McLaren F2

[blue8]

Autocar:

Autocar can reveal that McLaren’s own long-delayed mid-engined supercar project is back on track. The first prototypes already on test in the UK, and our exclusive artist’s impression reveals, for the first time, how the car could look. For McLaren the project will be a chance to build a pure-bred follow-up the legendary F1, a car still regarded by some as the finest high-performance car in history. F2: aborted Mercedes project comes good The F2 has its roots in the P8, the car McLaren had been committed to building as a smaller and cheaper supercar with Mercedes, after the launch of the SLR. Mercedes boss Jurgen Hubbert confirmed in early 2004 that the company was actively “looking at a mid-engined road car”. Codenamed P8, the car was put on hold in late 2004 by then-Mercedes Car Group boss Eckhard Cordes. Cordes said that the P8 had “successfully completed the concept stage,” but development had been frozen. The hiatus was mainly a result of huge losses at Mercedes and the emergence of significant quality problems in its mainstream models. Also, the SLR was also not as well received as Mercedes had hoped and there was a great deal of recrimination in the air, especially about its perceived engineering failings. McLaren goes it alone The F2 will be a solo effort by the Woking outfit, and a chance to re-establish the company’s credentials at the top-end of the market. Sources have told Autocar that mechanical mules disguised under a Ferrari 360 body are already running around the company’s Woking HQ. They advise to expect a mid-engined machine built around a carbon-fibre monocoque. If the new car does echo the 15-year old F1 concept it will be powered by a normally aspirated V12 powerplant too. However, as F1 currently demands V8 engines, the baby McLaren could reflect F1’s attempts to become greener by concentrating on keeping weight down in tandem with a more modest powerplant.

[MidEngine4Life]

Im not so sure about the front grill but with a little refinement itll be beautiful

[MIHALS]

looks great to me and it looks like its predecessor :good:
swing up doors?

[thepest]

Now that is something worthwhile!

[saadie]

i see gllardo murci rims F1 hood slr's front bumper ...
this thing is a disaster :\

[Svensson]

Come on, it's just an artist's impression by someone from Autocar. The real thing will probably look totally different anyway.

[saadie]

i hope so .....
iff the change that that marshmellow of a suspention and change the rear end design and change the frint lights like BMW's or like audi r8 style one huge diode .. i'd consider it as a new car ..... the rest of the car is just to good

[Z3uS]

It looks like a mix of gallardo, corvette and R8... Hope the final design is far from this one.

[Fleischmann]

Stop judging the design guys, it's just an artist impression with no feedback from McLaren themselves. Chances are the end product will look totally different.

It's great to hear McLaren have finally parted with Mercedes when it comes to producing road going vechicles. But I have serious doubts wether the car will live up to it's name. The original was an icon, a legend, a benchmark by which supercars are still marked. And in the sea of Zonda's, Enzo's, Carrera GT's I'm not sure McLaren will pull it off again.

[blue8]

Originally Posted by Fleischmann Stop judging the design guys, it's just an artist impression with no feedback from McLaren themselves. Chances are the end product will look totally different. It's great to hear McLaren have finally parted with Mercedes when it comes to producing road going vechicles. But I have serious doubts wether the car will live up to it's name. The original was an icon, a legend, a benchmark by which supercars are still marked. And in the sea of Zonda's, Enzo's, Carrera GT's I'm not sure McLaren will pull it off again.

It will be very difficult to pull-off with Gordon Murray out of the picture.

[DeMoN]

likely its not going to be a v12. I hope I am wrong though.

[silentm]

wtf is that bullcrap about a V8? that's not good if you want to make a top end performing car... of course you can extract a lot of power from a V8 but it's a stupid feeling if you 'know' you could have more

[martin100]

It would be great if they really build it! Can´t wait to see if it´s as good as the F1 was back in the 90s.

[sentra_dude]

Hmm, interesting, I hope they don't fuck it up.

[Svensson]

^ As said before, it's just an artist's impression.