Return of the ‘Mac

It’s been nearly 20 years since the iconic McLaren F1 first rolled off the production line, and 11 years since it stamped itself into the history books as the world’s fastest production car. Now McLaren has unveiled the F1’s spiritual successor, the MP4-12C. Does this newcomer have what it takes to make its mark in a world where the benchmark for supercars is raised almost weekly?By Gareth Dean

The simple answer is no…Although the MP4-12C is from the same stable that produced the world’s fastest naturally-aspirated car, this newcomer does not have the likes of the Bugatti Veyron, 9ff GT9 or SSC Ultimate Aero TT. Instead, the MP4-12C (snappily-named, huh?) will go head-to-head with more ‘entry-level’ offerings such as the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo.

Given the difficulty involved in squeezing F1/Veyron-surpassing performance from the new car (think gold foil in the F1’s engine bay, for starters) and the pressures placed upon supercar manufacturers to focus less upon outright speed and more on efficiency and handling dynamics, McLaren’s decision to aim a little lower makes sense.

A glimpse at the styling does set one wondering just how closely Ferrari was watching McLaren when penning the 458 Italia (or vice-versa). The overall product is a sort of amalgam of Italian supercar and the wedge-shaped styling cues made so famous by the original F1.

The MP4-12C’s main structure is hewn from carbon-fibre, the body panels are made of aluminium and SMC plastic the floor structure of the passenger compartment — an integral part of the chassis — is crafted as a single unit and weighs just 80 kg. The net result is a low overall weight of 1 360 kg.

The car’s lightweight construction is partly the reason that you won’t find a petrol-inhaling 12-cylinder engine under the hood. Power is provided by a 3,8-litre mid-mounted V8 delivering 447 kW and 600 N.m of torque. The twin-turbocharged M838T motor is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission dubbed SSG (Seamless Shift Gearbox), which features a Pre-Cog system that allows the driver to preselect the next gear via one of the paddle-shifters. The engine can spin up to a dizzying 8 500 r/min. Even so, 80 percent of its peak torque is available below 2 000 r/min.

McLaren has not yet divulged any performance figures prior to the car’s 2010 launch, but the combination of powerful engine, light weight and seriously quick gearbox should endow the MP4-12C with a wicked turn of pace.

Just to satisfy those curiously pondering this new car’s alphanumeric moniker: MP4 has been the chassis designation for all McLaren Formula 1 cars since 1981, while the “12″ is a reference to the top echelon of McLaren’s internal rating system (the F1 wore the “11” tag). The letter C refers to the extensive use of carbon-fibre in its construction.