McLaren’s new F430 challenging supercar is officially unveiled today! We’ve been calling it ‘P11′, however we’re now hearing that it’s going to be called the MP4-12C. It’s also confirmed that the MP4-12C will be the first of three to be released in the near future as McLaren looks to separate it’s Formula 1 operations from it’s production car’s.
So what can we look forward to seeing today? The answer to that one isn’t quite as exciting as the company’s last solo venture, the McLaren F1. Expect to see a highly technical car with plenty of Formula 1 inspired innovations. Self-adjusting suspension, gullwing doors, a Wi-Fi connection and a floating dash like those seen in the latest Volvo’s.
This news comes straight from the words of CEO Ron Dennis in an interview he gave with UK newspaper ‘The Times‘.
WorldCarFans appear to have found a source willing to divulge details too. Over there they say that the MP4-12C will make use of a carbon-fiber monocoque frame. Power will come from a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V8 petrol coupled with a 7-speed gearbox. Power will be rated at between 600 and 700bhp.
Its name definitely doesn’t roll off your tongue as well as its predecessor the “F1, and at first glance its looks doesn’t really spark any excitement at least in this car enthusiast, but I can’t wait to find out what this baby can do – apparently a 0 to 100km/h acceleration time of under 3.5 seconds is possible.
In 1997 McLaren ran a car which also went by the name of MP4-12. This car featured a system that allowed the driver to adjust the brake balance when exiting slow speed corners, eliminating understeer and wheelspin as a result. This ‘brake steer’ system is rumored to make an appearance in the forthcoming MP4-12.
The MP4-12C will most likely retail at around £150,000 (€170,000) making it McLaren mid-size product. Two production ready vehicles will follow, one as a rival to the Porsche 911, another to rival the Lamborghini Murcielago (or it’s successor as the case may be!).
With the new MP4-12C, McLaren's betting the economy will bounce back soon. It's planning on building 1000 units in 2011, a quarter of which will go each to the domestic UK market and over here to the United States. The C designation also suggests that they're planning a roadster version to join the coupe. But for now, we'll just enjoy this first batch of images in the gallery below and peruse the lengthy press release after the jump.
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