Report: McLaren Confirms MP4-12C to Be Sold in North America

McLaren has officially made it clear that the company’s new M4-12C exotic will be sold in North America with the appointment of a director to the region.

Anthony Joseph will head up McLaren Automotive North America, while Christian Marti was also appointed as the regional director for Europe. A network of 10 McLaren franchises in the U.S. and Canada will be set up for the MP4’s production launch in 2011.

“This is such an amazing opportunity to be part of the launch of not just a brand new range of high-tech sports cars, but the launch of a new car company in a region which will be a major market for McLaren Automotive,” said Joseph. “Utilizing our engineering expertise and racing heritage, we will build cars using nothing but McLaren components, in lower numbers, and higher quality than our competitors. This ensures exclusivity, which I’m sure will be a major factor in generating strong demand and ongoing high residual values from 2011.”

Joseph has a long history in the automotive industry, having started with Subaru of America in the 1990’s as a district sales manager, before moving to Porsche North America in 1998 and then on to Maserati and finally to Ferrari before landing the position at McLaren.

The McLaren MP4-12C is aimed squarely at exotics like the Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Gallardo. It is powered by a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine that makes 600hp and 433 ft-lbs of torque. No performance specs have yet been released but we expect a 0-60 mph time of around 3.5 seconds with a top speed in the 200 mph range. The V8 engine is mated to a new 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The vehicle’s weight promises to be exceptionally low thanks to a full-carbon monocoque chassis, rather than a weaker and heavier structure made of welded aluminum, steel, magnesium or other materials.

The MP4 will go on sale in 2011 with roughly 1,000 units being made ensuring the new car is highly exclusive. The car is expected to cost £160,000 ($265k).

Official release after the jump:

McLaren Automotive announces Regional Directors for North America and Europe

* McLaren Automotive global network takes shape with appointments of European and North American regional directors
* Anthony Joseph to head up McLaren Automotive North America
* Christian Marti to head up McLaren Automotive Europe
* Joseph and Marti join Ian Gorsuch, Regional Director Middle East and Africa, in McLaren Automotive global network

Following the recent unveiling of the new McLaren MP4-12C, the first in the company’s range of high performance sports cars, McLaren Automotive can now confirm two senior appointments within its global operations.

Anthony Joseph joins the company as Regional Director of North America and Christian Marti as Regional Director of Europe. In preparation for the global launch of the 12C in 2011 they are joining the previously appointed Regional Director of Middle East and Africa, Ian Gorsuch, to begin building a global retail network, and sales and marketing teams for each region.

McLaren North America will be based in the New York tri-state area and McLaren Europe will be based within the McLaren Technology Centre, Woking, UK.

Joseph and Marti’s teams will contribute to a global sales, marketing and aftersales network challenged with setting new standards for service in the performance car sector, whilst ensuring that McLaren Automotive’s quality and performance goals are transferred throughout their regions.

Joseph will develop a team to support an initial network of up to 10 dedicated McLaren franchises in the USA and Canada. Marti’s team will initially work with up to 15 retailers in Europe.

With vast experience in the performance car retail and wholesale business, Joseph said of his appointment: “This is such an amazing opportunity to be part of the launch of not just a brand new range of high-tech sports cars, but the launch of a new car company in a region which will be a major market for McLaren Automotive. Utilising our engineering expertise and racing heritage, we will build cars using nothing but McLaren components, in lower numbers, and higher quality than our competitors. This ensures exclusivity, which I’m sure will be a major factor in generating strong demand and ongoing high residual values from 2011.

“We are initially working to locate and establish a select group of retail partners to best serve our customer base and represent McLaren Automotive going forward. There has been significant enthusiasm from a number of existing luxury car retailers throughout North America, and our first challenge is finding those who really buy-in to our evolving business aspirations.”

Marti, who complements Joseph with his experience of launching premium brand automotive organisations in new markets, said of his appointment: “It is a wonderful chance to be a part of a new organisation launching such an exciting and ground-breaking car. With McLaren’s racing pedigree well known and appreciated across Europe, coupled with the passion amongst automotive aficionados for the McLaren F1, I feel that this will ensure a growing demand for the McLaren range in the region.

“Starting a business from scratch is such a unique opportunity, and to have the flexibility to focus our attentions on what is best for the business gives us an immediate competitive advantage. By working to recruit a relatively small retail network I am looking to uphold the McLaren philosophy – ‘everything for a reason’, by ensuring that our customers get the best service possible, and that they get nothing but pure McLaren.”

Both Joseph and Marti will report into Antony Sheriff, Managing Director of McLaren Automotive, based at the company’s global headquarters, the McLaren Technology Centre, Woking, UK.

Sheriff said of the appointments: “I am really pleased that Tony and Christian have joined us. Not only are we driven to launch the best sports cars in the world, but we are passionate about doing that in a new way that focuses attention on the customer. Tony and Christian immediately bought into that ethos and will push forward this attitude through their sales and marketing networks. Their respective skills will add to our global operation and this is a fundamental aspect of how we work – we are a team and want our regional people and our customers to be part of that team.”