McLaren officially presents the MP4-12C

McLaren has made the official presentation of the first model of the new automotive make: the MP4-12C. During the occasion McLaren also unveiled the plans for the future of brand that will be putting its first model on sale in 2011.

The MP4-12C is a mid-engined two seat sports car that was created to bring F1 knowledge, acquired throughout the more than 40 years of F1 manufacturing, to the roads, in a car equipped with all the comforts for daily usage.

The design concept was created from the inside, out, building the car around the driver and passenger. The heart of the MP4-12C, the Carbon Mono Cell is a carbon fibre composite chassis and here the main obsession was to save the much amount of weight possible.

“So, the whole 12C project is based on the concept of the MonoCell. This means that McLaren can launch into the market with greater performance than our rivals, a safer structure, and a better built car”, said Claudio Santoni, McLaren Automotive’s Body Structures Function Group Manager.

The production of the 12C chassis brings with it a new carbon fibre production process that reduces its production time to four hours, with the same quality standards.

The MP4-12C was developed focusing in the aerodynamics and engineering, with no changes in the design being made just because of style or appeal. The 12C’s front end features large air intakes, with a removable front splitter, bi-xenon headlights with LED running lights, inspired on McLaren’s logo, and a large windscreen with low cow completing the fascia.

One of the most distinctive features of the first McLaren model is the dihedral doors. This concept allows the driver and passenger to get into and out of the car in an easier way. With the doors moving forward and upwards less space is needed to enter the vehicle.

The M838T, standing for McLaren - 8 cylinder – 3.8 litres – Turbo, powers the MP4-12C. Delivering 600Nm and a maximum engine speed of 8500 rpm the 12C reaches a top speed above 200mph, accelerating from 0 to 200 km/h in less than 10 seconds.

The engine powers the rear wheels through two wet clutches and a seven-speed SSG Seamless Shift dual-clutch gearbox.