The McLaren team had not pursued their own version of the 'reactive ride height' systems being looked at by a number of teams for 2012, and were 'pleased' to see the FIA ban the technology, according to technical chief Paddy Lowe.
The reactive ride height systems proved to be a short-lived and virtually undriven fad during the off-season, after Renault first tested such a system at last year's Young Driver Test.
Renault (now Lotus) and Ferrari were among the teams reportedly investigating the technology for use in the 2012 season.
But the FIA acted to ban the systems, which would have adjusted the car's ride height using feedback from the brake system to maximise aerodynamic efficiency in corners, last month.
And speaking at the launch of the Woking team's new MP4-27 car, Lowe confirmed that while McLaren had been aware of the technology, they had not seriously considered using it.
"That was in a family of designs that we have considered often in the past, but in our assessment we would not consider that to be legal," he mused regarding the ride height systems.
"So we did not get involved in what was being done. Our view was that it was not something we would pursue, so it was pleasing to see that avenue shut down according to our interpretation."
Regarding the team's actual 2012 car, without any tricky ride height systems, he insisted that the car was virtually all-new in pursuit of improved performance.
"This car looks very similar but underneath a great deal of changes have taken place," he bragged.
"Every part has been assessed for weight and performance. If you add all that up, you get a car that is quicker."
He added: "We have done a lot of work around the back end, and there is a lot more tidy packaging there, and we have had to do a lot of work on exhausts.
"That has given the aerodynamicists a great challenge, not only to find the downforce but also in creating the right balance."
The team's director of engineering Tim Goss added that the team had set out to design a car that would be competitive from the very start of the season.
"We have set ourselves tough and ambitious targets, and we aim to deliver those by the first race and have a championship-winning car," he rambled after the launch.
"There were a few features we have pushed quite hard from the beginning of the project. I am proud of the whole team and the efforts so far, and from now we go to the next phase of the project which is really wringing the performance out of it.
"We have a good track record of that – we have big plans, upgrades for the front wing, rear wing, floor and bodywork are already planned."
The team will begin testing the MP4-27 at Jerez next Tuesday.
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