McLaren P13: more details

By: Steve Smith

The new entry-level McLaren, which is due to be revealed at the 2015 Geneva Show, will be a better than its German and Italian rivals – well, at least from a technical point of view – the Woking-based company’s CEO, Mike Flewitt, claims.

Designed to rival the likes of the Porsche 911, the McLaren P13 will be priced in the vicinity of £120 000 (the equivalent of R2,2 million before taxes) and as is the case with its MP4-12C and P1siblings, the P13 will have a carbon-fibre chassis. As reported by Autocar, tucked behind the driver will be an ultra-compact twin-turbo 3,8-litre V8 engine, good for between 335 kW and 375 kW and transmitted to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The P13 is expected to complete the zero to 100 km/h sprint in under 4 seconds and achieve a top speed of 295 km/h.

Both smaller and lighter than the current MP4-12C, this will be more of a “pure drivers’ car”, says Flewitt – which should be interesting given the 12C’s already excellent handling characteristics.

Like the various renderings we’ve seen over the last 6 months, the P13 will take its cues from the P1 hypercar and there will be several variants, including a Spider and a lightweight Porsche GT3-like extra performance version.

Don’t get to used to that name though – McLaren has already confirmed the production model won’t use the P13 name. When it does hit the production line, McLaren will be aiming at annual production targets of 2 000 to 2 500 cars, with the factory’s total output exceeding 4 000 cars per year.

Future McLaren models?

A stripped-out version of the MP4-12C will be launched later in 2014. And the next- generation 12C will also take its styling cues from the P1. A P15 is also on the drawing board – all confirming chairman Ron Dennis’s commitment that McLaren will launch “something of substance” every year.

 

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