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McLaren Confirms P13 Is Called "Sports Series", Compares It to Black Swan

Considering a hugely popular supercar company has bloomed from an engineering and racing firm, McLaren could have called their new model the Phoenix. But that would have reminded too many people of the Pontiac Firebird, so the Brits chose another feathered creature to represent their third and most affordable car.
Black Swan Moments 1 photo
Photo: McLaren
McLaren Sports Series is the official name of a new model that will debut in the second quarter of 2015. We all know it as the P13, which McLaren admits was the official internal codename during development.

It's weird and refreshing at the same time to see McLaren naming one of its models without the use of any numbers. This has to be a first for them! A very clear message is coming out, suggesting this sportscar will change the way we look at the market as a whole. McLaren describes it as their "Black Swan Moment" and are centering a whole marketing campaign around this idea.

The launch will "plot the history over 13 chapters of true game-changing – Black Swan – moments from around the world and within McLaren’s."

For now, tangible details are not available, but the Sports Series is said to feature a carbon fiber chassis, like the Alfa 4C, and mid-mounted V8 engine, probably of the same displacement as you get with a 650S or a P1. The output is believed to be reduced to the level of a Porsche 911 fighter, somewhere in the region of 450 to 500 horsepower.

With the Mercedes-AMG GT and Jaguar F-Type all putting huge dents in armor of the Porsche 911, it seems that McLaren could mortally wound the Stuttgart Prancing Horse in 2015. With a carbon fiber tub and a turbocharged V8, the Sports Series clearly has bragging rights.

What else do we know?

The P13 has been spotted testing in various stages of development during the fall and winter of 2013. At the time, rumors suggested it would have 450 horsepower and might cost £120,000 in Britain or €140,000 over in Europe. That would place it in the same ballpark as a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet (cheaper than a Turbo and more expensive than any regular 4S).

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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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