The Mac is back. This is McLaren’s new baby supercar, which distils the excitement of the legendary original F1 road model into a smaller and less expensive package.
Due on sale in 2010, the incredible machine is gunning for Ferrari’s F430 and the Lamborghini Gallardo with a price tag of between £150,000 and £200,000.
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Unlike the Mercedes SLR McLaren, it’s not a joint venture. Instead, the car is the work of engineers at the Formula One team’s factory in Woking. And it was just outside the Surrey base that Steve Taro caught the first prototype undergoing testing.
The body will also be made from advanced composites, and as a result the P11 will weigh around 1,250kg. A mid-mounted 6.2-litre V8 sourced from F1 engine supplier Mercedes will drive the rear wheels via a semi-automatic transmission, complete with steering wheel paddleshifters.
As was the case with the F1, McLaren will give customers the chance to personalise their car, so a long specification list is likely. There is set to be a whole host of interior trim options and paint colours.
Once McLaren has finished the last run of SLR Roadsters and special-edition roofless SLR Speedsters, work will begin on building the P11. And while production of the roadgoing F1 ended after only 64 examples, volumes for the newcomer are set to extend into four figures. The first customers will take delivery of their cars in 2010.
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