2011 MP4-12C: McLaren Brings F1 Racing Technology to the Road!
Written by Geoff Reeves
Since the beginning in 1963, Bruce McLaren Motor Racing has been pushing the limit, breaking barriers and discovering innovative technological solutions for winning on the racetrack. Earning eight Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship titles and 12 Drivers’ Championship titles, it is the only racing outfit to have also won Indianapolis, Can-Am, Le Mans and Formula 1 Championships. McLaren brought all their knowledge, experience and race determination to the road in 1993 when the 3 seat McLaren F1 was introduced to the world. Said by many to be the finest drivers’ car ever built, the F1 was the world’s fastest production vehicle at the time (240.1 mph), and won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans its debut year. Eighteen years later, the second installment to the McLaren road car saga has now been introduced and continues to embody all that McLaren stands for. Behold the rear-wheel drive 2011 McLaren MP4-12C!
Designed at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, London, eliminating weight on this “pure McLaren” car was an obsession and taken into consideration every place possible -- Example: Rather than embossing the McLaren logo onto one of the magnesium beams, they de-bossed it to save 2.1 grams. Designed from scratch, starting on the inside working their way out, “good” wasn’t good enough. At its core, the driver area has been designed to be an ergonomically efficient, straight driving position, surrounded by a first of its kind extremely lightweight carbon fiber “MonoCell.” The aluminum and magnesium chassis that extends from this core holds the all-aluminum, mid mounted, 3.6 liter, dry sump powerplant. A sub four second 0-60 mph is possible thanks to the McLaren designed twin-turbo V8 engine that features 592-horsepower and 443 foot pounds of torque, and this street legal race car easily breaks 200 mph (top speed hasn’t been officially released yet). The MP4-12C’s transmission uses a new 7-speed Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG) for use in normal, sport or can even be ripped through in track mode! Because instantaneous shifting was too slow, McLaren designed the SSG, relating it to a pre-focus button on a camera.
To help counter all the forward momentum when hard braking is necessary, McLaren designed a rear Airbrake that raises and rests in the middle of the vehicle’s airstream. By providing pressure over the rear wheels, traction is maintained and helps prevent them from locking up. Lastly, the MP4-12C dropped a lot of weight by utilizing the McLaren designated Proactive Chassis Control (PCC) hydraulic suspension system. Brought over from the F1 world, this adaptive dampening unit gives the driver great handling in different driving modes by varying the suspension from comfortable to stiff, without the need for heavy conventional sway bars.
McLaren is going full force into the market with the MP4-12C, then again I wouldn’t expect anything less. A 10-year business plan is in place while units will be available next April. With price points due out in October/ November, it is said that roughly 1,100 MP4-12C’s will be produced. Nine North American dealerships have been allocated to offer unique opportunities to not only see, but also potentially own this innovative road marvel.
