Development of the groundbreaking MP4-12C has entered a critical phase ahead of its launch in 2011. The bespoke, high-performance sports car is undergoing intensive appraisal at a number of test locations around the world, varying from Germany’s Nürburgring Nordschleife to Applus IDIADA in Spain (You can see the film here) and the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC).

Last summer McLaren Automotive engineers conducted a series of tests on a 12C prototype in Bahrain, during which the car was subjected to extreme hot weather testing in the hot and humid, sand-soaked air of the Middle-East. Testing was conducted on the country’s desert roads as well as at the BIC, home to the Bahrain Grand Prix.

During the eight days they were on the ground in Bahrain, the nine-man team exposed the 12C to extreme heat testing to specifically monitor engine performance and the operation of the air conditioning system.

Andy Beale, McLaren Automotive’s Vehicle Development Engineer, said: “It was essential for us to come to Bahrain and test the car’s performance in this region. The GCC is a key market for us so we needed to gain an accurate idea as to how the car will perform under the conditions in the region.”

According to Beale, the results surpassed the team’s expectations. “Our aim was to make sure the MP4-12C would perform exceptionally in the Gulf: that the air conditioning was optimally tuned to beat the heat, and that the engine could cope with the sand and heat of the region. We were delighted about its performance on all counts.”

Now, prototype testing has moved on to XP Beta phase, which takes the 12C nearer to production. These test cars feature significant technological developments, including a revised iteration of the M838T twin-turbo engine, transmission featuring revised gear ratios, new suspension geometry and updated electrical architecture.

McLaren Automotive has captured on camera some of the XP Beta testing that was conducted in Spain’s Applus IDIADA facility, the most comprehensive independent proving ground in Europe. The result is the second in the “Inside McLaren Automotive” series of short films, which gives viewers a unique insight into a performance car-testing programme from the perspective of the development team responsible for the MP4-12C. You can see the film here.

The MP4-12C, the first model in McLaren’s new range of sports cars, will go on sale across the region in 2011.