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McLaren Automotive's eagerly-awaited debut car the MP4-12C, likely to cost in the region of BD100,000, will make its first-ever official appearance in the Middle East in Bahrain on Sunday.
The revolutionary sports car will be unveiled at the Royal Golf Club as part of a whistle-stop world tour which sees it presented to select audiences in every city in which the car will be sold.
McLaren Automotive's regional director Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, Ian Gorsuch, pictured below right, and President and CEO of its local partner Al Ghassan Motors, Ghassan Abdul Al Rahman Al Sulaiman, will be present at the event.
It will be the first chance for the Bahraini media to speak to representatives and officials from McLaren Automotive and Al Ghassan Motors about their joint venture.
The involvement of Formula 1 experts on the development team means the 12C has been designed, developed and engineered to the same standards and expectations as those of McLaren's Formula 1 projects.
Along with the rolling chassis showcasing its carbon construction, the introductory events allow an up-close and personal encounter with the new car. It goes on sale in Bahrain early next summer.
Additionally, Al Ghassan Motors will host a fully equipped official service centre, for which the technicians will receive full technical training at McLaren's headquarters in the UK.
McLaren Automotive has already establishment its regional head office in Bahrain. All distributor-side management, marketing and support functions for the premium sports car manufacturer are being managed from its Manama office.
Last year, McLaren Automotive subjected its 12C-prototype to extreme hot-weather testing in the heat, dust and humidity of the Gulf summer.
Testing was conducted at the Bahrain International Circuit as well as on the island's desert roads.
And, with Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company, the kingdom's investment company, having a 42 per cent stake in McLaren Group as well as a 50 per cent stake in McLaren Automotive, the kingdom was considered 'a home away from home' by the company.
With significant interest already expressed by local car enthusiasts, Bahrain is also expected to be an important market. "The extremely positive feedback we have received so far from potential customers is evidence of the strength of our brand on the island," said Mr Gorsuch.
"At McLaren Automotive, we believe that by combining an excellent product with the highest standards of customer care will help us lay down the foundations for long and continuing success.
"By partnering with Al Ghassan Motors, who enjoy an excellent reputation and have vast experience in the luxury and sports automotive sectors, we will ensure our customers receive the very best on both fronts."
McLaren Automotive will be represented throughout the region through a retail network in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. It now has a global network of 35 partners who will be responsible for selling an initial annual production run of up to 1,000 MP4-12Cs in 2011.
Al Ghassan Motors, which has a showroom in West Eker, near Sitra, was formed in 1992 in Jeddah, and began by specialising in all makes of higher end sports and luxury vehicles including Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti and Lotus. The company soon gained a reputation for expertise in this sector of the market.
Mr Al Sulaiman added shortly after the deal was struck: "Bahrain is renowned for its love of luxury cars, and over the years people here have built up a thorough respect and understanding of high-end vehicles.
"Our aim at Al Ghassan is to translate our appreciation for McLaren by delivering the highest standards of customer service through the purchase and after-sales experiences. We are dedicated to providing our customers with all the expertise and assistance they need for years of happy ownership."
The MP4-12C has been designed around the driver to take on the world's best premium performance cars. The focus has been on lowering the car's centre of gravity, as well as keeping all components between the front and rear axles for an ideal weight distribution - even the centre console has been kept narrow, with the purpose of bringing the driver and passenger closer together in the centre of the car.
The 12C promises to be lighter than the competition thanks to its carbon fibre and aluminium construction. Key to its relative feather-weight nature is the McLaren-developed, carbon MonoCell 'tub', which houses the driver and passenger in the centre of the car and weighs just 80 kilograms.
Powered by a turbocharged 3.8-litre, 90 degree, 32-valve, V8 engine, McLaren say the car will achieve a 0 - 200km/h sprint in less than 10 seconds and is capable of a top speed in excess of 320km/h.
