Skip to main content

McLaren targets Porsche 911 Turbo with new P13 – and it’s only $200,000

McLaren MP4-12C rear three quarter overheadMcLaren is working on a cheaper addition to its lineup, but don’t trade your Camry in just yet.

The British carmaker’s third model, codenamed P13, will cost around $200,000 and compete with the Porsche 911 Turbo.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis told England’s Autocar that the P13 will slot below the spendier and speedier MP4-12C, and will make up most of the company’s sales volume. It’s expected to go on sale in 2015, and McLaren hopes to move 2,500 copies per year.

The phrase “built to a price” is usually code for “bad,” but P13 buyers won’t have to have to sacrifice much.

The P13 will be based on the carbon fiber MonoCell chassis from the MP4-12C. McLaren designed the MonoCell to be used on smaller model, so giving the P13 a carbon fiber backbone won’t be prohibitively expensive.

As with the 12C, the MonoCell will also be strong enough to form the basis for a P13 coupe and convertible.

The mini-12C design will continue with the engine. The P13 will have the same 3.8-liter V8 as its big brother, also mounted in the middle. However, the V8 will be detuned to 450 horsepower, so as not to overshadow the 616 hp 12C.

Despite borrowing heavily from the 12C in the mechanical department, the P13 will reportedly look like McLaren’s 903 hp P1 hybrid hypercar. Of the two, the P1 is definitely more charismatic, so that’s probably for the better.

Porsche 911 Turbo SChoosing the 911 Turbo (above) as a target puts the P13 in an interesting position. McLaren hopes to split the difference between premium sports cars like the Aston Martin Vantage and base 911 and exotic supercars like the Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo and, of course, their own MP4-12C.

McLaren reckons the 911 Turbo is the only true sports car in its price range, which is mostly populated by cushier GT cars like the Bentley Continental. Since the Turbo is at (or near) the top of the 911 range, while the P13 will be a scaled-down 12C, it will be interesting to see how the two meet in the middle.

For buyers who can spend no more than $200,000 on a sports car, the 911 Turbo isn’t really a penalty box. Neither, for that matter, is the equally expensive Audi R8 GT. Still, a car with the driving dynamics of the MP4-12C and the styling of the P1, all in a nice tidy package, sounds pretty appealing.

What do you think? Smart move by McLaren? Tell us in the comments.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Alpine sale: Up to $160 off speakers and subs for your car
alpine speaker sale crutchfield march 2024 car and amp setup on table

If you’re looking to kit your car out with some superior speakers or a subwoofer, Crutchfield is the place to go today. Right now, there’s a huge sale on Alpine subwoofers and speakers with nearly 50 different items forming the sale. As there are so many options, the best idea is to hit the button below to see what’s around. If you don’t know where to start though, read on while we take you through some great items in the sale.

What to shop for in the Alpine sale
Buying the best aftermarket car speakers are important for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road and is currently dealing with a mediocre sound system. One good starting point in the Alpine sale is the 2-way speakers for $104 instead of $130. You get two 2-way speakers with a polypropylene/glass fiber/mica woofer with a specialized rubber surround. There’s a one-inch silk dome tweeter with speakers able to handle up to 80 watts RMS with 240 watts peak power. The grilles aren’t included but the factor ones should be fine for most purposes.

Read more
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more