SPY PICS: McLaren supercar shot

These are the best shots yet of the new McLaren sportscar, codenamed P11. Spy photographers, Carparazzi, caught the car undergoing cold weather testing in Sweden last week.

The P11 has been designed to go head-to-head against the likes of the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and Porsche 911 GT2. Power reportedly comes from a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-litre V8 that has been worked over by German tuning firm Mahle -- through its British subsidiary Cosworth -- to produce 550hp. But it is also rumoured that the engine will carry no Mercedes or Mahle badging and instead be labeled as a McLaren unit.

McLaren is scheduled to debut the car officially early in 2010 before production begins either later in the year or early in 2011. The car's original launch date was pushed back after the company hired ex-Fiat designer Frank Stephenson to re-style the car.

The P11 is McLaren's new road car project to replace the soon-to-end joint venture with Mercedes to build the SLR. The new car represents a significant new chapter for the McLaren Group. Group Chairman Ron Dennis recently announced he will step away from his hands-on role with the Formula One team (more here) to focus on getting the new road car division off to a successful start.

Prior to the SLR, McLaren's only previous road car experience was the legendary F1 supercar designed by Gordon Murrary and powered by a BMW V12. Only 64 road-going examples of the car were built between 1992 and 1998. McLaren has much larger plans this time around with the P11 considered the starting point for a range of new McLaren road cars.

The P11 will spin-off a convertible version a year after it goes on sale and a spiritual successor to the F1 -- currently codenamed P12 -- is also on the cards. Dennis has previously stated he wants the road car division to become a major part of the McLaren Group's business similar to the way Ferrari operates.

-- with Carparazzi