2022 Mclaren Gt on 2040-cars

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McLaren planning P13 GT with unconventional trunk

It was just a couple of months ago that we last brought you word on P13, the project being undertaken by McLaren to slot in a new entry-level model below the above-pictured 650S. Speaking with McLaren personnel at the launch of the latter, we said that the P13 would come in multiple bodystyles – which is to say, more than just a coupe and convertible. Now Car and Driver says it knows what that third bodystyle will be. According to an unnamed inside source in Woking, C/D reports that, in addition to a two-seat coupe and Spider, the P13 (or whatever it's ultimately called for public consumption) will be offered as a GT model. And just what will the difference be between the coupe and GT, you ask? Not necessarily the addition of extra seats in the back: according to Car and Driver, that will be a luggage compartment aft of the engine and passenger compartment. The resulting form, we understand, will resemble a Jaguar E-Type coupe, which could be what we were actually hearing about a couple of years ago when rumors surfaced of a 12C shooting brake in the works. One way or another, it would be an interesting development, potentially as novel as the Ferrari FF but at the opposite end of the spectrum and with its 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 – albeit slightly detuned – still located amidships and still driving the rear wheels through a seven-speed DCT. We'll just have to wait and see how it turns out, but with Frank Stephenson working on the design, we bet it'll be a stunner, if a slightly unconventional one.

Rowan Atkinson sells his McLaren F1 for $12 million

With little over a hundred produced (including prototypes and racers), there aren't a lot of McLaren F1 owners out there. Rowan Atkinson is among the most prominent, but he won't be any longer as reports from the UK reveal that he's sold his F1. The actor best known for his role as Mr. Bean bought his McLaren back in 1997 when it was still new for what was then a princely sum of GBP540,000 (about $830k). He drove it regularly over the nearly two decades since, putting some 41,000 miles on the odometer and crashing it twice – the most recent collision in 2011 cost his insurers a reported $1.4 million to fix. With values for the McLaren F1 skyrocketing, Atkinson put it on the market earlier this year. The consignment was handled by London classic and supercar broker Taylor & Crawley, headed by the same David Clark who sold Atkinson the car when he served as McLaren's sales director. Although the final transaction price has not been disclosed, the original asking price was GBP8 million – equivalent to over $12 million at current exchange rates. The supercar was reportedly purchased by another British enthusiast who intends to drive it as frequently as Atkinson did. Private treaty sales like this (where prices are not generally disclosed) notwithstanding, the Atkinson sale would eclipse the highest price paid to date for the iconic supercar at auction. According to Sports Car Market, the top price paid was at Pebble Beach in 2013, where Gooding & Co sold one for just under $8.5 million. The same event the following year saw one go unsold, despite a high bid of over $10 million. Related Video:

McLaren won't offer 540C in United States

McLaren launched its new entry-level Sports Series in New York with the 570S, and followed up in Shanghai with the more affordable 540C. However we can now confirm that the 540C won't be offered in the United States. In correspondence with Autoblog (and following rampant speculation circulating the Internet), McLaren spokesman Wayne Bruce confirmed: "Following a series of previews in which interest from American customers has been exclusively in the 570S, we will now concentrate on only this model for the launch of Sports Series in the US to satisfy demand." That means the 570S will remain (for the time being at least) the most affordable model – if a term has ever been more relative – McLaren will offer in the US, priced at $184,900. We can also expect additional versions of the Sports Series to follow, including a roadster and a third bodystyle as well. The cheaper 540C won't be kept out of North America altogether, though: it will be offered in Canada. North of the Border, the 540C is priced at $196,500 Canadian (equivalent to about $158k at current exchange rates), with the 570S going for $219,750 Canadian (~$177k). Related Video: