Filed under: Spy Photos, Supercars, Mercedes-Benz
The new skinny on the McLaren P11 supercar
McLaren is one of the most successful race teams in Formula One, but unlike rival Ferrari, it doesn't make many road cars. Its current supercar, the Mercedes SLR McLaren, was a relative disappointment, particularly when judged against the impossibly high yardstick of its predecessor, the McLaren F1, which remains one of the quickest, fastest and all-around best-performing supercars of all time. So when the Woking, England-based firm announced the development of the P11, potential customers began calling the factory, which has already taken dozens of orders long before the car has even been unveiled.
British magazine CAR claims to have the inside line on the supercar, having spoken with some of the engineers working on the project – McLaren is said to be in the process of hiring more –and have put together an educated guess on the car's spec sheet. While the F1 diced it with the likes of the Ferrari F40 and Porsche 959, and the SLR took on the Enzo and Carrera GT, the car tentatively code-named P11 is expected to go down-market (that being a relative term, of course) to target the likes of the 430 Scuderia and 911 GT2. Power is anticipated to come from sibling-company AMG's 6.3-liter V8, putting some 500 horsepower down through the rear wheels for a sub-4-second run to sixty and a top speed over 200 mph. Expect carbon-ceramic brakes to figure into an aluminum and carbon-fiber package sized in between Audi's TT and R8.
CAR claims its renderings are fairly close to the mark for the supercar that will launch in 2010 and be produced in annual runs of less than 5,000. Don't expect the car to be dipped in chrome like its grand prix stable-mates, though.
Thanks for the tip, Alex!
[Source: CAR Online]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
DriverG 1:30PM (12/17/2007)
Not that the F1 had the looks to match it's performance, but they should call this the Zzzzzzzzz11.
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Snark 2:24PM (12/17/2007)
It's a rendering, idjit.
DriverG 2:47PM (12/17/2007)
Perhaps you should read the article, you illiterate stooge:
"We’ve seen official documents outlining the design and can attest to the accuracy of our artist’s impressions – right down to the double-tick air vents scalloped into the flanks. There’s also a shark-gill cooling vent built into the rearmost side window."
No, it's not going to look exactly like this illustration, but it's likely the direction McLaren is going in, with 'function over form' written all over it.
Jon 1:40PM (12/17/2007)
Honestly, this car is a dissapointment. I think that McLaren should revitalize their brand by first producing an F1 successor that would once again claim the title of the world's fastest production car. They certainly have the resources and technology to make it happen. THEN they could expand their offerings downmarket, but the halo car must come first.
Just my two cents.
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RG 1:44PM (12/17/2007)
I would like to think that the 6.3L V-8 would get 500-hp since it gets that in its stock form.
Also, with the RS8 coming with a 500+hp V-10 I hope this P11 doesnt come to market already outgunned. This P11 should be a relative featherweight in order to compete. I'm thinking 2900 lbs is a pretty good start.
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Mr. Oak 2:09PM (12/17/2007)
It will be already handily out-gunned by the ZR1 @ 650hp. The Z06 currently weighs in @ approx. 3100 lbs. I'm sure there will be some fat trimming on the ZR1.
This whole supercar wars is getting so tired. You stand as king 'O the Hill for 15 mins. or so, and blam you're an also ran.
Hell I want to get into the supercar game. So many of them out there, they're not special anymore.
Zane 1:50PM (12/17/2007)
It looks like a baby Carrera GT.
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jim 1:55PM (12/17/2007)
This is the evolution path the 911 should take! Big brother to the Cayman.
Neil 2:52PM (12/17/2007)
I hope everyone knows the image shown is rendered speculation and McLaren hasn't released any images of what the car will look like, so it's really pointless to comment on the looks of the car.
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nil8r73 2:59PM (12/17/2007)
These "Supercars" are starting to look more and more alike......Wheres the style?
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Alex 3:30PM (12/17/2007)
victims of technology.
everyone is designing cars to be as slippery as possible and it just so happens that there is not much room to play with in terms of design dimensions.
my first thought when i saw this car: "looks like a ferrari"
nil8r73 4:16PM (12/17/2007)
I actually think that Ferrari is one of the few stand outs along with Aston Martin.......And the new Alfa Romeo 8C(This I hope will be considered a classic in years to come).The rest aren't so memorable .....Unless one is only interested in their performance stats.
mk 3:57PM (12/17/2007)
I wish they made it look like the F1.
The F1, aside from headlights and tailights, etc.. looks as fresh now as it ever has. A few modern detail tweaks, and the F1 would still be the most modern looking car, and with a few mechanical tweaks, would probably be pretty close to the most modern mechanically.
This rendered design looks flat, by comparison. Not bad, just not unique. I would expect a nicely subdued shape like this from Porsche. Painted red, it could look like a slightly conservative-styled Ferrari. It looks like the Artega GT, like the original sketches for the Farboud, or whatever it is now called, and the Ascari, and lots of Supercar idiom mid-engined cars. Certainly less bold than the Koeniggsegg CCX or Pagani Zonda, and who knows what else to come out before this car gets to market.
It may be the only way to get an AMG engine with a manual, or automated-clutch transmission, though. All of the official AMG cars, like all mercs, are hydraulic automatics.
And I thought this car was being referred to by McLaren as Project 8, where is 11 coming from?
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Jimmy 4:13PM (12/17/2007)
"Don't expect the car to be dipped in chrome like its grand prix stable-mates, though."
the folks at mclaren like to call their color "pewter".
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EMC 4:25PM (12/17/2007)
I agree, it's pretty and nice looking, but not "bold" enough for it to stand out.
How it drives however... ;)
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Dondonel 6:27PM (12/17/2007)
It does not look in any way outstanding, but the proportions are better than of any other mid engine car. But the main thing about this car is its weight, apparently it weighs only 1200kg!! 250kg less than Ferrari 430. I'm curious about the downforce it generates, but so far it looks good in terms of potential performance and handling. Anyway, it still costs too much, make it 80k and I'm sold.
By the way, this is not just a rendering, the car looks exactly like that. The internet is full with P11 pictures from next months magazine covers.
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Greg Koenig 7:12PM (12/17/2007)
This looks like a carbon copy of the Ascari KZ-1. And not in a "if you look at them with squinted eyes, they have vaguely the same shape" way... I'm talking dead ringer.
From a GIS of Ascari:
http://www.autoclub.com.au/uploaded_images/ascari-kz1-709470.jpg
Hell, the only reason I know about the Ascari is from watching Torrents of TopGear.
Zane 8:22PM (12/17/2007)
Aha, nice find Koenig!
Btw, are you related to the top brass at Koenigsegg by any chance? :P
rx7 r1 10:16PM (12/17/2007)
Looks like the Subaru p2.
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Quan 12:47AM (4/04/2008)
The render looks almost exactly like a Tommy Kaira ZZII.
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