Mclaren Automotive to build a successor to the Mclaren F1!

[bradman60]

Here is a small article from todays autocar magazine describing that mclaren cars has given the oppurtunity to a school in italy to design the next mclaren car!! Very Interesting here is the article scanned in, (and yes, unfortunately this is the whole atricle) click on the small picture to view the image in higher resolution, then click it twice again to view it in the highest resolution!! (let me know if there are any problems with the picture)



please let me know what you think, thanks brad.

Also, it is unlikely that these designs will be used as they look more like concepts which wont progress any further, who knows?? all i know is mclaren are producing a new mid engined supercar which will unlikely be linked the mercedes benz (well i hope not)

[Peloton25]

There will never be a new "McLaren F1".

McLaren will likely build other road cars, but without Gordon Murray's involvement and with Mercedes Benz' involvement I think they will wildly miss the mark.

Also, you're thread title is rather misleading...

>8^)
ER

[MalkaJB]

Originally Posted by Peloton25

Also, you're thread title is rather misleading...

Yeah, I thought the spare tub was finally going to get some use.

[hurstg01]

Originally Posted by MalkaJB

Yeah, I thought the spare tub was finally going to get some use.

Me too!!

[rr_ww]

Originally Posted by bradman60

... all i know is mclaren are producing a new mid engined supercar which will unlikely be linked the mercedes benz (well i hope not)

I presume you are talking about "Project 8" Which was planne on aiming at F430 and Gallardo. However my understanding is that this is on then off then on again more often than a hookers underwear.

Mainly thats as SLR ( Project 7 *) hasnt been the greatest of sellers and DC are reluctant to spend all those Euros developing another car with McLaren. Also I would expect McLaren labour costs on a niche vehicle to push prices closer to the £200K mark which means its note really in competition with the right vehicles

* Bonus points to anyone that can name the other projects between 1 (F1) and 7 (SLR)

ISTR the 2 seater Formula 1 car (Adrenalin Project?) was Project 2 or 3 and the Goodwood soapbox racer was in there somewhere as well. Super bouns points for pics of each....

[Peloton25]

Made some slight modifications to the thread title.

>8^)
ER

[amanichen]

It would be nice to see Murray back in the driver's seat at McLaren designing a Mercedes-free supercar, wearing Peter Stevens brand clothing.

But, given Steven's present job as a Scooby-Roo designer, and the business politics which forced Murray from his position, that probably won't ever happen.

I trust that McLaren has enough technical experience to make a competent design, but it won't be the same without the blood, sweat, and brain cells of The Man Himself. It'll be another one of the very solidly engineered modern supercars -- fast, competitive, reliable, and reasonably priced, but it'll take a unified vision to make it into something special (i.e. don't let Mercedes interfere with the damn thing, and get Murray to design it.)

[carbuilder2002]

Ithink that is why the Zonda is so good, one mans vision and drive to produce his particular slant at the ideal sports car.
No doubt Poleton will correct me if I'm wrong here but I believe GM lost quite a bit of the control of the design towards the final stages of the F1. Am sure I read it quoted in DA that some things were sneaked through due to accountants getting involved to a greater extent and that GM was over ruled on quite a few occasions.

carbuilder2002

[phantomhitman]

The title should read:
Mclaren gives students a chance to build the next mclaren f1 for a class project.

[Peloton25]

Originally Posted by phantomhitman

The title should read:
Mclaren gives students a chance to build the next mclaren f1 for a class project.

Yeah - that's a little closer to reality.

>8^)
ER

[amanichen]

Originally Posted by carbuilder2002

Am sure I read it quoted in DA that some things were sneaked through due to accountants getting involved to a greater extent and that GM was over ruled on quite a few occasions.

carbuilder2002

A recent article states something similar to this: that a former manager at another automotive company was brought in to get the program under control

One of the largest costs was production time, and I think that's where lots of money was shaved off the project. Originally each car took 3000 man-hours to assemble, and by reducing that drastically, McLaren managed to make the entire project profitable with only 100 units sold (original intentions for 300)

I'm sure this may have something to do with the car's somewhat "part's bin" sourcing for the lower cost/non performance impacting items on the car such as switches, mirrors, etc.

[carbuilder2002]

Thank you Amanichen,
Very good of you to clarify things for me.
Do I assume you were / are involved with the factory?
The list of bought in items is becoming increasingly open, such as the VW mirrors, BMW swirches and latches, Bova Lights etc.
Can you clarify one thing the front lighting setup came in for critisism, I believe the lighting units were/are standard halogen units, wonder why zenon units were not specified?

Thanks, carbuilder2002

[amanichen]

[quote=carbuilder2002]Thank you Amanichen,
Very good of you to clarify things for me.
Do I assume you were / are involved with the factory?[quote]Nope. I've just been hanging out here for 3 years, reading every single post, and every article and bit of info that gets posted. I'm not as much of a sponge as Peloton though, and I don't even own a copy of DA.

[jvcardesign]

Originally Posted by bradman60

Here is a small article from todays autocar magazine describing that mclaren cars has given the oppurtunity to a school in italy to design the next mclaren car!! Very Interesting here is the article scanned in, (and yes, unfortunately this is the whole atricle) click on the small picture to view the image in higher resolution, then click it twice again to view it in the highest resolution!! (let me know if there are any problems with the picture)



please let me know what you think, thanks brad.

Also, it is unlikely that these designs will be used as they look more like concepts which wont progress any further, who knows?? all i know is mclaren are producing a new mid engined supercar which will unlikely be linked the mercedes benz (well i hope not)

HEY!! that's where i graduated from on 2004. At the Istituto Europeo di design in the city of turin.
Anyways, i think there are things that will never replace the real mclaren F1, and most of the projects presented were too Agressive to represent the real mclaren f1 personality. These students, who i saw on their first year when i was graduating, i think they were too influenced by the SLR Mclaren New culture. They look too aggressive. in my opinion. that's why i would still say, that the real mclaren f1 still looks even better than some of these projects presented.
Peace out!!
Jose.

[ArchangelGTR]

Looks like they were influenced more by the ostentatious Ferrari Enzo than the SLR.