Having recently rolled out its P1 flagship, McLaren is now focusing on the opposite end of its range – specifically, a Porsche 911 Turbo/Audi R8 V10 rival codenamed P13 that goes on sale in 2015.
These latest Automedia spy pics reveal a P13 test mule close up, but as we've noted before, don’t read anything into the car’s appearance as it’s merely an MP4-12C bodyshell that’s being used to cloak the mechanicals of the upcoming entry-level model. UK sources suggest the P13 will cost around £120,000 in its home market (more or less on par with an Audi R8 V10), which would extrapolate to an Aussie pricetag of roughly $350,000 – undercutting its MP4-12C big brother by almost $150k.
Although cheaper and marginally more compact than the 12C, the P13 is built around the same carbonfibre MonoCell chassis housing a detuned version of the Ricardo-built twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 that propels the 12C.
It’s believed the P13 will have around 330kW at its disposal, which is obviously some way short of the 460kW eked out by the 12C.
Visually, expect the car to draw on the design language embodied by the P1, although the entry model is unlikely to look quite as dramatic or extreme as the hybrid range-topper. That said, it’s expected to make more of a visual statement than the slightly restrained 12C.
The P13 will be a crucial car for McLaren’s bottom line, as it will account for a big chunk of the 4000 annual sales the brand is aiming to notch up from 2015.
This year, McLaren is on track to sell just 1400 cars, which would match the company’s tally for 2012. That said, the first 40 units of the P1 will be delivered by the end of the year, enabling the carmaker to break even for 2013.
The P13 will add huge economies of scale to McLaren’s road-car operation, amortising the cost of the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 powertrain and carbonfibre MonoCell chassis.
It’s likely the car will make its first public appearance at the 2014 Paris motor show, with sales set to commence in the second quarter of 2015.
As per the 12C, the P13 will initially be offered in coupe form, with a retractable hard-top Spider derivative to follow in 2016.
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