McLaren MP4-12C Launch

In 1992, the automotive world was rocked by what is even today seen as one of the very best car in history: the McLaren F1. This supercar, which earned in 1998 the title of the fastest production car on Earth, kept breaking barriers, and some even said that it was unlikely for a faster and better car to ever be built.

Nineteen years later, McLaren Automotive is launching their new weapon: the MP4-12C.

The second of June 2011 was a day that I had underlined, circled and highlighted on my agenda as a date not to be missed, as it was going to be my first encounter with a car that, if it could keep up with its predecessor, would spark a revolution in the industry.

Entering the Red Dot Design Museum, banners stating the special attention to technical details that the MP4-12C has enjoyed during her long four years development were teasingly placed along the way to the veiled car. 

More than just the unveiling of a car, this event showcased the laborious and precise development the McLaren had gone through, showcasing the car in the bone with a stripped chassis, dressed simply with the wheels, a steering wheel, driver side bucket seat and the gem of an engine that is McLaren's very own twin turbo V8 that boasts 592bhp @ 7,000rpm and a mind-blowing 600Nm of torque between 3,000 and 7,000rpm, which has the 1,434kg MP4-12C beat the 0-100kph in 3.3 seconds on the standard Pirelli PZero's. 

Seeing the bare chassis is the best way to enjoy the high-tech yet so simple-looking chassis that grows around the carbon fiber MonoCell "tub" that protects the driver and passenger, but also the low-positioned engine that helps keeping the centre of gravity as low as possible.

Developing such a supercar surely is the most important part of the lifetime of the project, but selling it is also paramount to its survival, thus the launch room was also equipped with two computer stations where future owners could design their personalized MP4-12C, from the body color to the high-performance, carbon-fiber goodies and interior upholstery (the black interior with red seats and console is just wicked!).

The attention was then called to the veiled car, and everybody quickly gathered to listen to Mr. Ian Gorsuch, Regional Director of McLaren Automotive, for a bit of history about McLaren Automotive and how the new MP4-12C came to be, followed by Mr. Andre Roy, Group Managing Director of Wearnes Automotive, who shared the history of the partnership between the two companies. 

A video of the test drive that was conducted by Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button for the final stages of development was then shared with us, and upon seeing the two F1 drivers leave at the wheel of the MP4-12C's, everybody turned to see the veil being lifted, and the stunning lava orange beauty revealed her lines.

Personally I am not fond of the color orange, but I think that this metallic, almost iridescent paint that plays with the design cues of the car with tones of light, almost yellow highlights, to dark, burnt orange depths, making the car look alive and revealing all those little body details that would otherwise go unnoticed. And these are important, as this car is all about details; although it may not be the most stunning looker around, the MP4-12C, just like the F1, is a car that mostly values function over form (with the exception of the signature gullwing doors, which are just pure cosmetic porn).
Note that special attention seems to have been given to design the rear, with the blacked-out LED lights and the twin exhaust, which is understandable when considering that the rear is the part of the car any contender is ultimately going to end up seeing, very probably disappearing on the horizon.

Among the notable functional details are the rear spoiler, that doubles as an air brake by tilting 90° and gives a much more efficient and stable breaking by preventing the car to pitch to the front during heavy breaking. The side air-intakes are also purely functional: they have been specially engineered to feed the most air to the radiators of the mid-engined McLaren, and when the designers asked to modify them for aesthetic purposes, they were shot back by the engineering crew that no alterations would be considered as it would compromise the engine cooling performance. The design was thus kept this way, and it now allows for the MP4-12C to be thrashed under the United Arabic Emirates' hard sun and then immediately stopped and left under the sun without respecting any cooling time without any damage done to the engine.

Surprisingly, the McLaren comes equipped with normal cast-iron brake discs and not the expected ceramic composite high-performance package (which is available in option). The reason behind this is that McLaren managed to develop cast-iron discs that are lighter than their ceramic counterparts all the while providing a highly efficient and trustful braking experience.

Mr. Denis Lian, the Motorsports Manager at Wearnes Automotives shared that, after driving this car and with his racing driver's experience, the McLaren lives up to expectations and even exceeds them, greatly out-weighting any other contender in the market. The MP4-12C provides physically impossible performance thanks to its electronic assists that stay discreet enough to give the driver a true mechanical feedback and an outstanding steering feel. “You drive it in a corner at speeds that are much too high for any physics to manage and when you expect to get all the under-steering you can handle the nose dives in the corner and beats physics to clip the apex without losing grip,” states Denis. This is all thanks to McLaren’s Brake Steer which works the same way as a torque-vectoring differential, but is 20kgs lighter.

Thanks to this and an army of very high-tech yet discreet features, the MP4-12C’s drive is so good it’s considered as cheating, but honestly, isn’t what evolution is all about?

Special thanks to the teams at Wearnes Automotive and at SPRG!

Mini Countryman Launch

One common thing about car brands is that as much as they have an identity, none of them has really pushed it to the point where it becomes a culture. Except for Mini. Think Mini and there are high chances that you’ll picture a little, fun car, driven by youngsters, probably heading out for some fun at the beach. That’s why Mini works: it’s not just about a car; it’s a whole lifestyle you’re getting into when sitting in a Mini.

But as time passes, Mini owners are facing a crisis: they have grown up, founded a family and they now need room for the kids in the back of the car, but they don’t want to give up their beloved car, nor do they want to give up the fun of driving. Hopefully, Mini answered this call.

On Wednesday 19^th January, Mini launched its latest model: the Countryman. As the name clearly states, this Mini is made for getaways. On that particular evening, this idea was made clear by the farmer and his cows (yes, real cows) greeting the guests at the John Erdos Gallery, at Dempsey.

The evening wasn’t just all about the cows, the whole place was made to feel like a country getaway, and everything was made to make you understand that this wasn’t your average car launch. After enjoying the yummy tidbits and sweet drinks, the black and green ushers directed the crowd to the back room where a big screen greeted the guests and warmed up the audience, teaching dance moves in good humour. Everybody was enjoying the atmosphere until the countdown started, and everyone’s anticipation rose. By the time it reached zero, everybody was breaking their necks to find out where the car was going to appear from. A curtain in the back of the room opened, everybody cleared the way and... A drummer and his set of drums rolled in. For a minute, you could taste the confusion in the air, but the rhythmic music took over and the party continued, until the screen was lifted and a gorgeous whit Countryman Cooper S smoothly rolled in, cheered by the crowd.

I have to say, the car is magnificent. The Countryman is not only 30cm longer; it’s also 10cm higher and 10cm wider. These extra measurements are very well used: space in the rear is very accommodating, and even with a tall person in the front seat, the leg room won’t feel restrictive. The driver’s seating position is higher, giving a better view of the road, which is enjoyable not only for normal cruising, but will also be very much appreciated when driving out in the country. Last but not least, its wider stance and muscular fenders gives it the looks of a brawler. Although it still looks like a Mini that’s been stretched, the front end gives out a different feel from the regular model: the headlights’ new shape and the front grill design (that reminds me of a Charger SRT) turns the cute little car into a mean predator ready to pounce.

This feeling continues inside the car, with the tachometer staring at the driver in the face from behind the steering wheel and the speedometer sitting on top of the center console. This configuration that has been followed in all Minis dates back from the time where the first Minis were rallying: the speedometer was moved to the center so that the co-pilot could give better information to the driver by easily monitoring the speed. The Countryman also introduces the Mini Visual Boost, an on-board computer that fits inside the Center Speedo and features a 6.5 inch high-resolution display screen.

This Mini isn’t only for show, and the Countryman is the very first Mini to be optionally equipped with the ALL4, a permanent all-wheel drive system. Based on an electromagnetic centre differential, the power from the engine gets, in normal situations, equally distributed between the front and rear axles, but can be fully delivered to either axle when needed, giving a better handling and control in critical situations, or just plainly helping the driver to get the most fun out of his drive when whacking the Countryman, whether it’s on asphalt, gravel or snow.

At the end of this amazing party-launch, the cows had gone home and a cow-spotted Countryman had replaced them in the pen, gently sitting there. Feeling at home. Teasing me.

 

More to come in the test drive, coming soon!

Special thanks to Angelika Frank, Daniel Chan and all the team at Mini and BMW for this great evening!

Photos by Zach Lau