McLaren put a carbon-fibre chassis at the core of its efforts to cut the weight of its latest supercar - the MP4-12C.
McLaren never forgets what it’s really about – making some of the finest road and racing cars in the world. And central to that achievement, at the heart of everything the firm does, is a team of talented engineers whose skills and knowledge underpin every car it produces.
That has certainly been the case with the MP4-12C, McLaren’s first foray into the production of high-performance sports cars, which will be built in volumes of 1,000 a year at a new production centre adjacent to its existing facilities. The two-seater 12C – which will cost £150,000 – has been designed from a blank sheet of paper, with every component, from the engine to the chassis down to the smallest switch, being crafted from scratch by the company’s engineers. Not one single part has been carried over from another vehicle.
Neil Patterson, Chief Engineer at McLaren Automotive, reflects on his role in creating the lightest high performance sports car in its class:
“From the start, it has been my responsibility to ensure that not one gram is added to the structure of the 12C unnecessarily. When designs are complete, we try to find an extra 5% mass saving. Where we have to accept an increase in one area, we don’t give up - we look to reduce or reclaim it elsewhere.”
“Starting with the unique carbon fibre MonoCell, the lightest and stiffest body structure design in its class, our integrated approach has meant that we are on target to deliver the 12C at least 75 kilos lighter than any competitor car – truly impressive when you consider the level of safety and features as standard."
The vehicle features a one-piece moulded carbon chassis – the monocell – which has no seams or joints. The component weighs less than 80kg but is more than 25% stiffer and more rigid than an equivalent sized metal structure.
The monocell is made using a resin transfer moulding process whereby the carbon is loaded into a 40-tonne tool and the resin is injected. The part is left to cure for two hours under pressure. The monocell comes out of the mould in one single piece with hollow rockers and scuttle beam before being finished by a computer-controlled milling machine.
“We’ve not only considered how much weight we have but also where we have it. We’ve favoured reductions at the extremities of the car over those near the centre of gravity. This has reduced the “polar moment of inertia” of the car, meaning that the 12C’s willingness to change direction is improved, giving a quick response to steering inputs.”
From spring 2011, the MP4-12C and all future McLaren sports cars will be produced at the new £40 million McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, England.
For furthe rinformation on this weight obsession click here.
Tuesday, 18 May, 2010
