McLarenF1

McLaren Focuses on Efficient Sportscars, Hybrids Possible

McLaren MP4-12C – Click above for high-res image gallery

McLaren seems to think it's possible to have your cake and eat it too. Judging by the company's past and present performances, we wouldn't doubt them. Managing Director Anthony Sheriff sat down with Inside Line at the company's official launch, and plenty of interesting information was gleaned. For instance, McLaren has committed itself to producing the lowest carbon emissions per horsepower of any car on sale.

In order to promote both efficiency and performance, McLaren has set its target on reduced weight. Says Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive's program director, "Weight will always be the fundamental enemy of what we're trying to achieve. Our focus will be on achieving the best lightweight solutions at the given price point." That likely means that future models from the sportscar manufacturer will use exotic materials, possibly including heavy doses of carbon fiber and composites in structural areas.

Powertrains won't be neglected when it comes to efficiency either. Last summer, McLaren posted an ad looking for a hybrid powertrain engineer. Sheriff wouldn't rule out hybrid drivetrains, but was coy about their future applications. "We're about applying high technology to make our cars faster and more efficient. And we may make things in a different way to what you expect," he said.

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C

Tags: hybrid, hybrid mclaren, hybrid supercar, HybridMclaren, hybrids, HybridSupercar, mclaren, mclaren F1, mclaren hybrid, McLaren MP4-12C, McLaren p11, MclarenF1, MclarenHybrid, MclarenMp4-12c, MclarenP11

$2 Million Supercar Catches Fire in California

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The internet is rife with reports of wealthy motorists – evidently possessing more money than driving skill – completely wrecking their six- or seven-figure exotic sportscars. But this one's a special case. What you're looking at here is the burnt-out husk of a McLaren F1, one of only 100 ever made and even fewer imported by the grey market to the United States. Its owner reportedly likes taking his prized possession on long journeys, but evidently hadn't started it up in a while – six months, according to reports – before taking a drive through Santa Rosa, California, where the engine burst out in flames last week on Airport Boulevard. Ordinarily that kind of damage would be cause for an insurance write-off, but considering that the car is said to be worth $2-2.5 million and is insured for $3 million, and that the repairs surely wouldn't come anywhere near that amount, the insurance actuaries decided to pack it up and send the vehicle back to England where it was made to be repaired.

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