McLaren's Next F1 Is Coming Soon

WOKING, England — McLaren is reportedly developing its next supercar — a successor to the legendary 1992 F1. Insiders claim that this will be a "revolutionary" supercar and instantly recognizable as such, in contrast to the MP4-12C, which has been criticized for its unadventurous styling.

Due in 2012, the new F1 is the subject of an intensive development program, said to be among the speediest the industry has yet seen. The new F1 will be midengine, with a carbon-fiber monocoque similar in concept to the 12C's. Despite its creators' radical approach, it will bear some similarities to the original F1. These, however, are largely coincidental. It is not yet clear whether the car will feature the same central driver's seat as its predecessor.

As with the 12C and the 1992 F1, major emphasis has been placed on saving weight, and this new car is expected to pioneer many new solutions in this field. It will also feature novel wheel and lighting designs that will contribute much to its distinctive look. There's no word yet on the car's powertrain, but it would be fair to expect that to break new ground, possibly with some low-emissions solutions. A standard-setting suspension is also a certainty.

The F1 successor will be the second of McLaren's trio of new models. The third is thought to slot beneath the $227,000 MP4-12C. The planned price of the F1 successor is unknown, but it's likely to be substantially more than the 12C. But rather than a limited edition, as the F1 was, it may be a regular series model.

Meanwhile, the company reports having gathered 2,700 firm expressions of interest in buying the new MP4-12C, enough to account for at least two years' worth of production.

Inside Line says: McLaren is certainly fast-tracking its re-entry into the supercar world — and taking on the challenge of bettering one of the finest supercars ever, its own F1. — Richard Bremner, Correspondent