The development of the McLaren P11 supercar continues, this time on the Nurburgring. After all, you can't really have a supercar, or anything with an engine over 300-horsepower, that has not been properly set up to tackle the 181-turn circuit.
It's still hard to tell exactly what this car will look like as its numerous bits of camouflage were designed to mimic some of the very supercars the P11 has its sights set on. Frank Stephenson, an American designer formerly with Ferrari, is in charge of the design.
Which engine will power the new coupe is still impossible to tell. Most speculation points to some form of Mercedes V8, but the whole SLR debacle makes that seem a little unlikely.
Regardless of what ends up in the engine bay, it's guaranteed to have somewhere in the neighborhood of 500-horsepower, more than enough juice to give it proper supercar credentials.
fuhteng says:
08:04 AM, 08/20/09
SLR debacle? What? I'm still quite new to the car-scene, so I don't know what that is referring to. Can someone enlighten me?
rallyandbosox says:
08:38 AM, 08/20/09
McLaren automotive and McLaren racing are to be two separate entities, where in the racing division in F1 McLaren's engines are supplied by Mercedes.
With the SLR (and F1), most believed that McLaren was either owned by Mercedes or would be exclusively supplying Mercedes-Benz products. That's why McLaren is publicly saying that this is not a Mercedes-Benz owned company (the automotive division).
g8gtnorth says:
08:42 AM, 08/20/09
Basically, the designer, Gordon Murray, and Stuttgart, disagreed on some of the key aspects of the SLR. Anyways, Murray was the head designer of the Mclaren F1 road car and this saga seems to have opened a rift between the two companies. Something to know is that Murray takes the whole "everything must be exactly as I designed" thing about as far as you can. Just look up the design specs on the McLaren F1 road car.
That why Ed thinks that a Merc V8 seems unlikely. I happen to agree.
I think they should go pick up another BMW V12, we all know how well that worked out the first time!
fuhteng says:
11:05 AM, 08/20/09
Thank you g8gtnorth. I can't see MB supplying the engine because of the SLS Gullwing thing they have coming out. Sure, it isn't quite in the same category (front- versus mid-engine), but they're both super-cars.
BMW would probably make the most sense, but I'm surprised we haven't heard by now.
g8gtnorth says:
12:11 PM, 08/20/09
Good point about the SLS, I completely forgot about it. Wouldn't make sense to supply the competition.
McLaren shopped around for the first engine, and I have a feeling they'll be doing the same. They checked with Honda and Isuzu before settling on the BMW custom designed and built V12 last time.
It might all come down too how retentive both the design lead and those that cut his cheques want to be on this one. If they follow the "add lightness and simplify" the way Murray did all bets are off. I just don't think we'll see another gold-lined engine bay for some reason.
hondacura4 says:
03:26 PM, 08/20/09
"McLaren shopped around for the first engine, and I have a feeling they'll be doing the same. They checked with Honda and Isuzu before settling on the BMW custom designed and built V12 last time."
I really wish Honda would have agreed to design and supply the engine for McLaren F1 since the NSX heavily influenced it.
cwmoo740 says:
11:47 AM, 08/21/09
Is McLaren dedicated to NA or would they be willing to use forced induction? The LS9 is compact, powerful, and fairly cheap. BMW's twin-turbo X5 M and X6 M engine might make an interesting choice too, if it fits. The interesting turbo arrangement should make it compact enough. At least it would be used in a car that deserves it instead of a fat SUV.
smartalec65 says:
02:39 PM, 08/21/09
Actually Ilmor supplies the engines for the McLaren F1 team, all Mercedes supplies is the naming rights.
pip33 says:
10:30 PM, 08/21/09
Bit of history here if anyone cares: Bit of history here: Mercedes bought out Ilmor in 2005, the F1 engines in the McLarens today are supplied by the now Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. The Special Projects Department that built Indy engines eventually split to become the now reborn Ilmor Engineering.
Daimler owns 40% of the McLaren Group, which comprises numerous companies including McLaren Racing that runs the F1 team. McLaren Automotive, which built the SLR with Mercedes, announced in April it will become an independent of the McLaren Group this year.
pip33 says:
10:33 PM, 08/21/09
Bit of history here: Mercedes bought out Ilmor in 2005, the F1 engines in the McLarens today are supplied by the now Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. The Special Projects Department that built Indy engines eventually split to become the now reborn Ilmor Engineering.
Daimler owns 40% of the McLaren Group, which comprises numerous companies including McLaren Racing that runs the F1 team. McLaren Automotive, which built the SLR with Mercedes, announced in April it will become an independent of the McLaren Group this year.
pip33 says:
10:33 PM, 08/21/09
Bit of history here if anyone cares: Mercedes bought out Ilmor in 2005, the F1 engines in the McLarens today are supplied by the now Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines. The Special Projects Department that built Indy engines eventually split to become the now reborn Ilmor Engineering.
Daimler owns 40% of the McLaren Group, which comprises numerous companies including McLaren Racing that runs the F1 team. McLaren Automotive, which built the SLR with Mercedes, announced in April it will become an independent of the McLaren Group this year.
pip33 says:
10:36 PM, 08/21/09
sorry for the triple post, iffy network today
brazaboy says:
03:23 PM, 08/22/09
If Gordon Murray isn't involved in this project, then the car will just be a practice project of too much($) for too little(mph).
rivernile says:
09:15 AM, 08/24/09
How about an Audi W12 engine? Or would VW refuse due to their own super car lineup (Lambroghini)?
rsuryase says:
11:18 AM, 08/26/09
Make sure it's at least 550hp because the Ferrari 458 will have 570hp.
rsuryase says:
07:31 PM, 08/26/09
Make sure it's at least 550hp because the Ferrari 458 will have 570hp.