It was a daunting task for McLaren to meet or exceed expcetations when designing the sucessor to one of the greatest cars of this era, the F1. Their newest supercar, the MP4-12C (which cannot be abbreviated any further, trust us), promises to “re-write the rules of sports car design through Formula 1-inspired engineering, revolutionary chassis architecture, and absolute focus on efficiency.” Inspired engineering has led to the development of the midmounted bespoke V8 engine that will produce 600bhp from 3.8 twin-turbocharged liters. A pre-cog trasmission function helps prime the gearbox for an impending shift, leading to shift times to rival F1 cars. The chassis architecture that they speak of comes in the form of a 176lb one-piece chassis, a racing-derived piece dubbed the Carbon MonoCell. From an aesthetic standpoint, the MP4-12C doesn’t get too risky; it seems to borrow a little from other supercars such as the Saleen S7, Ferrari F430, and McLaren’s own F1. Expect the MP4-12C to debut in 2011, with its sights set against the Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Gallardo.
Continue reading for more images of the 2011 McLaren MP4-12C
Source: WCF
