McLaren MP4-12C Enters Production, 1,000 Cars to be Built this Year [with Video]

McLaren Automotive's brand new MP4-12C has reached another milestone with the start of production at the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking, England. The British sports car maker said it plans to build up to 1,000 examples of the MP4-12Cs this year, with most cars to be manufactured in a bespoke new £40m McLaren Production Centre, which is due for completion in May on a site neighboring the MTC facility.

The MP4-12C was first presented to the public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in southern England in July 2010, ahead of a North American debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August of the same year.

It is powered by a mid-mounted 3.8 liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 600HP and 443 lb-ft, developed in-house by McLaren, and can complete the standard 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint in under 3.0 seconds and the quarter mile in around 11 seconds, while reaching a top speed in excess of 200mph or 322km.

Prices for the MP4-12C start at around €200,000 in mainland Europe, £168,500 in the UK and at $229,000 in the US.

Today, McLaren also released a new short film called 'Best of 2010', which features appearances from F1 racing stars Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button, visitors’ reactions to the 12C at its debut events as well as new footage of the car winter testing at Dunsfold Aerodrome. Scroll down to watch it.

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The McLaren MP4-12C of Chronograph Watches

McLaren and TAG Heuer are celebrating their 26-year long partnership as well as the 20th anniversary of the original McLaren F1 with the launch of the limited edition TAG Heuer MP4-12C Chronograph watch. Taking inspiration from the upcoming MP4-12C supercar, the watch boasts a matching color scheme and is built from exotic materials such as carbon fiber.

The lightweight composite material was used for the dial, which features sapphire inserts that reveal the mechanism. The latter is protected by a highly durable titanium case, also minimizing weight. Other highlights include the alcantara leather strap evoking the MP4-12C’s interior, and orange luminescent markers on the hands, complemented by orange stitching.

Pilots and track drivers will appreciate the Flyback function, which allows the chronograph to be reset to zero and instantly restarted by pressing only once on the push button. There’s also a tachymeter at hand, indicating what distance is travelled, while the chronograph can record time intervals between two locations.

“I love watches and have always wanted to design one myself. The TAG Heuer MP4-12C Chronograph was a particularly interesting project as we have combined our passion for precision technology, engineering and performance and included some of the most outstanding design features and materials that can be found in the MP4-12C”, said Frank Stephenson, Design Director McLaren Automotive.

The TAG Heuer MP4-12C Chronograph will be produced in a limited run of 1,000 units. Those interested can purchase the watch through McLaren later this year.

As for the car that inspired the creation of the chronograph, the MP4-12C is powered by a 600HP mid-mounted 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8, developed in-house by McLaren. Capable of reaching 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 3 seconds and a top speed of 320+ km/h (200+ mph), the MP4-12C will hit the European market in spring 2011, at a base price of €200,000 in Germany and £168,500 in the UK. U.S. pricing will be released at a later date.

By Csaba Daradics

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McLaren MP4-12C GT3 Endurance Racer Coming in 2012

Twelve years after the last six McLaren F1 GTR “Longtails” hit the tarmac at Le Mans, the British supercar maker and CRS Racing have begun work on an MP4-12C-based GT3 racecar. According to the plan that was revealed today, the MP4-12C GT3 will be available in limited numbers starting from 2012.

The McLaren F1 GTR was a very successful racecar, taking the checkered flag at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on its debut, so the bar has been set pretty high for the new car. Nevertheless, featuring an advanced one-piece carbon fiber chassis and finely tuned aerodynamic body, the MP4-12C should provide an excellent starting point for the development of the race version.

“The 12C’s architecture and design was always aimed at high-performance and ease of maintenance - two key criteria for potential customers. Combine that with the vast amount of racing experience in our automotive team, and CRS Racing’s specialist development experience, and the 12C GT3 should be an exciting proposition for the top teams planning to race in GT3 from 2012”, said Martin Whitmarsh, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team Principal.

As part of the development process, McLaren and CRS Racing will enter 12C GT3 prototypes in select European GT races next year. Further details about the racing program are also going to be announced in 2011. Potential clients can register their interest at "www.mclarengt.com."

By Csaba Daradics

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McLaren MP4-12C Priced from €200,000 in Europe and at £168,500 and in the UK

McLaren Automotive has announced pricing for its upcoming and much hyped new supercar, the MP4-12C, which goes on sale in the UK and Europe in spring 2011. In Britain, on-the-road prices will start at £168,500, while the supercar will cost €200,000 in Germany, €201,000 in France and Monaco, €201,680 in Italy and €203,360 in Belgium, with all prices including country-specific tax. Pricing in other countries will be released at a later date.

The company claims the pricing in Europe and the UK is groundbreaking for a carbon chassis-based supercar. Antony Sheriff, Managing Director of McLaren Automotive said:

"With a unique carbon chassis as the foundation, and a powerful, but highly efficient McLaren engine at its heart, the 12C offers staggering value: no other carbon-based car can compete at this price-point, or with the 12C's technology and performance."

The 12C will be offered with a choice of 17 exterior paint finishes including a 'McLaren Orange' that harks back to the firm's 1960s and 1970s race cars, as well as 14 interior trims. Available performance upgrades will include a sports exhaust system, carbon ceramic brake discs, polished-finish callipers and two lightweight forged wheel options.

All MP4-12Cs will be powered by a mid-mounted 3.8 liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 600HP and 443 lb-ft, developed in-house by McLaren. According to the British company, According to the McLaren, the supercar is capable of reaching 100km/h (62mph) in less than 3,0 seconds and 200 km/h (124mph) in under 10 seconds while completing the quarter mile in around 11 seconds and reaching a top speed in excess of 200mph or 322km.

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McLaren MP4-12C Cop Car? Only in Need For Speed Hot Pursuit

While everyone's waiting for the new Gran Turismo, Need for Speed hopes to satiate your digital racing needs with a new Hot Pursuit game. Check out the screen shots below for some copped-out speed machines. Dare you view the Viper and forever live in fear of what could one day be lurking on an interstate? Hey, cops impound craziness all the time.

Seeing as how everyone from Techart and Brabus to Ford and the holy Lamborghini have created awesome police concepts or actual cars, how about McLaren spends a little of its hard-earned cash and builds an MP4-12C patrol car. Can we say crowd-pleaser?

By Phil Alex

Source: NFS

F1 Champs Button and Hamilton to Race McLaren MP4-12C at Goodwood Festival of Speed

The upcoming McLaren MP4-12C will make its first public outing at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place from Thursday 1- Sunday 4 July 2010. Event goers and enthusiasts alike will also get the chance to see McLaren's new supercar in action as reigning F1 champion Jenson Button and 2008 F1 champion Lewis Hamilton will drive the MP4-12C up Goodwood Hill on Saturday and Sunday respectively in the Supercar Run

Following their test of an 'XP Beta' 12C prototype at Goodwood Motor Circuit in March this year, Jenson and Lewis will now get behind the wheel of the newer (as in further developed) VP9 Validation Prototype car.

McLaren said that the latest prototype version will be finished in a 'traditional' orange hue and ride on lightweight forged alloy wheels in a Stealth finish, adding that the car will feature a carbon fibre splitter, diffuser, engine covers, engine bay panels and seat backs.

Powered by a mid-mounted 3.8 liter V8 with 600HP, the new MP4-12C will go on sale in Spring 2011. McLaren has not yet released pricing on the MP4-12C, but the company stated that it will compete with cars in the 'core' high performance sports car sector, priced between £125,000-£175,000.

McLaren Reveals First Dealer Locations in 35 Cities Around the World

The brand-new MP4-12C supercar from McLaren Automotive will be sold next spring (2011) by a network of dealers in 35 cities in 19 countries across the world, with more to follow in 2012, the British company announced.

McLaren Automotive's initial network will include eight retailers in North America (USA, Canada), 12 in Europe (UK, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland), two in the Middle-East, and one in Africa (South Africa).

Here's the official list with the cities that will be represented by McLaren retailers:

• Europe: Birmingham, London, Manchester; Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich; Brussels; Monaco, Paris; Milan; Barcelona/Madrid; Zurich
  
• North America: Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orange County, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tampa; Toronto
  
• Middle-East / South Africa: Manama; Doha; Jeddah, Riyadh; Dubai, Abu Dhabi; Kuwait; Johannesburg
  
• Asia-Pacific: Hong Kong; Singapore; Sydney; Tokyo
  

The company said that it will reveal more details on its first 23 retailers ahead of the MP4-12C's global debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed.

According to McLaren, between 300 and 400 cars are planned for North America, 400 to 500 for Europe, and 100 to 200 each for the Middle-East/South Africa and Asia-Pacific regions.

McLaren Boss Ron Dennis Vents over Bugatti's Veyron, Calls it "Pig Ugly" and a "Piece of Junk"

McLaren chairman Ron Dennis does NOT like Bugatti's Veyron. No really, he utterly hates it. For example, he recently call Bugatti's Veyron a "piece of junk", saying it only beat McLaren's F1 in the famous Abu Dhabi Top Gear race after ten tries.

Dennis vented a bunch in an interview with Arabian Business, and his actual words are decidedly more entertaining than mine.

"The Bugatti Veyron is a complete piece of junk. I think it is. I believe I can look at a range of women and I can see beauty in most of them, but I can look at a Bugatti and I think it is pig ugly."

"The Veyron doesn't do anything for me. I've been looking at it for years, and I don't see one single thing that makes me feel good."

Obviously not, considering it stole your company's top-speed crown...

Regarding the Top Gear drag race, he explains, "When we did the race in Abu Dhabi, we beat it off the line so many times that the film crew was getting frustrated because the outcome was supposed to be for the Bugatti to win."

"We had to do that whole thing about 10 times before it managed to get off the line cleanly and catch us up...Every time they dropped the clutch it bogged down and we were gone."

Hey, everyone's entitled to their opinion, especially when it comes to the competition (that's usually the best kind of opinion). But "pig-ugly junk"? That's a bit harsh. It's not a Sebring.

By Phil Alex

Source: Arabian Business & Reuters , Via: Worldcafans