Look what turned up in the car park today...

Firestar_3x said:
Car bras are made of a dense material not lightweight cloth, that wouldn't stop stone chips.
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It (PP11) is a production prototype completing high mileage testing, I'm going to say 99.9% that it's a car bra. However it's clear you're able to identify material density and their suitability for protecting from stonechips/damage from pictures alone, so maybe you know best.

Four generations of prototypes tested in all four corners of the world
The first Concept Prototype (CP) 12C’s were built in 2007. These ‘mule’ vehicles were designed to test aerodynamic, powertrain, drivetrain and chassis configuration proposals. Production Prototypes (PP) are now entering a high-mileage real-world durability phase of an initial 50,000 miles.

An evolution of prototype vehicles took place between these two phases, with each new generation of prototype receiving the latest available iterations of technologies, including the 12C’s M838T twin-turbo engine, its seven speed SSG transmission, suspension geometry and electrical architecture. More than 50 cars have been built over the following prototype phases:

• Concept Prototype (CP)
• Experimental Prototype (XP)
• Validation Prototype (VP)
• Production Prototype (PP)

This fleet has been tested in every regional market where the car will be sold, including Bahrain and Nevada in the summer, and the Arctic in winter. The simple aim, to achieve unprecedented levels of performance but also guarantee the levels of quality, reliability and durability with which McLaren expects to delight future customers.

Geoff Grose, McLaren Automotive Head of Testing and Development said: “We’ve undertaken rigorous test schedules in every imaginable environment. Our teams have tested 12C prototypes in Sweden for cold weather programmes, Bahrain in summer dust storms, Arizona at temperatures upwards of 115°F, South Africa for high altitude testing and endless circuit and road testing in Europe.

“McLaren has established bases at IDIADA in northern Spain and the Prototipo facility near Nardò in southern Italy. At both locations we have run a number of 24 hour sessions, as well as 18 hour sessions between eight in the morning until two the next morning. The remaining six hours allow time for a team to service and implement development changes ready for the next day’s testing to begin without interruption. Whole-car testing undertaken in this way is incredibly demanding, but bears an uncanny resemblance to the way our Formula 1 team develops race-winning cars.”
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Burned_Alive said:
I'm going to say 99.9% that it's a car bra. However it's clear you're able to identify material density and their suitability for protecting from stonechips/damage from pictures alone, so maybe you know best.
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If you can't tell the difference in material thickness / type by looking at a normal car bra photo and the one above then you need your monitor calibrating.

You can tell by how the material is creased / how it hangs and the fact that it's not molded to the panel shapes properly that its some sort of lightweight cloth.

By it's nature it can't absorb the impact of a large object being thrown towards the paintwork, thus by being made out of different stuff no it's not a car bra in traditional sense, just in the same way some suit trousers aren't called jeans and jeans aren't called corduroy's.
 
Firestar_3x said:
If you can't tell the difference in material thickness / type by looking at a normal car bra photo and the one above then you need your monitor calibrating.

You can tell by how the material is creased / how it hangs and the fact that it's not molded to the panel shapes properly that its some sort of lightweight cloth.

By it's nature it can't absorb the impact of a large object being thrown towards the paintwork, thus by being made out of different stuff no it's not a car bra in traditional sense.
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Looks like foamed neoprene to me (wetsuit material), in which case it would more than capable of preventing stonechips, even when relatively thin.

Obviously its not a car bra "in the traditional sense", its being worn by a prototype supercar. It's still a car bra.
 
That is some of the best looking rear end design I have seen in a long time, mostly the light clustering/camouflage...absolutely stunning effort. A true move away from "the norm" with regards to light cluster design.
 
Burned_Alive said:
Looks like foamed neoprene to me (wetsuit material), in which case it would more than capable of preventing stonechips, even when relatively thin.

Obviously its not a car bra "in the traditional sense", its being worn by a prototype supercar. It's still a car bra.
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We will have to agree to disagree then :)
 
Is this new McClaren 'practical' like the F1 is? The F1 had some space for 'luggage'

Firestar_3x said:
Anyways, nice car, i'm still looking forward to the McLaren garage being finished down the road from me.
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Are you talking about the one in Knutsford? I go past that nearly everyday going to and from work.
Stupid place for a zebra crossing. Watching for dopey pedestrians, traffic on the roundabout, traffic entering and leaving the side road and trying to see what cars they've got in there!
 
Tomsk said:
Are you talking about the one in Knutsford? I go past that nearly everyday going to and from work.
Stupid place for a zebra crossing. Watching for dopey pedestrians, traffic on the roundabout, traffic entering and leaving the side road and trying to see what cars they've got in there!
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Yep, drive past it every day when going to / from work, both those crossing each side of the roundabout are stupid, i've almost been run into loads of times, what car you in?
 
I called it the F1 by mistake, haha - but then it's been a long two days (or is it weeks, now).

Mind you, it's hard not to associate the name 'McLaren' automatically with 'F1'! MP4-12C doesn't roll off the tongue quite so easily :p
 
Its great to see McLaren back, but it doesn't give me the hrrrrrrnnnnggghhhhhh supercar vibe that its rivals do. It kind of seems like the GT-R of its market, an absolute engineering triumph and a stupendously capable piece of kit. Saying that I would take a GT-R over any Porsche etc, I guess thats the 'playstation generation' in me.

But with the 458 on the scene, and the new Lambo appearing it just doesn't jump out IMO.

 
Firestar_3x said:
Yep, drive past it every day when going to / from work, both those crossing each side of the roundabout are stupid, i've almost been run into loads of times, what car you in?
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Silver Mk4 Golf 'V5' (probably with a steaming bonnet from a coolant leak I can't find)
 
Very nice, wonder if it's the same one Fords tested at Dunton for them a few weeks ago, did not take a good look as I was going home!
 
That is AWESOME! The orange looks horrible compared to that! Soooo nice in black...and the wheels... excuse me while I do a sex wee.
 
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