McLaren MP4-12C
| McLaren | |
|---|---|
,_30._August_2012,_D%C3%BCsseldorf.jpg) |
|
| 12C | |
| Production period: | 2011-2014 |
| Class : | Sports car |
| Body versions : | Coupé , roadster |
| Engines: |
Gasoline engine : 3.8 liters (447-460 kW) |
| Length: | 4507 mm |
| Width: | 1909 mm |
| Height: | 1199 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2670 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1302 kg |
| successor | McLaren 650S |
,_30._August_2012,_D%C3%BCsseldorf.jpg)
,_30._August_2012,_D%C3%BCsseldorf.jpg)
The McLaren 12C , initially also known as the MP4-12C , is a sports car designed and built by McLaren Automotive with a carbon chassis structure and a 3.8-liter V8 mid-engine, which was first shown in the fall of 2009 and has been since 2011 is delivered to the customer.
In November 2012, the sports car received the title Car of the Year as well as the award for Best Supercar at the Middle East Auto Awards .
In the spring of 2013 the MP4-12C was renamed to 12C, and the output was increased to 460 kW / 625 PS (previously: 447 kW / 608 PS) via an improved engine management system.
In April 2014, the 12C was replaced as a mid-engine sports car from McLaren Automotive by the McLaren 650S .
Naming
MP4 stands for "McLaren Project 4". The name builds a bridge to the Formula 1 team McLaren Racing , which since 1981 (merger of McLaren Racing with Project 4) has designated all racing cars with the prefix MP4 . The number 12 is a number on McLaren's internal performance index, which includes both its own vehicles and those of the competition. C stands for "Carbon Fiber MonoCell". At the end of 2012, the name was shortened from McLaren MP4-12C to McLaren 12C .
production
The MP4-12C or 12C is a completely in-house development by McLaren. However, most of the components are manufactured by external suppliers. In the in-house MPC (McLaren Production Center) only the final assembly takes place.
The monocoque made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (KFK) is made by the Austrian company CarboTech , the seven-speed dual clutch transmission comes from the Italian manufacturer OC Oerlikon Graziano and the engine from Ricardo .
In April 2014, McLaren announced that it would discontinue production of the 12C in favor of the 650S after around 3,500 units had been built .
Technical specification
design
The final design of the car was presented on September 8, 2009, with the body of the two-seater following aerodynamic requirements. In contrast to the three-seater supercar McLaren F1 , the 12C has an ordinary two-seater layout.
Weight
The main focus in the construction of the vehicle was on saving weight. The very stable and very light KFK MonoCell chassis serves as the basis . The compact design, body panels made of thin, fiber-reinforced SMC pressed parts , a lightweight composite brake system with a high proportion of aluminum - ceramic brake discs are also optionally available - and the radiator being relocated to the rear (installed lengthways, making it shorter and lighter) help keep the weight low.
A CD player was also dispensed with because it was too heavy, according to McLaren, and a lightweight MP3 player could perform the same services. Weight was saved even in the gram range. The vehicle logo was not worked into the engine block as an emblem, but as an engraving (in the aluminum that was already present).
MonoCell
In the 12C, McLaren is the first and so far only series vehicle to offer its customers an extremely torsion-resistant, less than 80 kg heavy monocoque made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic with a separate body, called MonoCell for road vehicles at McLaren .
CarboTech, a racing- oriented manufacturer of composite components, has worked with McLaren to develop a technology with which even complex CFRP structures (e.g. with cavities) can be manufactured in one piece. The MonoCell has a manufacturing tolerance of less than 0.5 millimeters. This safety cell forms the backbone of the sports car. In this context, CarboTech received the world's largest production order for monocoques to date. Around 4,000 pieces are to be produced annually, with a total production volume of around 25,000 (for 12C and its derivatives).
A frame is screwed to this cell in the rear, which houses the compact 3.8-liter V8 biturbo engine. A crash box forms the rear end. The front windshield and also a crash box are added.
All frame components are made of light and very torsion-resistant extruded aluminum. Even the add-on parts such as the cover and the roof are made of aluminum, only the doors are made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic . The 12C therefore weighs less than 1,400 kg.
engine
The 12C is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine developed by McLaren and produced by Ricardo , which generates an output of 447 kW (608 hp ) and a maximum torque of 572 Nm. With the 2013 model year, the output was increased to 460 kW (625 PS) via a newly programmed engine management system. Owners of models that have already been delivered can have the performance of their vehicles increased by McLaren free of charge. 80 percent of the torque should be available from a speed of 2,000 rpm and the maximum speed should be around 8,500 rpm. The engine is charged via a turbocharger per cylinder bank. The crankshaft was not designed as a cross-plane design, as in the typical “American” V8 engine , but as a flat-plane crankshaft, which means that the engine can be built with fewer counterweights and thus less overall mass. McLaren states that the engine has a better ratio of power to CO 2 emissions than any other internal combustion engine available at the time. The engine code is M838T .
transmission
Power is transmitted via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission supplied by OC Oerlikon Graziano . The transmission uses a technology called “Pre-Cog”, in which the driver can preselect the next gear. The rocker switches can be pre-tensioned with little force. This enables faster gear changes.
Brakes and wheels
The 12C uses technology from Formula 1 , for example the so-called “brake steer”, in which the inside rear wheel is braked at high cornering speeds in order to reduce understeer of the vehicle. Active body elements optimize the aerodynamics, and an air brake provides additional deceleration work.
The forged wheels measure 19 inches at the front and 20 inches at the rear.
Versions
Spider
In addition to a two-door coupé, the 12C is also available as a Spider version with an electrically retractable hardtop made of KFK. When the roof is closed, the convertible top compartment can be used as additional storage space with a volume of 52 liters. A matching bag set is supplied by McLaren.
Can Am
The McLaren 12C Can Am is a special edition limited to 30 pieces without street legal approval. The engine output has been increased to 470 kW (639 hp) and the weight of the vehicle has been reduced by approx. 100 kg compared to the production model. The Can Am's equipment includes a Formula 1-style steering wheel, a roll cage and two racing bucket seats with four-point seat belts. The price of the Can Am is around 470,000 euros.
Positioning in the market
The sales price in Germany is around 200,000 euros for the Coupé and around 230,000 euros for the Spider. Accordingly, the direct competitors of the 12C are the Aston Martin DB9 , Ferrari 458 Italia , Lamborghini Gallardo and the Porsche 911 GT3 . Even with much more expensive super sports cars, the performance of the 12C should be able to keep up.
The first sports cars were delivered to customers in August 2011. The mid-engined sports car is the first of four preliminary series models planned, which are expected to generate 4,000 units a year. The technology of the 12C, of which a maximum of 1,500 units were planned annually, will also be used in other models, such as B. used the 650S.
Web links
- McLaren
- The technical data of the McLaren MP4-12C at prestigecars.de
- The BBC documentary about the construction of the MP4-12C on youtube is well worth seeing
Individual evidence
- ↑ McLaren MP4-12C named "Car of the Year" 2012. The Car Addict Autoblog, November 29, 2012, accessed November 30, 2012 .
- ↑ a b Official: McLaren MP4-12C is being discontinued (evocars-magazin.de), accessed on April 14, 2014
- ↑ The West
- ^ R-Sportscars ( Memento from August 6, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Auto-image
- ↑ Motorline
- ↑ Metal newspaper
- ^ NY Times
- ↑ McLaren MP4-12C update. Auto-Motor-Sport, June 5, 2012, accessed November 20, 2012 .
- ↑ McLaren MP4-12C Spider: Striptease at 329 km / h - makes 231,650 euros. FOCUS Online, July 5, 2012, accessed on July 12, 2012 .
- ↑ McLaren MP4-12C Can Am. auto Bild, November 21, 2012, accessed November 22, 2012 .
- ↑ Super sports car McLaren MP4-12C with 600 hp. Auto-Motor-Sport, February 14, 2011, accessed November 20, 2012 .
- ↑ The McLaren 560S ( cars.mclaren.com), accessed April 14, 2014
| Timeline of McLaren -Serienmodelle since 1994 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | engine | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4th | 5 | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9 | 0 | ||
|
Super sports car with front engine |
V8 | Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Sports car with mid-engine |
MP4-12C / 12C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 650S | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 675LT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 720S | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 765LT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 570S | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 540C | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 600LT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 620R | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GT | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Super sports car with mid-engine |
P1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senna | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elva | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Speedtail | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| V12 | F1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
