WOKING, England, (Reuters) – McLaren unveiled the  first of a range of supercars yesterday that will take their  Formula One battle with Ferrari and Mercedes out of the  racetrack and into the automotive arena.

McLaren said the new MP4-12C, with a likely price tag of  around 150,000 pounds ($229,200) and annual production of 1,000  cars from 2011, represents the “logical next step” for the  British-based company.

“We know it’s a competitive market, we know many small car  companies have come and gone but we are not going to be one of  them,” chairman Ron Dennis told a news conference after the  team’s world champions Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button had  pulled the covers off an orange prototype.

“We are here to stay,” added Dennis, who stood down as  Formula One team principal last year to head up McLaren  Automotive.

“Our pedigree and our history and our brand can definitely  support an entry into this segment of the market. There are some  frightening statistics which have been burned into my brain over  the last few years.

“I think the most frightening is that since 1966, since  McLaren first entered grand prix racing, 106 Formula One teams  have come and gone,” added Dennis.

“Therefore for me, staying solely and exclusively a Formula  One team is almost surely going to lead to extinction…so I  think there is an imperative need to broaden the commercial  basis of this company.”

McLaren last built their own sportscar, the F1, from 1993 to  1998 and then assembled the Mercedes SLR model at their Woking  factory.

The winners of eight F1 constructors’ titles announced a  divorce from Mercedes, who took over the title-winning Brawn  team, last year but will continue to be powered by Mercedes  engines on the track for some years yet.

The MP4-12C will have a McLaren designed engine, however,  producing a top speed in excess of 200 mph (320 kph) and capable  of sending the car from 0-200kph in under 10 seconds. The 200-0  braking time will be less than five seconds.

McLaren Automotive managing director Antony Sheriff said  cars would be sold in every major market with 35 dealers to be  appointed in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Singapore,  Hong Kong, Japan and Australia.