McLaren confirms 911 rival

McLaren has commenced a slow-release reveal campaign for its new entry-level model, by revealing a teaser video and the first official image via its Facebook page.

Codenamed the P13 and now dubbed the Sports Series, the all-new model will be introduced globally in the second quarter of next year.

As this image shows, the Sports Series borrows styling cues from McLaren's hybrid P1 flagship, which recently spawned the racetrack-only 735kW P1 GTR priced at a cool $3.5 million.

Produced in right-hand drive as a global model, the Sports Series will be significantly cheaper than the P1 at around $350,000, undercutting both the 12C (from $398,000) and 650S (from $441,500).

That will make it McLaren's first direct rival for top-end versions of Porsche's 911, namely the $367,000 Turbo, as well as the new Mercedes-AMG GT.

McLaren has previously confirmed the model will be based around a carbon-fibre chassis and mid-mounted V8, which is expected to be a detuned version of the company's twin-turbo 3.8-litre producing about 335kW.

That should be enough to accelerate the newest McLaren to 100km/h in around four seconds – around a second longer than 650S, which packs 478kW/678Nm.

However, as evidenced by the Sports Series name – and McLaren's failure to mention 'turbocharged' when it confirmed the model's V8 engine – there could also be a cheaper, less powerful version to compete with mainstream 911s.

Naturally, the British supercar brand promises its more affordable new Sports Series will bring "Formula 1 technologies and know-how to a new segment for the brand" and "McLaren credentials and exclusivity to the sports car segment for the first time".

The cheapest, least powerful and most practical new McLaren is expected to comprise the lion's share of the 4000 vehicles it plans to build annually from 2015 – up from around just 1400 in 2012 and 2013.

The typically aggressive two-door coupe body seen for the first time here (last December's spy shots revealed a P13 wrapped in 12C clothing) features a low-slung bumper with F1-mimicking air inlets, P1-style wing mirrors and wrap-around headlights with prominent LED eyebrows.

The vague teaser video is the first of 13 installments of a promo campaign featuring game-changing moments "that have truly changed and challenged people’s beliefs".

Hence McLaren's use of the social media hashtag #BlackSwanMoments, in reference to the discovery of black swans in West Australia at a time when the English believed all swans were white.

Although it's expected to debut at the Geneva motor show in coupe form next March, the Sports Series will also include a retractable hard-top Spider version from 2016.