The all-new McLaren MP4-12C, as seen in this morning’s video, is set to be the first of a range of high-performance sports cars from the reinvigorated British manufacturer.
McLaren Automotive Chairman, Ron Dennis, said there comes a time when the maturity of a company and its future development depends on broadening its activities, and admitted that time was now for McLaren.
“We have long held the dream of building a range of innovative McLaren sports cars. Sports cars that take the raw elements of Formula One principles, processes and performance and forge them into a unique package that adds the requirements of quality, efficiency, comfort and reliability.
“Everything is in place and on schedule for the first of our new range of cars [the MP4-12C] to go on sale in the first half of 2011,” Mr Dennis said.
He confirmed yesterday the MP4-12C and subsequent models will roll off the line at the brand new £40 million (AUD$66.3 million) McLaren Production Centre (MPC).
“It is with great confidence and genuine excitement that we move forward with our plans to open up a new chapter for McLaren and the UK’s modern manufacturing industries,” Mr Dennis said.
Construction of the 32,000m² manufacturing facility in Woking, England, began on March 1 and is due for completion in just 12 months.
It will create up to 300 new jobs and support around 800 workers, with a view to manufacture 1000 12C’s in 2011.
McLaren confirmed it has so far taken 1600 ‘expressions of interest to purchase’ from around the world.
Claiming to be “the most powerful, the most efficient, and the lightest” car in the core sports class, McLaren will initially sell the MP4-12C through 35 dedicated dealers in 19 countries for between £125,000 and £175,000 (AUD$207,200 and $290,000).
Among other things, McLaren has designed the car to be “well packaged, fully equipped and a comfortable place to be on a drive from London to Monte Carlo, New York to Miami or Sydney to Perth”.
Yes, that’s right.
Australia will be part of the Asia-Pacific market (along with Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore) which is expected to make up 10 to 20 percent of total sales.
McLaren Automotive regional director for the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific, Ian Gorsuch, said a key challenge will be developing a regional understanding of the McLaren brand and what it stands for.
“Often with new sports cars there is a perception that they are esoteric one-offs. McLaren and the 12C are not. This is the launch of a long-term sports car program backed up by a heritage going back decades.
“Most of our customers in the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific regions will be well educated in the world of supercars and are very demanding of both the technology in the car but also its reliability. They will not accept a car that simply looks pretty in their collection, but is not satisfying to drive,” Mr Gorsuch said.
Canada and the US will share 30 to 40 percent of the initial MP4-12C supply. Europe (UK, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, France and Belgium) will get a similar volume while the Middle-East/South Africa market (Bahrain, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and South Africa) is expected to demand the remaining 10 to 20 percent.
i hope top gear does a lfa vs 458 vs mp4 vs sls or something
<Brilliant car, sure they are going to do a outstanding job, better than a Porsche or Lambo etc and Ferrari should be a bit worried…
Love how McLaren are using it’s F1 drivers as PR, reminds me of F60-Enzo and Shuey and also Senna and the No$ex from haonda all them years ago.
I thought the basic engine was from Volvo?
Still miss the centre drive position and 2 passengers, aka bench seat of sorts, but McLaren did mention that they have other models coming out, so maybe the F1 will be reborn some time in the future, maybe even a cheaper higher volume something McLaren too.
ie Perhaps a HyperSuper car, this MP4-12C and a lower priced high volume model?
Who is the importer in AUS, where will it be priced
Compared to the Ferrari 358 and the Audi R8 this thing looks boring, expected a lot more from the guys who brought us the legendary Mac F1
i loved this car until i sore the last photo it just looks awkward from behind
If i was a 458, 911 turbo, gallardo and a R8 id be picking my avocados up off the floor, I have a feeling this car is going to blow the motorcar world apart…BIGTIME
I want to buy one. It will be more exclusive, precision engineering excellence, you wont look like a wanker driving it and there is more exotic materials used in the build than the 458. See you in my rear view mirror. The end
Edit
Ive registered my interest in buying one with Mclaren. No information yet on who will partnering with them in Australia. I would say if it was to be sold in Victoria it would have to be Zagame. They sell Maserati, Ferarri, Lotus (bought one from them), fiat, citron, etc…
I agree with you,exclusivity, quality and credentials are must when buying a car in this league. McLaren has all.I’ll certainly have closer look at one.
Is it just me or does the front grille look like nanna with no teeth…?
I dont care one bit for this cars looks or setup…BUT I do welcome it to the supercar world and glad to see English making something again.
They will never have the loyalty of Ferrari, Lamborghini etc because they arent consistant with future releases. People dont want to wait 15 years for the next version…but- PASS!
Did someone just put some McLaren stickers on the new Hyundai Genesis coupe? It just seems rather tame to me, looks wise at least.