Compared to the road car, the MP4-12C GT3 produces less power with only 493 bhp (368 kW; 500 PS) due to homologation. The car features a new bespoke 6-speed gearbox that is 80 kg (176 lb) lighter than the road car's 7-speed, developed with Ricardo. The steering wheel is lifted straight from the McLaren MP4-24 Formula 1 car.

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