Return of the Mac: successor to McLaren F1 in the works

With all the resources that McLaren is pouring into launching its new road-car division, you can bet the P11 (targeted at the likes of the Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4) won't be the only product on offer. Back in February, reports surfaced that McLaren is working on a smaller P8 to rival the Porsche 911 and Audi R8, but the latest news sounds even more tantalizing. Frank Stephenson, the lauded designer which McLaren hired to spearhead the styling of its new line of supercars, has revealed that the company is working on a replacement for the legendary McLaren F1 supercar.

The original, powered by a BMW-sourced 6.0-liter V12 with over 600 horsepower, shattered records and quickly seized the top step of the supercar ladder in the earlier 90's, and stayed there for years. Its successor promises to be just as revolutionary, with power provided by a retuned version of Mercedes AMG's 6.2-liter V8 modified by Mahle (formerly part of Cosworth) with an eye on the Bugatti Veyron and Koenigsegg CCX in terms of price and performance. As for what it'll look like, Stephenson says he's starting from a blank sheet of paper, so we'll have to sit tight and see what he cooks up for us.

[Source: AutoWeek and Autocar]