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McLaren MP4-12C named
06 September 2009
McLaren's new supercar will be called the MP4-12C.
The car, which as previously known by its codename, P11, will be unveiled this Wednesday, but company boss Ron Dennis revealed the name in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper.
See the McLaren MP4-12C spy picture gallery
Dennis also outlined McLaren's plans to build three new models over the next six years, eventually churning out 4000 cars a year.
“We’re building more than one car; we’re building a brand,” he said.
The McLaren MP4-12C name that echoes the company’s history in Formula One racing, according to Dennis.
Dennis also revealed some technical details of the car, stressing that it was a supercar that could be used everyday. To this end, it has self-adjusting suspension that varies the damper settings according to conditions. Power comes from a V8 engine, controlled via a seven-speed gearbox.
Inside, the sat-nav system has a wi-fi connection, allowing owners to download maps and music to the car’s onboard computer, while a floating centre console similar to the one found in some Volvos is reported to give the interior a futuristic feel.
The McLaren MP4-12C will cost £150,000 and McLaren hopes to sell 1000 in the first year. The mooted on-sale date is currently at some point in 2011.
It will be followed by two more as yet unnamed sports cars bearing the McLaren badge by 2015.
The first will be an entry-level model to rival the standard Porsche 911, which costs from £60,000; the second, a model to fill the gap left by the discontinued Carrera GT, which cost £330,000 in 2004.
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