McLaren’s Supercar Future - New Designs

McLaren’s F1 supercar is still commonly regarded as the best supercar ever made; and it was made over 10 years ago. Since then the company hasn’t done much (as far as road cars) except team up with Mercedes to produce the SLR supercar. A great car, but certainly not even close to the F1 in terms of excitement. Will we see another great supercar from McLaren in the next few years? Possibly.

McLaren has worked in close co-operation with the school and students of the Transport Design course at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Turin to get an insight into a McLaren super car of tomorrow.The students completed a dream project by designing a future McLaren concept car as part of their final year project.The common objective for all the students was to design a mid-engined super sports car capable of more than 320 km/h (or 200 mph) that offered the technological excellence of Formula 1 for the road, with unparalleled dynamic and aerodynamic performance.

Gallery and more information after the jump…

The project involved a total of 39 students subdivided in 14 groups which then completed their work as a team, each producing a 1:4 scale model. The models were officially unveiled on the 27th of June at IED in Turin where they have been on display to date.

Three models were awarded first, second and third prizes. In third, was ‘MP11′ a very aggressive-looking car that was true to the engineering package in the brief. The runner-up, ‘Manta’, took a strikingly different direction to any other. ‘M Eleven B’ took overall honours with first place, representing the best interpretation of a future McLaren road car. Three further models received special prizes, including ‘Can-Am’ for best brand interpretation, while ‘Vortex’ was voted best aerodynamic interpretation and finally ‘M1-06 BlackTiger’ won the best styling development.

Click on one of the pictures below for an interactive gallery:

source

I would love for Gordon Murray and the mclaren engineers to work together again to rebirth the Legend. Ferraris are many different model Lambos 2 so i think they should make another

I’m in Brazil.

Não se pode deixar isso de lado, McLaren foi, é, e será o melhor e mais perfeito carro ja produzido debaixo deste céu, uma perfeição em engenharia, se retomassem projetos tenho certeza que Gordon Murray vai se superar e criar um carro leve e tão poderoso quanto o seu próprio McLaren F1, mas acho que algumas coisas talvez não devessem mudar, como o objetivo de fazer um carro leve e novamente o mais rápido do mundo, não é impossível, ou melhor, nada é, basta acreditar!

Will this be able to be a world record holder like the F1 ?

it is important that you keep the ORIGINAL layout of 3 seats, driver being in the MIDDLE if u change this than the car becomes the same as everyother car out there. its one of the big designs that makes a mclaren a mclaren i love the design up top but you need to have it the same as the f1 that is where the driver is located in the center only there can perfect balance be achieved!!!

I think that the change in design should not be so drastic. The Mclaren F1 is the world’s best super car and they should just be doing improvements to the old design not creating a whole new car. The car is known for its look and creating a whole new design is just not the answer. With new technology and materials the Mclaren F1 could easily have the world record in their hands like they did.

we, the Mclaren lovers, love this car not only for its record breaking speed, but also for its look, exceptionality of central positioned driving as well. the legendary mclaren owned peoples heart with its power and the keen shape like an anaconda face. but i’m really upset to see the new one… ops!!! they changed the anaconda to a tortoise.

I’m not a fan of the McLaren F1 myself, I mean, I like it but it’s not anything special to me, so I don’t see what all of the hype is about. I personally think that McLaren should go totally insane with their new supercar, and just completely disregard the previous layout. I know the car in the picture is not the P11, but it looks a lot better than the F1.

As for the three seats thing, I think you guys like that because it’s just a little thing that set the F1 apart, and not as a great styling or performance point. However much you like the F1, though, you have to admit that it had its flaws, such as the ugly-ass rear, and the horrid signal lights killed the front. I can only hope that McLaren’s second car does better.

Oh, and A. Good Junior?
No one has a damn idea of what the hell you are talking about.

English, please.

Just a tip.

Demonblade, I’ve actually always loved the F1, but I know others who don’t. It’s really a combination of things, I guess. I mean the car was first produced in what, 1994? And it’s still one of the fastest car in the world, all around.

The styling has held up very well over time, and even if you don’t particularly like the aesthetic aspects of it, you can’t deny it still looks at least somewhat modern, and that’s after 14 years.

The car was made with a no-corners-cut attitude, max power, no cheap materials, no budget to hold to, and it really shows well. The middle seat serves a practical purpose, but is also cool on a novelty factor to many.

Chris, I completely agree with you on that the styling is very modern, even after 14 years, and there is no denying that it truly looks like a supercar. And it is. I’m not denying that. However, I just feel like the McLaren F1 was the very best of its time, but its time has passed. When I see people try to compare it to the current greats, like the Bugatti, Enzo, etc., it just doesn’t seem like a fair comparison. More than that, it seems disrespectful to the McLaren. The F1 was a great car and it was the best in its time period, but the time has come for the McLaren to move on. It just doesn’t work to compare it to the better supercars of today.

Well Mclaren F1 was developed in 1992 (16 years ago) and still beats the hell out of Enzo. Indeed you cannot compare a supercar with the Bugatti since the latter has four (4) superchargers? !!! Supercars are atmospheric, Bugatti is a joke which would move slower than my car without it’s turbofriends. McLaren F1 is voted as the best supercar of all time, and whatever some minorities say about it, it will still be the best supercar of all time. Some things cannot be changed, sorry ppl.

Your deliberately avoiding Demonblade’s point EviLCuLT24. You say that the F1 is the best supercar of all time, but the Bugatti “beats the hell out” of the F1 in terms of speed, horsepower, torque, and in everything else, even comfort. Not to mention the SSC kills the F1 in everything as well.

Also, you say that the “Bugatti is a joke which would move slower than my car without it’s turbofriends”. To me, EviLCuLT, that smacks of ignorant-wannabe-who-thinks-he-can-talk-cars.

That comment could mean something to me, if it was from any other person besides one who continues to compare an atmospheric car with a quad-turbocharged one. So until then, i guess am still wright.

Oooh, looks like a hit a soft spot. It obviously does mean something to you, otherwise you wouldn’t be so nitpicky about it.

And you obviously have no idea what you are talking about, because I don’t want the F1 to be compared to the Bugatti. So until you actually have something meaningful to say, just be a good little quiet boy and leave the comments to those who can actually talk cars.

how come you compare it to the bugatti if you don’t want it to be compared with the bugatti? make up your mind will. We all make mistakes, it’s ok for u to say that u were stupid before for comparing them, it’s still posted there u know it’s not something u can hide. Next time don’t try to diverge from the subject by trying to insult me or so, instead spent that time to thing of a logical reply, you can thing now don’t you?

I can but laugh at you, EviLCuLT, for you are obviously one of those who, when hit with the truth, responds with frightened indignation. I can just imagine you sitting hunched at your computer, fretting and nervously clicking the inbox button as you wait for my response.

Perhaps I did not make my point clear. I don’t want the F1 compared to the Bugatti, because when it is, it gets destroyed. Rather, I agree with Demonblade, and I want the F1 remembered as the best of it’s time.

So go ahead, type your furious, indignant response, while I laugh.

How easily the weak are manipulated.

lol, it’s on now!

nope it’s off can’t talk with the guy. it’s stupidest to have a conversation like this than win a conversation like this.

Good boy, that’s smart, quit while you’re losing.

EviLCuLT, I do apologize for that last comment. You didn’t deserve it, and I applaud your sensiblility for quitting before it got out of hand. After all, it is just a blog.

I think that the new mclare f1 looks really cool,and the new will probably become as popular as the old f1 and a new legend for over a decade

The problem I see with the new design is it strays from what the original intent of the F1. The original F1 was supposed to be as useful as a regular road car (eg. it had an audio system, A/C, compartments for luggage, etc) and at the same time be the fastest production car in the world. All the new supercars don’t have that, they are more like the F1 GT, only made for speed and power. The original F1 was also useful as a street car. It was the best of both worlds.