McLaren building MP4-12C Validation Prototypes

[Peloton25]

McLaren Focuses on MP4-12C Quality as Final Testing Begins
WOKING, England — Mar 18, 2010

According to McLaren Automotive Managing Director Anthony Sheriff, the company has five key challenges during the final development stage of the new MP4-12C: "Quality, quality, quality, quality and quality." Speaking exclusively to Inside Line at the official launch of the car at the McLaren Technology Center in Woking, England, Sheriff claimed the performance testing of the car was now largely complete and that the focus now was on durability.

"The performance is already exceeding our targets. If we were to freeze it dynamically now and go to market, I'd be thrilled," said Sheriff. "That's come about because of the simulation work we've done. We got ahead of the curve at the beginning of the project."

McLaren is currently building 20 validation prototypes, which will undergo rigorous hot- and cold-weather and high-altitude testing. Over 90 percent of the parts used on these prototypes will feature on production models.

"The time for major development is over," says Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive's program director. "It's now all about validation, reliability and durability testing. Everything on this car is new and that's a big challenge. For example, we have 35 different ECUs that need to be calibrated and compatible. McLaren is known for technology and quality and we can't bring a car to market that's unreliable."

Sheriff agrees: "Our greatest benefit is our greatest curse: People love us and hate us, but everyone thinks that what McLaren produces will be perfect — that's taken for granted. But that means we get crucified for even the smallest slip-up. The biggest thing is to make a car durable — that's what separates the men from the boys."

The validation prototypes will be followed this fall by the first pre-production cars before production begins early next year. The first deliveries will be in the U.K. followed by Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. Vinnels expects to achieve U.S. Type approval in time for the first cars to be delivered in June 2011.

Here's some more great photos of the Validation Prototypes being assembled. Each thumbnail here is clickable for a 1280-resolution version.









If you enjoyed seeing that set, then you will also enjoy this report and gallery of photos from SpeedHunters.com:

http://speedhunters.com/archive/2010...tion-line.aspx

>8^)
ER

[Peloton25]

Walkaround and start-up video of 'VP9' in McLaren Orange:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_ZLk-HwETA

>8^)
ER

[Peloton25]

Probably not too difficult to determine which was the real color here, but I liked the photo and wish we'd see more variations in paint choice running around already. Since we haven't I decided to make some.











>8^)
ER