McLaren

In this video released by McLaren Automotive, we see the P1 concept car, originally unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, undergoing track testing.

The car sports typical camouflage for models under development, somewhat odd considering the earlier reveal of the concept. One key difference between what was seen at Paris and the model in the video is a big wing sitting on the back of the car. The wing approximates the shape of the P1 at the rear, so could possibly be retractable, although its height would argue otherwise.

As of this posting, McLaren had not specified an engine … Read more

PARIS--These may be trying times for the European economy, but that automakers rallied at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, bringing out a variety of new concepts and some model updates relevant to the U.S. buyer. As has become a theme given European interest in CO2 reduction, many of the cars we saw featured hybrid or electric drive trains. And many new models and updates were what we in the U.S. consider premium cars boasting fine coachwork.

Here is our last day roundup from the 2012 Paris Motor Show.… Read more

At next week's Paris Motor Show, McLaren Automotive will show off the P1 concept, a car that will do little to increase McLaren's model range. The P1 concept heralds a new production car to be launched next year.

Just like its only current model, the MP4-12C, which comes in hard-top and convertible formats, the P1 is a two-seat low slung hyper sport car. Those in the market for a sedan or SUV must continue to look elsewhere.

McLaren released no details about the new concept, and merely said it will slot in above the MP4-12C in the company'… Read more

Many luxury carmakers offer bespoke programs, where buyers can get their cars uniquely customized, but McLaren took the notion of bespoke design a bit further with the X-1. At the request of an anonymous buyer, McLaren, which makes the MP4-12C supercar, designed and build a completely custom car with a unique, carbon fiber body.

The X-1, which was unveiled during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, is based on the tub and chassis of the MP4-12C. The design was informed by such historic cars as the 1953 Chrysler D'Elegance Ghia, 1959 Buick Electra, and 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K. The obviously … Read more

The drive for more fuel-efficient cars reaches beyond the garages of the U.S. populace and into military motor pools. Under a development contract with the U.S. Army, Ricardo, an international engineering firm, has finished building its first take on a new light tactical vehicle. One of the primary goals of the FED Alpha, which stands for Fuel Efficient Ground Vehicle Demonstrator, is to be more fuel efficient than current Army vehicles.

To reach this goal, the FED Alpha relies on a four-cylinder Cummins diesel engine and Goodyear low rolling resistance tires. Gears in the drive line use a special finish to help reduce friction. By contrast, the Humvee, currently in wide use by the Army, uses a 6.2-liter V-8 diesel engine. No figures have been released for the FED Alpha's actual fuel economy. … Read more

Executives at McLaren Automotive, veterans of the Formula One racing series, are betting that the economic downturn is over and that supercar enthusiasts are ready to buy.

This summer, the English company will try again to sell road cars when it offers its mid-engine MP4-12C supercar at 10 dealerships in North America.

The MP4-12C, priced at $231,400, including shipping, has a top speed of 205 mph and a 0-to-60 time of 3.2 seconds. The two-seater is built around a carbon fiber tub, a weight-saving technology McLaren introduced 30 years ago. Chassis, suspension, and braking systems are pulled straight … Read more

There's no real need for a production car to go over 200 mph. Few public roads in the world allow that kind of speed, whether legally or physically. But a few automakers continually push the boundaries of speed, for the same reasons that mountain climbers scale the highest peaks.

The fastest production cars hit well over 200 mph, using big displacement or near-racing engines to achieve these speeds. Of course, all of these cars are ridiculously expensive, but the varieties of design will come as a surprise.

We've assembled photos and specifications for the current crop of fastest … Read more

A few lucky members of the international automotive press in January got a chance to test-drive the MP4-12C supercar. The folks at McLaren Automotive just posted this video on YouTube.

The Surrey, U.K.-based automaker chose Algarve Motor Park in Portugal to give members of the media a chance to evaluate the car for themselves.

Formula One driver Jenson Button also gave journalists a thrill by lapping the track at speeds of more than 200 mph.

The MP4-12C sports a carbon fiber chassis and runs on a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8 generating 592 horsepower. McLaren plans a limited number … Read more

McLaren announced production plans for its MP4-12C supercar earlier this year, and most recently brought the car to California so we could get a look.

Along with the car, which a McLaren representative said was 98-percent production ready, McLaren also put an open chassis on display to show off the MP4-12C's construction. The cockpit is housed in a thick carbon fiber tub, with aluminum suspension pieces bolted on front and rear. As these pieces make up the structural elements of the car, the body panels work for aerodynamics, not rigidity.

McLaren boasts that its carbon fiber production techniques are … Read more