Mclaren is a name that will always be synonymous with the pinnacle of high performance technology. Creators of the mighty and legendary Mclaren F1 supercar of the late nineties, the company has also been heavily involved in Formula-1 racing for years.

Recently a partnership with Mercedes-Benz resulted in the SLR supercar for that brand. Though ultimately not a success for Mercedes, the SLR proved worthy of the supercar title nonetheless. After finishing the SLR, and fulfilling its comitments to Mercedes-Benz, Mclaren decided to go another direction.

The company is presently working on an all-new supercar code-named P11. The P11 will be an all new, all Mclaren supercar consisting of a lightweight aluminum and carbon-fiber chassis mated to a reworked AMG-sourced 5.5-liter turbocharged V8 engine. Power should reach the ground via a new F1-style gearbox.

Though figures are not being released just yet, what we do know can give us a good idea of what this car will be like. Its advanced chassis will weigh in a around 3,100 pounds and that AMG powerplant should put out at least 550hp. Its power-to-weight ratio seems quite impressive given this cars design direction. This wont be a top-speed record breaker like the F1, but rather a convincingly good alternative to a Ferrari F430 or Aston Martin DB9.

These shots were taken while the P11 was undergoing cold-weather climate testing in Sweden. The car is heavily camouflaged  but its overall shape is clear as day. A former Fiat and Ferrari designer is responsible for the design and it shows. When it hits the market in the near future it should prove a real pain for competing sports car brands. Expect it to come with a $250,000 price tag when it debuts sometime this year.

Source: AutoWeek

Photo: Brenda Priddy & Company