Well I am hearing about the test drive from the owner of the dealership.. They are usually not the best source of "real" information, but I hope he is right. If not, I at least get 1 hour to look, touch and take a TON of photos...

 

That was their response. They feel their chassis management is sufficient.

 

I don't think Mclaren after the years of development some by the worlds top racing drivers...just accidentally forgot to include an LSD.

 

Who clamied they "forgot" and that it was an "accident"?

 

80Shilling, I also got offered the first spot here, as they felt it better to go to a Brit who would appreciate it more!!! I have been lead to believe that it will be around $230K. Do not know if that is the Base price or for a moderately/popular optioned car. I wonder if those options are gonna put it through the roof. Do you have an amount that you will pay/or feel the car is worth.What I mean is would you take it whatever or would you have no options at all if it was the only way to get into the vehicle. I just hope they are not gonna Nickel and dime the **** out of you!
Got my invite to PB but cannot make it. Will be interested to hear your thoughts after actually seeing/touching it. Good luck.

 

I will keep everyone updated... In the meantime, here is Video of it being driven hard for the first time in public.. Looks great and sounds amazing!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6ZSieDqMg4

 

I am also signed up for the pebble beach preview on Friday. Looking back at their description and the map, I'm not sure what it will be... Does anyone know if this is more then literally a "just see it" preview, ie will we get a drive, a chance to sit in the car or are we just going to see the car before it is shown on Sunday in the corral?

 

Well.. The nice people at McLaren called me yesterday from the UK and basically told me that there will be NO driving of the Car.. it's mostly a show and tell, with the opportunity to ask the engineers and marketing people as many question as we like. We get 45 minutes of 1-on-1 with their team. We get to sit in it play with the buttons etc. I am hoping the C0cktail party afterward lets us talk to a few of the McLaren people in a more relaxed atmosphere.

A bit of a bummer about not getting to drive the Car, but at least I can take a TON of pictures....

 

I hope you are having fun today. Very exciting indeed!

 

HiRes image gallery:

Monterey 2010: McLaren MP4-12C makes North American debut, ushers in new McLaren order - Autoblog

>8^)
ER

 

Wow its so pure and organic looking, it makes the 458 look like its trying too hard!

 

Well.. Here goes...

Yesterday, I got the "Private" showing of the new MP4-12c... What I took away from the day was that McLaren has produced a Car that has no technological equal.. none...

I got to talk at length with a couple of engineers and asked various questions, including the one that bugs me the most.. why no LSD??? The answer wasn't entirely answered to my satisfaction.. What they tell me is that the combination of their technology (brake steer, which applies the brakes to the inside wheels under cornering, which "turns" the Car and supposedly doesn't allow any understeer or oversteer) combined with their suspension technology and their "open differential" as well as braking applied to the wheel that is spinning (although what happens to the one wheel left that SHOULD be putting the power down) precludes the need for an LSD.. I'm not so sure and will need to drive the Car before I make my mind up...

The construction of the Car is fabulous... my pictures don't adequately show the quality of the carbon fiber, the aluminium etc.

The interior is a bit of a mixed bag.. futuristic, yet somewhat familiar. Some of the switchgear felt very cheap and flimsy, but I was told that these ar not the fianl production pieces.

I will actually get to drive the Car in December.. I will fly back home to the UK and get to drive it at the same track that Top Gear uses!! McLaren are NOT going to let the World's Press drive the Car before the prospective customers.. this is for many reasons, but mostly they want some final feedback from actual customers to do some final tweaking and to make sure that they release a totally finished product, so the Press can't complain about any fit and finish and issues like I pointed out to them like the switchgear I found to be cheap and flimsy feeling.

Until I drive the Car, I will not know how good it really is. What I can tell you is that McLaren says it will "SUBSTANTIALLY" outperform all of its rivals, in EVERY area, including the Ferrari 458.. They have a 458 they bought and they are using it as a benchmark.

In terms of performance figures, I talked to a few of the McLaren guys, specifically about their Nurburgring times (they have done a TON of testing there) and without naming a figure, I suspect we will see a time around, or slightly sub 7:10.. !!!

 

Great stuff 80shilling - thank you so much!

= = =

Here it is on the green outside the lodge at Pebble Beach:



More here: http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1...2c-live-images

>8^)
ER

 

Very interesting,thanks. Did the car blow you away to the extent that you must have it whatever the price? I hope the pics do not do it justice, the dash looks like a bit of a mish mash. I suppose that is the 'edgy' look.

Did they give you any idea how much a decently optioned car will be?

Thanks.

 

Thanks for the GREAT information posted here. I believe I've started liking this car a LOT more now that the prices are starting to surface.

I wonder how it'll stack up against the new LF-A.