McLaren's->ke284 announcement that it was planning to launch one new model a year paved the way for the impending arrival of the company's entry-level model, the P13. It's a segment that McLaren admittedly lacks presence in but recently, McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt bared significant details about the P13, shedding more light to what's already shaping up to be an interesting "entry-level" sports car->ke506.

Speaking with Top Gear, Flewitt announced that the P13 will, in fact, be slotted below the 12C->ke3514, and will cost only two-thirds of the 650S. Do a little calculating and you're going to hit somewhere close to £135,000, which is about $226,000 based on current exchange rates. That ought to be good news for those looking for a McLaren but that don't have the finances to afford the 12C or 650S. That also makes it about £7,000 ($11,727) less than the 911 Turbo S.

Another interesting revelation from Flewitt is that the P13 will carry a V-8 powertrain similar to the 650S, albeit one that will come with significantly less output than the 650S. Flewitt didn't specify the number, but whispers in and around Woking lead us to believe that the final number will be between 400 and 500 horsepower. That should be enough to justify an entry level McLaren without impeding on the 650S and the 12C.

The P13 will also carry the same two-seat, mid-engine configuration that McLaren has been known for. In a lot of ways, the P13 will not be as small as people think. For one, McLaren has said that all its models except for the P1->ke4608 will use the same carbon-fiber tub, dubbed the ‘monocell." Flewitt also admitted that once the engine is added into the equation, the P13 will have its own character and identity that will certainly lend itself as a model that can make a mark in its segment. At least that's what the big boss of McLaren Automotive believes, proudly exclaiming that the P13 will be "the most engaging car in its segment" when it goes on sale in September next year.

Just don't expect it to retain the 'P13' nonmenclature. The company hasn't come up with a name, but you can expect it to be at least consistent with how it's named its other models.

Click past the jump to read more about the McLaren P13.

Why It Matters

McLaren has been tight-lipped about the development of the P13 so hearing Mike Flewitt talk shop about the sports car's details makes us think that we're coming closer and closer to hearing more about the P13. We've been treated to bits and pieces here and there, but now that Flewitt has thrown some details out there, we can't wait for more information to arrive.

Additionally, this is a clear sign that McLaren has Porsche in its site, undercutting its 911 Turbo S by £7k.

McLaren P13 - Rendering

The rendering above was fairly straightforward to create, as all of the reports point to the P13 being essentially a downsized 12C with a few cues from the P1. It's likely that the P13 will follow in the same vein as the 650S with some changes here and there.

Based on this rendering, you can see that nearly all of the P1 cues are up front, including the nose and headlights. It does sort of look like the 650S, doesn't it?