It's fair to say that we're more than a little excited about the prospect of a new McLaren supercar. Sadly the MP4-12C won't go on sale until 2011 and so it'll be a while yet before we get our mitts on the keys to a test car. However, we jumped at the opportunity to visit McLaren's headquarters in Surrey with the promise of access to the single styling prototype you see pictured above.

On arrival it becomes clear that construction of the 12C's factory unit hasn't begun as yet, so instead we marvel at the Norman Foster designed building that currently houses all of McLaren's activities - including Formula One and the production of the limited series Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss. As spectacular as the bodywork of the latest F1 cars is, it's the heritage racers such as the MP4/4 and MP4/5 driven by Senna and Prost that hold our attention the longest. Along with a certain Papaya Orange McLaren F1 LM.

It's that car from which the new MP4-12C unashamedly draws its inspiration. We're ushered from the expansive, brightly lit 'boulevard' into a moodily lit lounge. A hidden button is pressed and the walls move to reveal the 12C on a carbon fibre turntable.

The dark metallic orange paintwork of the car truly suits its lines, which it should be said are not completely conveyed by photography. The 12C is undoubtedly a compact car, but in the metal its long wheelbase and low roofline lend it a certain elegance - and it's not as wide as some potential rivals are. To call a £160,000 supercar subtle may sound somewhat strange, but the 12C is just that. It certainly isn't an aggressive shape, yet the detailing is fascinating - particularly in the design of the front lights and the unusual blacked out rear valance.

A light touch on the right part of the door releases it and it swings lightly up - taking a significant portion of the side sill with it. Taller drivers will need to watch their heads on the opened door, but otherwise it's quite an easy car to get into and spare room behind the seats gives the impression of a spacious cabin. Saying that, it's not very wide and you sit quite close to your passenger.

Although the bespoke switchgear and instrumentation in this prototype were not working items, the design is more or less final and one of the most unusual features is a large portrait-shaped infotainment screen in the centre console. Apparently it'll be highly intuitive to use and probably a touch screen interface too. Drivers will be more interested in the gearchange mechanism, which is a single metal component mounted behind the steering wheel. To change down you pull the left hand lever or push the right hand. It'll also have a mid-position that readies the transmission for your next gear choice.
But it'll be a while before we get to try that out for real. Unlike the McLaren F1, the 12C will not be a one-off machine. It's the starting point for a range of new sportscars. After the initial 1,000 12Cs are built, McLaren aims to release a new model or derivative once a year, with total annual production targeted at 4,500 units. We weren't told what would come next, but it's a safe bet that there will be an open-topped variant, while a racer is also on the cards.

As a final teaser we discussed that the 12C's construction would allow relatively easy 'coachbuilding', as the body panels are not structural. It's not outside the bounds of reality that a wealthy buyer could commission his own body design for this car in the future.

We'll be back at McLaren's headquarters at the start of 2010 for further announcements, at which time full technical details of the 12C will be released. We can hardly wait.