“Honey, what happened to the steering wheel?”; “Where does the luggage go?”; “Ms. Kennedy: What are you trying to do me? Mr. Kennedy: Do you like that? Ms. Kennedy: I like it, it was really fun! Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh, Ohhhhh!”
The story has it that the first videos were shot in 2001 (but uploaded on the net much later), with Dan selling the McLaren in 2004. It also noted that he had the car repainted from its original silver finish to “a wild candy orange” by the factory in Woking. The third video is from a program that aired on the Discovery Channel called "Million Dollar Motors" and featured Dan’s F1. For more details on the story check out the links after the jump.
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After getting some one-on-one face time with McLaren at its Woking, UK facility, the IED students developed thirty-three concepts. After that, the number of proposals was whittled down to eleven cars deemed worthy of "further development" and students were put into teams to battle it out and earn a position on the short list.
The three winning vehicles approved for 1:4 scale model production are called the HOLON, the TOROK, and the BIO RENOVATIO, and can be viewed below along with some of the other concepts.
According to McLaren, the key differences between the first XP and these XP Beta cars concern the revised M838T twin-turbo V8 engine, upgraded transmission featuring new gear ratios, a more efficient cooling package, new suspension geometry and upgraded electrical architecture.
Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive Programme Director, who is leading the core engineering team that comprises of 20-25 Vehicle Technicians said:
"The benchmark competitor vehicles we have tested become nervous and twitchy at higher speed, but the 12C feels more stable than anything I have driven.Because the bump rejection is so good, the ride is smooth and the steering is solid."
"Between now and production the vehicles and the team are working flat out. All this is geared towards not just achieving our unprecedented levels of performance but also guaranteeing the levels of quality, reliability and durability with which we expect to delight future McLaren customers," Vinnels added.
The new MP4-12C is due to be launched in early 2011.
McLaren Automotive has released a new video entitled "Inside McLaren: developing the MP4-12C" that shows the 2009 development (XP) prototypes of the mid-engined supercar on road and track in England and Germany, and extreme hot weather testing in Bahrain, as well as a rare company footage and insight that reveal McLaren's plans, processes and challenges.The 2009 testing programme of the MP4-12C has focused primarily on two tracks up until now, the Nordschleife Nurburgring and the circuit used by the folks over at BBC's Top Gear TV show at Dunsfold Aerodrome
Dick Glover, Technical Director at McLaren Automotive who is responsible for the 50-strong Testing and Development team and the eight development (XP) cars that have particpated in the 2009 programme, said:
"I am really proud of what the team has achieved this year. Having to develop a brand new range of cars from scratch to the standards expected of McLaren, featuring ground-breaking new structures and powertrain is the ultimate challenge and one we are relishing. Sure, we have challenges – that is why we go to these places that absolutely push the cars to their limits and beyond – but now we know just what the 12C is capable of, we are able to push on into 2010 and deliver cars of which McLaren will be rightly proud."
The all-new MP4-12C is expected to go on sale worldwide in early 2011.
One of the most anticipated sports cars of the year, McLaren Automotive's spanking new MP4-12C was formally introduced to the world on Wednesday with the release of the first photos and details. We know that you're lusting for an action packed video, but for now we'll have to be content with these two new videos showing the firm's bosses Ron Dennis and Antony Sheriff talking about the MP4-12C that can be seen turning around in the background. Hit the jump to watch both videos.
