The editors at Auto Express followed him at the Dunsfold track in Surrey, UK - the same circuit that Top Gear uses, where the testing took place. Leno is no stranger to the McLaren brand as his immense automotive collection includes a McLaren F1.
Leno got a passenger ride along side McLaren Automotive’s Chief Test Driver Chris Goodwin. “He told me the camouflaged prototype car was in the middle of its development programme, and that they were honing its ride and handling,” explained Jay. “Apparently, Dunsfold is good as it has loads of different corners. It’s bumpy, fast and slow, with lots of changes of direction.”
Goodwin lapped the circuit at full-throttle for an hour and a half, in both dry and wet conditions, offering Leno a huge cocktail of the car’s reactions. “From the passenger seat, it feels amazing!” Leno Reported when he climbed out of the car. “It’s obviously not a finished car, but acceleration is extremely strong and the engine revs to 9,000rpm."
“The gearbox shifts very quickly, too – certainly faster than a human could shift. It’s all a sensory overload, but not in any sort of scary way. “This is the first car that has forced me to accept that paddleshift is the future. I much prefer a mechanical gearchange – like a mechanical watch. But Chris Goodwin’s changes were sublimely smooth and fast.”
“Visibility is good,” he added. “It’s a modern, practical car – not a dream machine that you couldn’t live with. It appears to have good ground clearance, so you should be able to use it in most places. From inside, the sound was snarly but pleasant. Any time you have twin turbos you get a bit of a muted sound.”
Leno even compared the MP4 to ones of Britain’s automotive icons, Lotus, known for its sheer purity : “It felt like the kind of car [Lotus founder] Colin Chapman would have made if he was still alive,” he said.
“Only when you’re on the move do you sense how light it is. Yes, it has a carbon fibre tub and the lightest technology out there, but that lightness really translates to the road. “It felt nimble, precise and accurate – all the things a Lotus is famous for, but in a package that is uniquely McLaren. I love the fact they have fought to get the car under 1,400kg. It’s a revelation in this day and age.”
What was Jay Leno's catalyst for all these sensations? Well, the 600 HP twin-turbocharged 3.8 liter engine, the light carbon fiber chassis, the seven-speed double-clutch gearbox and the double wishbone active suspension. Actually the mix between all of these, which the test drivers and engineers are fine tuning in this pre-production stage.
Some say Stig's scent could be felt during the entire test session, but only when sliding through the corners or exceeding a certain speed on the straights.
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