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2012 McLaren MP4-12C going on Sale

North American retailers begin selling the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C from late summer 2011 with a base MSRP within a range of between $225,000 and $250,000

McLAREN AUTOMOTIVE WELCOMES HEAD TEACHERS AND CAREERS ADVISERS TO INSPIRE MORE YOUNG PEOPLE INTO ENGINEERING 30 June 2011:

A group of head teachers and careers advisers were given a rare, behind-the-scenes look into McLaren's manufacturing facilities during a tour of the McLaren Technology Centre.

The tour was organised in conjunction with the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills as part of the Government's 'See Inside Manufacturing' campaign – an initiative aimed at encouraging young people to see engineering as an exciting and viable career choice while increasing awareness of how important a strong manufacturing base is to the future of the UK economy.

Ron Dennis, Executive Chairman of McLaren Group and McLaren Automotive said: "We've seen a worrying decline in our industrial base over the past two decades and this alarming trend must be reversed if we're to create a more stable and prosperous future for our country. Changing the perception of manufacturing and engineering amongst students represents a critical first step in this process so I lend my full support to the 'See Inside Manufacturing' initiative. I have no doubt that the bright young engineers working on our Formula 1 and sports car projects will show that Britain's automotive sector still retains some of the best manufacturing and engineering talent in the world."

As greater emphasis is now being placed on rebalancing the economy and rebuilding the UK's manufacturing base, engineering and technical skills are essential, but the country potentially faces an acute skills shortage. This was evidenced in a survey by the Engineering and Technology Board which found that 49% of 7 to 11-year-olds thought it would be 'boring' to be an engineer and only 12% of 11 to 16-year-olds claim to have any knowledge of what a career in engineering would be like.

Both Government and industry agree that changing negative perceptions of manufacturing amongst young people is essential if the UK is to rebalance its economy, foster the next generation of engineering talent and generate growth through exports.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "The See Inside Manufacturing programme is an important step in giving teachers and careers advisers the opportunity to see first-hand the essential role that industry plays across the UK to help us achieve the sort of sustainable and balanced economic growth that the country needs.

"The Government is investing in more apprenticeships than ever before. Together with industry we must inspire more young people to see manufacturing and engineering as a viable and exciting career choice.

"We also need to ensure that UK manufacturing can take on its competitors head on and make the next decade one of the most dynamic and entrepreneurial periods in our history."

Identifying, supporting and developing young talent is at the very heart of McLaren Automotive's business. The company opened the doors to the McLaren Technology Centre in the hope that its stimulating surroundings will help reshape these perceptions and inspire the would-be engineers of tomorrow.

During the tour, the group of teachers and careers advisers were given the opportunity to see McLaren Automotive's new high-performance sports car, the MP4-12C, being built and meet some of McLaren's young graduates who explained why being an engineer on McLaren's Formula 1 and road car programmes is anything but 'boring' and why it should be considered as a rewarding career choice by all young people.

Stuart Shephard, Headteacher at Bishop David Brown School in Woking, who was part of the visiting group of teachers and careers advisers said: "Seeing inside the McLaren Technology Centre is a unique and incredibly impressive experience that would inspire any student to pursue a career in engineering. In a time of great uncertainty for young people, the image and ethos that McLaren portrays is the kind of motivational benchmark that all of us should aspire to. The company has a wealth of young people who have joined through different pathways. Sharing these stories with students will offer them enormous encouragement and show that anything is possible".

The next stage of the Government's 'See Inside Manufacturing' campaign is a fortnight of 'open days' in October which will see groups of students going in to automotive manufacturing facilities across the country to get a feel for what a career in engineering and manufacturing might be like. Once again, McLaren Automotive will be playing its part by inviting students from five local schools around Woking.

McLAREN GT ANNOUNCES FIRST CUSTOMERS FOR NEW McLAREN MP4-12C GT3

WOKING, UK (17 August) - As McLaren GT prepares to enter two cars in the Blancpain Endurance Series race at Magny Cours on 27 August 2011, the new GT race car manufacturer is announcing that the first 20 MP4-12C GT3 race cars available to purchase for racing in 2012 are now sold. Like the 12C road car on which the 12C GT3 race car is based, demand has outstripped supply.

Production of the 12C GT3 has been deliberately limited, as McLaren GT plans to develop close relationships and provide ongoing engineering support to its customers racing in 2012 and beyond. This limited production run of race cars will be distributed among private owners and race teams for racing in Europe next year. A full list of clients for the new 12C GT3 will be published in advance of the 2012 season, and will include:

• ASM Team
• Andrew Tate
• Apex Motorsport
• Boutsen Energy Racing/Ginion Group
• Doerr Motorsport
• Gulf Racing
• J.A.S. Motorsport
• Klaas Hummel
• Leon Price
• Von Ryan Racing

McLaren GT began development of the 12C GT3 in March, when the first iteration of the stunning new race car undertook debut tests at the MIRA proving ground and Silverstone Stowe Circuit in the UK. Subsequent tests at two of Europe's most challenging new circuits; Circuito de Navarra in northern Spain and Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal, were followed by a race debut in the British GT Championship at Spa-Francorchamps early in July. At the end of July, three examples of the 12C GT3 competed in the Total 24 hours of Spa.

McLaren GT Project Manager Andrew Kirkaldy said: "The new 12C GT3 has gone from its first ever shakedown to a 24 hour endurance race in a matter of a few months. That is a huge achievement for the car and its new componentry, as well as the team responsible for its development.

"Our new customers appreciate that taking a race season to develop the 12C GT3 means we are able to deliver a level of reliability and driveability that exceeds their expectations of new race cars. Like the 12C road car, the GT3 version is based on a carbon 'MonoCell' chassis and has an all-new engine and transmission arrangement, as well as a bespoke aerodynamics package. In tests and at races this season we have seen these technologies prove to be robust and efficient. Our experiences during this race season are helping us refine the 12C GT3's technical credentials."

The 12C GT3 race car is based on the groundbreaking 12C sports car. McLaren Group CEO Martin Whitmarsh said: "This is an exciting time for McLaren. In 2011 McLaren Automotive has launched what I believe is the most innovative sports car in the world and now a network of the world's best car retailers has begun opening showroom doors to customers of the 12C. A new £40m McLaren Production Centre will officially open later this year and development programmes for McLaren Automotive's future range of sports cars are well underway.

"The technological expertise we have in McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive is now being introduced to a different level of motorsport by McLaren GT. Since the launch of McLaren GT we have been overwhelmed by the number of enquiries received to purchase the 12C GT3. Our new customers are leaders in GT racing, and we're confident that we will deliver to them the the most efficient, reliable and easy to drive car among the competition when it lines up on the grid next year

"Our clients are looking forward to receiving a GT car full of Formula 1 technology, and we are committed to ensuring ownership of the 12C GT3 is as enjoyable as racing it."

The development team at McLaren GT includes senior executives from McLaren Automotive and McLaren Racing. The development programme for the 12C GT3 is therefore advanced through the knowledge of specialists in aerodynamics, advanced simulation methods and vehicle dynamics engineering.

The 12C GT3 will be supplied with a steering wheel of the same design employed by Lewis Hamilton in his MP4-24 Formula 1 car. McLaren GT is working with Formula 1 suppliers past and present in developing the 12C GT3, including Akebono, Mobil 1, McLaren Electronic Systems, Ricardo and Michelin.

McLaren GT set the price of the new MP4-12C GT3 at £310,000. Customers of the car have been encouraged by the promise of no hidden costs and the opportunity to work with McLaren GT engineers throughout 2012 in developing the 12C GT3 to their own race specification.