Report: McLaren crashes MP4 12C on the 'Ring
May 24, 2011 | 09:11 PM
#1
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Report: McLaren crashes MP4 12C on the 'Ring 
Autoblog Report: McLaren crashes MP4 12C on the 'Ring
Autoblog reports the word on the web is that McLaren binned a new MP4-12C at the Nürburgring recently. According to Pistonheads, one of the early prototypes of the vehicle got up close and personal with some barriers at the legendary circuit, though the damage apparently wasn't severe enough to put the model out of commission for good. The driver, who remains anonymous, wasn't injured in the kerfuffle. McLaren hasn't come out and said whether the incident was a result of driver error, mechanical failure or some other factor.
Officially, he MP4-12C was only out for durability testing, but since the accident occurred at the very end of a scheduled test session, some minds have begun to wonder whether or not McLaren was attempting to set a 'Ring record time with their new lightweight. According to Pistonheads, the company says that while it may pursue such an adventure at some point down the line, that's not what was going on when the vehicle left the tarmac. Of course, that would seem to contradict reports from the scene where witnesses were said they saw the MP4-12C traveling flat-out just before the impact.
Source [Autoblog]
May 25, 2011 | 10:59 AM
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Evo Reports:
McLaren has dismissed suggestions it was attempting to set a record lap time at the Nurburgring when an MP4-12C collided with barriers at high speed.
Witness reports from the circuit stated that the 592bhp, twin-turbocharged supercar was traveling ‘flat out’ prior to the incident, which happened out of public sight near to the Nordschleife Zufahrt car park, on Friday.
Nurburgring bloggers on bridgetogantry.com reported that ‘tyres were screaming and witnesses reported the sound of a large impact. Shortly afterwards a covered truck recovered a wrecked car.’
The high speed incident, which is believed to have occurred towards the end of a scheduled test session at the Green Hell, prompted speculation that McLaren had been had been attempting to set an official lap time in the MP4-12C ahead of first deliveries of the car to customers.
But, speaking to evo this week, a McLaren spokesman said that was not the case. ‘The run came as part of the development program. The car was out there completing laps as part of ongoing tests and wasn’t trying to set a benchmark time. At this point we’re not trying to set lap times but we’re confident that the car will be very fast around the Nürburgring when the time comes. The data that we’ve gathered so far is extremely promising.’
‘The MP4-12C involved in the incident wasn’t even a production spec car’, he added.
The McLaren spokesman would not confirm whether Friday’s incident at the Nurburgring had come about as a result of driver error or a technical malfunction, but confirmed that the car had returned to the McLaren Technical Centre in Woking, where engineers were investigating the incident.
Witness reports from the circuit stated that the 592bhp, twin-turbocharged supercar was traveling ‘flat out’ prior to the incident, which happened out of public sight near to the Nordschleife Zufahrt car park, on Friday.
Nurburgring bloggers on bridgetogantry.com reported that ‘tyres were screaming and witnesses reported the sound of a large impact. Shortly afterwards a covered truck recovered a wrecked car.’
The high speed incident, which is believed to have occurred towards the end of a scheduled test session at the Green Hell, prompted speculation that McLaren had been had been attempting to set an official lap time in the MP4-12C ahead of first deliveries of the car to customers.
But, speaking to evo this week, a McLaren spokesman said that was not the case. ‘The run came as part of the development program. The car was out there completing laps as part of ongoing tests and wasn’t trying to set a benchmark time. At this point we’re not trying to set lap times but we’re confident that the car will be very fast around the Nürburgring when the time comes. The data that we’ve gathered so far is extremely promising.’
‘The MP4-12C involved in the incident wasn’t even a production spec car’, he added.
The McLaren spokesman would not confirm whether Friday’s incident at the Nurburgring had come about as a result of driver error or a technical malfunction, but confirmed that the car had returned to the McLaren Technical Centre in Woking, where engineers were investigating the incident.
May 28, 2011 | 08:08 AM
#10
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Are there any track times of this car yet? I'm hearing whispers it's significantly faster than the 458 - faster than just about every other car out there.
I know McLaren has the know-how, but it's hard to believe that this car was intended to be cross-shopped with the 458 yes completely obliterates it on a track. Ferrari is no easy company to beat when it comes to road cars, and the 458 is getting nothing but praise.
I know McLaren has the know-how, but it's hard to believe that this car was intended to be cross-shopped with the 458 yes completely obliterates it on a track. Ferrari is no easy company to beat when it comes to road cars, and the 458 is getting nothing but praise.