McLaren F1 is Back!

[Falc'man]

Good, we're due for another shake-up.

Originally Posted by Autocar

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsAr...llCars/251063/

McLaren will launch a follow-up to its iconic F1 hypercar in 2012, more than two years earlier than originally planned.

A successor to the F1 had been expected later in the decade as McLaren instead focused its efforts on setting up a new car company from scratch, developing and marketing the MP4-12C and establishing a dealer network to sell its models through.

See Autocar's rendering of the new McLaren F1, plus pics of the original F1 and the MP4-12C

McLaren insiders have told Autocar, however, the firm is working flat-out on a new F1, a car described as a “revolutionary” hypercar and one which will be instantly recognisable as such. This is in contrast to the MP4-12C, which has been criticised for its unadventurous styling.

The new F1 is the subject of an intensive development programme said to be among the speediest the industry has yet seen.

The new F1 will be mid-engined and will feature a carbonfibre monocoque similar in concept to the MP4-12C’s. Despite its creators’ radical approach, it will still bear some similarities to the original F1. These, however, are largely coincidental and it is not yet clear whether the car will feature the same central driving seat as its predecessor.

As with the MP4-12C and the original 1992 F1, major emphasis has been placed on saving weight; the new F1 is expected to pioneer many new solutions in this field.

It will also feature novel wheel and lighting designs, both contributing much to its distinctive look. There’s no word yet on the car’s powertrain, but it is expected to break new ground, possibly with some low emission solutions. Standard-setting suspension is also a certainty.

The F1 successor will be the second of McLaren’s trio of new models – the third is thought to slot beneath the £150,000 MP4 12C. The planned price of the F1 successor is unknown, but it’s likely to be substantially more than the 12C. But rather than a limited edition, as the F1 was, it is expected be a regular series model.

[Rev28K]

Bugger. I would've like to have seen them launch their Audi R8/Porsche 911 competitor before this, then shoot higher up with this (and I hope that it is as good/better than Porsches 918 looks to be)

[ebxr8240]

Wonder what I'll get for trade on Charade ??? Lol...

[sarrge2001]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Wonder what I'll get for trade on Charade ??? Lol...

Handful of magic beans??

[pauljh74]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Wonder what I'll get for trade on Charade ??? Lol...

A McLaren........... keyring

[LUXO_8]

Originally Posted by pauljh74

A McLaren........... keyring

a deposit on a mclaren keyring lol

[Cheese3]

the original F1 is by far my favorite car! the way it can still handle itself after 15years+ the only car that is better in speed/accel is the veyron

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Cheese3

the original F1 is by far my favorite car! the way it can still handle itself after 15years+ the only car that is better in speed/accel is the veyron

i agree - lambo's, ferrari's etc. do nothing at all for me. the only car i may want more than an xa-c coupe is the mclaren. it was and is an engineering masterpiece. nothing was compromised on it. it was built for one thing only - to be the best and it was

[Falc'man]

Originally Posted by gtxb67

i agree - lambo's, ferrari's etc. do nothing at all for me. the only car i may want more than an xa-c coupe is the mclaren. it was and is an engineering masterpiece. nothing was compromised on it. it was built for one thing only - to be the best and it was

Spot on. It didn't take much to figure out it would remain at the top for a decade. They said it would, and it did. Cars like this and the Veyron happen once or twice a decade, but it's good to see McLaren come to the party with a promise to deliver something like the original, which I thought would never happen again.

[phillyc]

The McLaren is perhaps my favourite car. Gordon Murray is a legend! It was and still is an epic design wonderfully executed. It took the previous performance king, the F40, and went to another level without the rawness. The Veyron, has now only surpassed it a decade on. Incredible. I would still have it over the Veyron too!

[phillyc]

Originally Posted by Falc'man

Spot on. It didn't take much to figure out it would remain at the top for a decade. They said it would, and it did. Cars like this and the Veyron happen once or twice a decade, but it's good to see McLaren come to the party with a promise to deliver something like the original, which I thought would never happen again.

I remember reading a Peter Robinson article in Wheels and he described how he was a passenger in the F1 in the wet. The driver snuck the car into gear at 30-40mph and then floored it. Robbo couldn't believe the power down and the acceleration. He was then informed that they were in 5th and had he tried it in 2nd, they would be facing the other way!

[Peuty]

McLaren > Veyron any day of the week.

[chevypower]

Originally Posted by Peuty

McLaren > Veyron any day of the week.

Agreed, although Top Gear reported the Veyron beat it in a drag race, they showed the F1 beat the Veyron off the line and it held the lead up to any sane speed, and that's when the Veyron passed it. The Veyron wasn't even on the top 4 TG lap times. Add this to the fact that the F1 was out a long time ago, doesn't come with some complex quad turbo 8L 16 cylinder and 10 radiators, I'll have the F1 thanks.

[gtxb67]

the veyron is no doubt very impressive, but it isn't a very good looking car in my opinion. it looks fast and purposeful, but it's looks (like all other supercars, but the f1) are compromised by the need to go fast and fit into a certain size and aero shape

the mclaren has a look of it's own - and timeless beauty; and still was the greatest car of it's time and maybe even now. certainly it could only be beaten by the veyron at worst

in my opinion (and it is the only mclaren i have ever liked), it is just an outstanding car in every respect - looks & performance. it looks like it was designed for beauty - and yet, it has performance that cannot be matched by many cars that were designed without beauty being a high priority

[Bossxr8]

McLaren even went to the effort to get Alpine to make the lightest speakers they could to help keep weight down. And the engine bay was insulated with real gold leaf sheeting.

Awesome.

[RAREV8]

4kph and over in NSW......seems pointless to own much more than a bicycle with a bent wheel........

[gtxb67]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

McLaren even went to the effort to get Alpine to make the lightest speakers they could to help keep weight down. And the engine bay was insulated with real gold leaf sheeting.

Awesome.

and i believe the tool kit was made of titanium too