DaimlerChrysler, McLaren

[Pferdestärke]

LONDON - A joint venture of DaimlerChrysler and McLaren Cars may develop another vehicle in addition to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren sports car.

"We are currently looking into possibly building a further vehicle," McLaren chief Ron Dennis said at the opening of the McLaren Technology Center last month in Woking, near London.

Juergen Hubbert, head of DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz car operations, said: "Our focus is currently on the sales start of the SLR.

"But we are already looking into the future. We want to create a new brand."

Hubbert said the proposed vehicle would be positioned between the Mercedes-Benz SL and the $400,000 SLR McLaren.

Although they emphasized that there is no decision to build the model, Dennis and Hubbert said they believe a production volume of 15,000 units would be realistic.

The first 30 SLR McLarens were finished quickly when the technology center opened May 12. The car's production volume will be 3,500 vehicles.

"The SLR took some doing," Dennis said. "In the beginning we thought we were better than we really were."

He said McLaren lost a lot of time and money at the start of SLR production because the company underestimated Mercedes-Benz's high quality standards.

Customers face the consequences of these delays.

Hubbert said a customer who orders an SLR today and pays a deposit of $50,000 will get the car at the end of 2006 at the earliest.

The car has a base price of about $400,000.

Source : AutoWeek

[Revvmaster]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]He said McLaren lost a lot of time and money at the start of SLR production because the company underestimated Mercedes-Benz's high quality standards.

Customers face the consequences of these delays.

Hubbert said a customer who orders an SLR today and pays a deposit of $50,000 will get the car at the end of 2006 at the earliest.

Maybe they meant smoking Mercedes engines (ala McLaren - F1) are much harder to build.

If i remember correctly, one of the previous posts on the site did mention about Ron Dennis saying that they were interested in building a car that takes on the 360, Gallardo and DB9. I remember it saying that Ron felt that the current set of cars in that class weren't good enough (uh Ron, i hope you look before you leap. In this case talk if your team's performance in F1 is anything to go by).

Revv

[ajmat]

Was reading the latest edition of CAR - lot of wrangling - Merc wants to take over McClaren

[S350L-E240]

So if they put this between SL and SLR it shud be about 200,000 right?

So where does the SL65 go?

Merc is mixing their own markets man,

[Aditya]

I think McLaren and Mercedes should put these plans on hold and concentrate on winning F1 races.

[S350L-E240]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Aditya @ June 08 2004,01:11)]I think McLaren and Mercedes should put these plans on hold and concentrate on winning F1 races.

my points exactly man u rock but did u forget Ilmor??
They are the reason for the blow ups!

[_Crazi4Speed_]

Sl65 would never be priced more than 150k, base price for 55 is 120k so 65 would be base 140-150 in my opinion.. so ranging from 140-165k and the mclaren would be 200-250k, slr would be 400-450k, so there is a clear difference in price..

[Hatari]

wait till 2006 !!!!?
think i'l just buy a porche !

[S350L-E240]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (Hatari @ June 09 2004,01:19)]wait till 2006 !!!!?
think i'l just buy a porche !

What do you mean just buy a porsche??

Thats not the way it works hatari firstly this car might not even make it to real world, but if it does then u really cant say ull buy a porsche cuz u need to wait till 2006,

it's all about the buyers and target market,
Heck some might buy an alternative right now and trande up when the new car comes out

[ported_head]

i just hope the new company's products are more Mclaren than Mercedes, because at the rate they are going for the price people are paying for their cars, they aren't even putting a scratch on Porsche or Ferrari for that matter. the SLR is a lost plot, and frankly if you need a good GT, go for the DB9.
in fact i'm eagerly awaiting this new Mclaren-Merc car, so that a Porsche can kick the dust out of it and ill sleep feeling a lot happier.
btw, i really think Porsche needs to work on it's brand image, cause i don't even hear anybody mentioning a Porsche, not even you revv

[GTO]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]
btw, i really think Porsche needs to work on it's brand image, cause i don't even hear anybody mentioning a Porsche, not even you revv

Its too late, and I dont know how the logistics would work out. But winning races in Formula 1 (eventually) could do wonders for Porsche.

GTO

[Rtech]

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] (GTO @ June 09 2004,17:50)]

Its too late, and I dont know how the logistics would work out. But winning races in Formula 1 (eventually) could do wonders for Porsche.

GTO

Porsche has always been about Sports car racing. They built their name only because of this, and till this day, their cars regularly race and win in almost every GT and sportscar class out there.

I don't think they should get into F1. Its not needed for them. Look at Jaguar. Spending millions and still lower mid field players, and, during their first couple of years were the laughing stock of the grid.

Porsche should stick to what they do best...build amazing sports cars.

Rtech

[shravan316]

rtech, i kinda agree with u...going by what Jags have done...but, Porshe is pretty good at making race cars so they may have a good chance in F1 to be one among the best.

[ported_head]

i don't know about that, building race cars is never the same for any two categories, and the stakes at F1 have been raised really high by the likes of Ferrari, Renault, Honda, etc. to look to come into this level of racing and dominate, is virtually impossible, and only eventually after years of racing and millions spent in development would they stand anywhere worthwhile. and i don't think Porsche would like to do that, since they have just started enjoying the huge profits raked in by the Cayenne and are happily spending it on the development of the 997.
but, rumours are Porsche is looking to enter LeMans in 2006, and it's probably going to be a car engineered around a V8 engine. i think that makes sense, considering they have already had success and experience in LeMans.