McLaren is a British performance car company, renowned for its technical expertise and the attention to detail inherent in its cars. The company is perhaps most famous for building the world's fastest car at the time -- the McLaren F1 -- and, of course, for its success in Formula One racing.
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Mclaren Car Reviews
Mclaren Overview
Brief History
The McLaren Formula One team was founded in 1963 by New Zealand-born racing driver Bruce McLaren. Bruce had competed in F1 since 1958, winning four races and finishing second in the 1960 Driver's Championship behind Jack Brabham.
The McLaren team went on to make its debut at the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix. Unfortunately, Bruce was killed in a crash in 1970; however, the team carried on without him and McLaren became one of the most successful teams in F1 history, winning 8 Constructors' Championships and 12 Drivers' Championships between 1974 and 2008.
In 1992, McLaren produced its first road car, the F1. At the time, it was the fastest car in the world, capable of hitting 242mph thanks to its 6.1-litre BMW V12. 106 McLaren F1s were produced between 1992 and 1998.
In 2003, McLaren teamed up with long-time F1 engine supplier Mercedes to create the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. This was a lot softer and more comfortable than the track-oriented F1 and was based on Mercedes's SL model. Nevertheless, it could hit 62mph in 3.4 seconds thanks to its supercharged 5.4-litre V8. It was also one of the most desirable and expensive cars in the world at the time, with a base price in excess of £395,000.
McLaren decided to go it alone for its next car, the MP4-12C, which went into production in 2011 at McLaren's ultra-slick manufacturing facility in Woking.
Model Range
MP4-12C
The MP4-12C was released in 2011 and it would not be hyperbole to say that it is possibly the greatest car ever made. The McLaren is nothing short of a masterpiece, as comfortable and fuel efficient as it is mind-numbingly fast and responsive to drive. Only the Ferrari 458 comes close.
