McLaren MP4-12C U.S. launch delayed, not coming to LA Auto Show

According to InsideLine, McLaren is having issues setting up distribution in the U.S., resulting in a delay of the MP4-12C's Stateside launch and its plans to show its newest supercar at the LA Auto Show this December.

Late last month, McLaren appointed Anthony Joseph, former regional manager for Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati, to setup the automaker's dealer network in the U.S., but over the course of the last few weeks McLaren has apparently hit a few roadblocks and it's expected that the creation of retail outlets will be delayed until sometime next year. With the economy in its current state, that may be a blessing in disguise, but that does little to stave off our desire to see the MP4-12C on the show stand.

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McLaren LM5 Artists rendering

After revealing pictures and details of its first project the MP4-12C, McLaren Automotive confirmed a second and a third car were being planned. The MP4-12C would be the middle child, leaving space below and above. It's in the latter segment that Coventry University graduate Matt Williams got hooked on.

By recalling the old McLaren F1, Williams made the connection strong between his concept and the original. For instance he kept the three-seat layout with a central driver's seat and the rest on either side behind him. The three sports seats were designed from a racing style point of view with a slim profile and four-point harnesses. McLaren's Formula One heritage was not ignored as the multifunction steering wheel has a display for the tachometer and the lightweight chassis is of a carbon fibre construction.

Again, as a hark to the 1992 master copy the designer saw it fit to rekindle the BMW-McLaren relationship as far as the engine goes. Instead of an "in-house" motor the M5/ M6 V10 is preferred, also mounted mid-ship. Depending on the application a 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V10 can get around 515kW (700hp) so the choice is not a bad one, although the real thing would use a McLaren-developed powerplant.

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McLaren MP4-12C - Video from the inside-out

McLaren has released a series of images and photos featuring the McLaren MP4-12C. The photos were released along with a redesign of the company's website, which features a detailed animation of the vehicle. The above video of the door's opening was also released.
The animation shows what the MP4-12C would look like if the vehicle exploded apart. Although not available yet, the website indicates that a configurator will become available.
McLaren says the animation is meant to show prospective customers worldwide how the car was built around the driver. The pictures tell a similar tale, displaying a practical use of the limited space around the driver.
The McLaren MP4-12C is not expected to be released to the market until 2011.

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Reports : Raikkonen signs agreement with McLaren

Kimi Raikkonen has signed an "outline agreement" to kick off a second tenure with the McLaren team beginning in 2010, the Mirror newspaper reported on Sunday.

The British newspaper said the 29-year-old Finn, who raced with the Woking based outfit between 2002 and 2006, must first reach an agreement with Ferrari, with whom he is under contract for one more season.

The Mirror cited "paddock sources" in claiming that Raikkonen is prepared to vacate his contracted Ferrari seat in 2010, but only if the famous Italian outfit pays "all of his 2010 ... salary".

The newspaper estimated Raikkonen's 2010 Ferrari contract at nearly $49m USD.

The report also said the news ties in with Nico Rosberg's link with Brawn and the Brackley team's burgeoning relationship with Mercedes-Benz.

The German manufacturer Mercedes was said to be pushing for Rosberg to replace Heikki Kovalainen at McLaren, but may now have resolved to push the German driver to Brawn and increase its involvement with the Ross Brawn-led outfit.

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VIDEO: McLaren MP4-12C Show and Tell with Ron Dennis and Antony Sheriff

One of the most anticipated sports cars of the year, McLaren Automotive's spanking new MP4-12C was formally introduced to the world on Wednesday with the release of the first photos and details. We know that you're lusting for an action packed video, but for now we'll have to be content with these two new videos showing the firm's bosses Ron Dennis and Antony Sheriff talking about the MP4-12C that can be seen turning around in the background. Hit the jump to watch both videos.

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McLaren MP4-12C Revealed: First Photos and Details of 600HP British Supercar

Having recently formed its own independent automotive division, the British maker of the iconic F1 (1993-1998) and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (2003-2008) has finally revealed its first supercar, the McLaren MP4-12C. The two-seater mid-engine model has been developed in-house, meaning that it features no carryover parts from any other car, and will be produced by McLaren in the UK with sales expected to begin in early 2011.

At the heart of the bespoke McLaren is a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that delivers "around 600 horsepower and 600Nm or 443 lb-ft", with 80 per cent of torque available below 2,000rpm. The engine drives the rear wheels through two wet clutches and a McLaren-developed seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG).

Performance figures haven't been released yet but expect a zero to 60mph - 100km/h sprint time under 4,0 seconds and a top speed of around 200 mph - 320km/h.

McLaren's engineers did their best to keep the MP4-12C's weight as low as possible and even though the company did not issue a kerbweight figure, it did say that the supercar features a one-piece carbon fibre chassis structure called Carbon MonoCell that weighs in at a mere 80kg or 176 pounds and is dressed in lightweight aluminum and plastic body panels.

The suspension is based on double wishbones with coil springs while the four adjustable dampers are interconnected hydraulically. There are three suspension modes - normal, sport and high performance, which adjust numerous parameters in the system.

The MP4-12C gets the usual suite of electronic aids that include ABS, ESP, ASR traction control, Electronic Brake Distribution, Hill Hold and Brake Steer that applies the inside rear brake as the car corners.

As with the F1 supercar and the SLR, McLarens's supercar model gets a rear-deck mounted airbrake that deploys hydraulically under braking, or when the driver wants to trim the car for increased downforce by using a switch on the Active Dynamics Panel.

In terms of styling, the MP4-12C is no stunner and is definitely far less extravagant that many of its rivals like the recently introduced Ferrari F458 Italia. But if we are to believe the firm's design director Frank Stephenson, the man responsible for the Mini Cooper, Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo Mi.To, the design of the 12C was clearly led by aerodynamics.

"All the fins, vents and the flat underbody are there for a reason. No styling addenda have been incorporated for appeal or style alone," said Stephenson. "This aerodynamic purity explains why this car can hit top speed with great stability without resorting to tea tray wings or deep front air dams. I really feel that the styling communicates the 12C's engineering integrity and technical benefits and it is this purity that makes the design timeless."

The same, straightforward design philosophy is also evident in the car's cabin. McLaren claims that the interior is "extremely space efficient" and is designed to accommodate "98th percentile adults in comfort".

"With the interior, we have created a real step forward in the packaging of a sports car," says Stephenson. "Moving the driver and passenger closer together improves driving control and moving the pedals improves the problem of wheel well intrusion. We also repackaged many of the major components that normally sit under the dashboard to allow for more space and a unique form. Packaging is one of the 12C's really strong points."

According to McLaren, early planning indicates that half of the MP4-12C's sales will be evenly split between the UK and the USA with the remainder to the rest of the world, notably Germany and mainland Europe, the Middle East and some Far Eastern countries.

Via: Worldcarfans

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