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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