McLaren today took wraps of its new supercar, the MP4-12C. The car is the first in a range of high performance sports cars from the firm as they aim to challenge the likes of Ferrari in producing the best sports cars in the world.
?It is a long-held dream of mine to launch a range of high performance sports cars that set new standards in the industry,? said Ron Dennis, the former team principal turned McLaren Automotive Chairman.
?We began designing and building cars for aficionados of thoroughbred sports cars almost 20 years ago," he continued. "Incorporating the leading edge technologies that the McLaren Group has built up within its various companies, I believe we are now perfectly placed to open up this new chapter in McLaren?s history as well as play a part in the regeneration of high-tech manufacturing in the UK and global automotive environment."
The 3.8 litre V8 twin-turbo MP4-12C two-seater will cost between ?125,000 and ?175,000 and goes on sale in 2011.
"When we embarked on the 12C project, we wanted to re-write the rules of sports car design," said Automotive Managing Director Antony Sheriff.
"Indeed, the 12C offers performance and technology that exceeds that of the world?s most expensive and sophisticated supercars, while competing in a much more accessible market segment. And to achieve this result, we designed every component from scratch to meet the extreme goals of the 12C and avoid any compromise. Forget what you know about sports car companies, McLaren is different."
The automotive sector may be struggling in the global recession, but Dennis is adamant that it is a good time to launch a new supercar and that sales in the sector will soon return to 2007 levels.
?I am confident that now is the right time for McLaren Automotive to become a full line high performance sports car manufacturer,? said Dennis. ?Worldwide demand for high performance cars is strong, in large part because of great cars from great competitors. With McLaren joining that list, it will grow stronger still."
