2011 McLaren P11 Spied

The McLaren shop will have some build space to fill soon, and this is the car that will occupy it. Initial reports had the car debuting later in 2009, perhaps at the Frankfurt auto show, but now others are suggesting that the first public viewing will be delayed until sometime in 2010, with production to begin in 2011.

Intended as a competitor to the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 and Ferrari F430, the upcoming McLaren—code-named P11—will be powered by a mid-mounted V-8 rumored to be sourced from Mercedes-Benz and producing 550 hp or more. Although reports suggest turbocharging is a possibility, the 6.2-liter AMG V-8 manages up to 518 hp from the factory, so turbos aren’t a necessity unless McLaren is aiming for, say, 600 hp. A V-10 has also been mentioned as a possibility, but that power level would probably be well within reach for a force-fed version of the 6.2-liter. Zero-to-60-mph times should be below four seconds, and top speed is expected to exceed 200 mph.

Nothing is known yet about the gearbox, but we expect to see an F1-style, paddle-shifted sequential manual, and witnesses report hearing mules rip off lightning-quick shifts. Through extensive use of carbon-fiber construction, the P11 is expected to weigh in at around 2500 pounds, giving it a power-to-weight ratio far superior to its proposed competition—just 4.5 pounds per horsepower, compared to 6.9 and 6.1 for the Ferrari and Lamborghini, respectively.

The price of entry is rumored to be anywhere from $215,000 to upwards of $290,000. With the cost of F1 racing—McLaren’s other primary business—spiraling ever higher and the residual cachet the company name still carries from the McLaren F1 of the ’90s, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the price settle towards the higher end of that scale.

© Source: caranddriver
We need your comments below >>