McLaren P1

The British automaker McLaren has already confirmed that it will soon start development for the successor to the P1 hypercar. However, don't get too excited now, as the company has also mentioned that we aren't likely to see what the successor looks like within the next decade (yes, that's ten years altogether).

McLaren P1

The news came along with the news that McLaren's F1 staffs had started carrying out some necessary works in the UK-based automaker's joint effort with the Japanese automaker Honda, seemingly for the sake of the 2015 F1 racing season. It was Greg Levine, the Sales and Marketing Head at McLaren, who shared the news regarding the successor to the P1.

McLaren MP4-12C

"The only way a car like the P1 works is by being exclusive and having a short product cycle. After that, you have to step back from the market for a few years. These sort of launches can only happen every ten years or so," commented Levine.

McLaren MP4-12C

Until now, the automaker is about to produce its 375^th P1 and - miraculously enough, I would say, considering the very high price tag of US$1.3 million (that is around S$1.6 million) - it has received customers for three quarters of the total units of the P1 to be produced.

McLaren MP4-12C Spider

Now, judging that Levine mentioned that it will take ten whole years for McLaren to introduce a new hypercar, I'm guessing some of you may be wondering if the company will have nothing to offer in the meantime.

Well, in this regard, the British automaker is preparing an entry level model it's probably going to slot under the MP4-12C. The entry level model is dubbed the P13. Unfortunately, there has yet to be any image leaked on the styling cues of the model. Sources inside McLaren are also keeping their lips sealed tightly for the time being.

However, it is known that the P13 will more likely lean on the styling cues of the P1 than those of the MP4-12C. According to sources at McLaren, the company's MP4-12C is 'too much about technology and less about beauty' and that the P13 isn't going to suffer from the same fate.

Regarding the price of the P13, it seems wise to believe that it will range somewhere around US$200,000 (approximately S$251,000) or less. I think it's safe to assume that the price won't reach US$250,000 (approximately S$314,000), otherwise it may distract the sale of the MP4-12C.