Mclaren

MP 4 12 C

price : Approx US $ 3,00,000 TO $ 4,00,000

Design

As with the McLaren F1, carbon fibre (Carbon MonoCell) is used extensively in the vehicle to minimize weight. The MP4-12C weighs 1,301 kg (2,868 lb) dry. The chassis is based around an F1 style one-piece carbon fibre tub, weighing only 80 kg (176 lb).

The car has a conventional two side-by-side seating arrangement, unlike its predecessor the McLaren F1 which featured an irregular three seat formation (front center, two behind either side). To make up for this however, the car's central console is narrower than in other cars, seating the driver closer to the center.

Interior trim and materials can be specified in asymmetric configuration - known as "Driver Zone".

Engine

Main article: McLaren M838T engine

The car is powered by the M838T 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 engine, designed and developed by McLaren in partnership with Ricardo. The design of the engine was based on the Nissan VRH35 racing engine used in Le Mans in 1998. However, other than the 93 mm bore, little of that engine remains in the M838T. It produces 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. It has a redline of 8,500 rpm, with 80% of torque available at just 2,000 rpm. When first announced McLaren claimed that it would have a higher horsepower to carbon dioxide emission ratio than any internal-combustion engine available at the time.

Transmission

The engine is connected to a seven-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox made in Italy by Graziano. Dubbed the "Seamless Shift Gearbox" or SSG, the gearbox features a system dubbed "Pre-Cog" that allows the driver to preselect the next gear by lightly tapping the paddle.

Performance

McLaren have stated the MP4-12C can accelerate from 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 8.9 seconds.The car will have a top speed in excess of 322 km/h (200 mph) and will be able to brake from 200 km/h (124 mph) to a complete stop in under 5 seconds. Braking from 100 km/h (62 mph) to zero can be done in under 30 metres (98 ft), around seven car lengths.

On July 10, 2011, on the BBC programme Top Gear, the MP4-12C set the second fastest lap around the Top Gear Track, posting a time of 1:16.2.The car was developed and tested on the Top Gear test track before its appearance on the show. The MP4-12C finished second behind the Ferrari 458 Italia in Car Magazine's July 2011 group test. It was also beaten into third by the Porsche 911 GT2 RS in the lap times set at Rockingham Speedway by racing driver Ben Collins.

Nomenclature

The name of the new McLaren sports car is MP4-12C. 'MP4' has been the chassis designation for all McLaren Formula 1 cars since 1981. Since 1997, 'MP4' has stood for McLaren Project 4 (from 1981 to 1996, when McLaren's title sponsor was Marlboro, the "M" stood for this), resulting from the merger of Ron Dennis' Project 4 organisation with McLaren. The '12' refers to McLaren's internal Vehicle Performance Index through which it rates key performance criteria both for competitors and for its own cars. The criteria combine power, weight, emissions, and aerodynamic efficiency. The coalition of all these values delivers an overall performance index that has been used as a benchmark throughout the car's development. The 'C' refers to Carbon, highlighting the unique application of carbon fibre technology to the future range of McLaren sports cars.

MP4-12C shares its name with the MP4/12 Formula 1 car that raced in the 1997 season. This car featured a second brake pedal discovered by photographers to counter understeer on the exit of the corners by selecting the inside rear wheel, similar to the computer controlled "brake steer" system of the MP4-12C.

GALLERY