- McLaren Automotive to continue rapid expansion within key region
- McLaren P1™, the company’s next generation ultimate supercar to be the first in a new breed of hypercars to arrive in the Middle East
- Sales of the award winning McLaren 12C and 12C Spider are also exceeding expectations in the Middle East
(Manama,
Bahrain, 8th October 2013) McLaren Automotive Regional Director for the
Middle East and Africa, Ian Gorsuch, today revealed the high
performance sports car company is about to enter a critical period of
growth in the region.
The
highlight will be the start of deliveries to customers of the company’s
next generation ultimate supercar, the McLaren P1™, due in the coming
weeks. This is ahead of competitors and the first of a new breed of
hypercars due to arrive in the Middle East.
The
British high performance sports car manufacturer is also seeing an
increasing demand for the McLaren 12C, the current Middle East Motor
Awards ‘Car of the Year’, and 12C Spider, with sales forecasts laid out
at the start of 2013 on target to be achieved.
Commenting
on how the coming six months will be a unique time for the industry,
Ian Gorsuch, McLaren Automotive Regional Director for the Middle East
and Africa said: “It was 20 years ago that McLaren changed the shape of the supercar industry with the McLaren F1 road car, and we are doing it again with the McLaren P1™.”
“When the McLaren P1™
hits the roads of the Middle East later this year it will turn heads
like no car has ever done before. It will deliver a driving experience
as near to that of a Formula 1™ car as a road car has ever been able to
achieve and will continue our goal of delivering world class customer
service by being more exclusive than our competitors. The Middle East
region will also see a number of customers amongst the first in the
world to take delivery of the McLaren P1™ later this year.’’
Gorsuch continued:
“With the McLaren P1™ deliveries soon to commence within the region, it
is a very exciting time for the industry. The Middle East market is
particularly important and fascinating as luxury and sports car owners
are very discerning, and as car manufacturers we are fully aware of the
need to constantly impress them. Whilst a demanding market, we are
confident that the end of 2013 will be a success for McLaren.”
Only
375 examples of the McLaren P1™ are being built for customers
worldwide, with just over 10 per cent destined for the Middle East. This
is an increase on the percentage of the company’s core sports cars, the
12C and 12C Spider. The number of cars available, however, will not
satisfy the demand that McLaren has seen in the region for their next
generation ultimate supercar.
The
McLaren P1™ is not only more exclusive than its competitors; it is
designed to be the best driver’s car in the world on road and track. It
features technologies that have never before been applied to a road
car, and enable the owner to drive the car to a race track, then press a
button and race it.
The
latest ‘ultimate’ car from McLaren also features IPAS (Instant Power
Assist System) – with a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine coupled to
an electric motor that produces more than double the power of the KERS
unit used in Formula 1™. The McLaren P1™ was designed using the same
aerodynamic systems and technology as a Formula 1 car, and through a
bespoke system developed by technical partner Akebono, delivers braking
performance a step ahead of any ‘supersports’ car sold today, featuring
the same materials used on the Ariane space rocket programme.
The
award-winning 12C and 12C Spider sales are also exceeding expectations
in the Middle East with nearly 150 car sales predicted for 2013. This
figure is in line with those achieved in 2012, which means McLaren has
maintained the promise of exclusivity to its customers by ensuring the
limited availability of the car, thus protecting residual values of
pre-owned McLaren high performance sports cars, an important factor in
this segment of the market.
