Tuesday 19th July 2016

McLaren MP4-12C: Spotted

It's left-hand drive and very, very orange, but it's also the first 12C we've seen at less than £100K...

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McLaren really has come an exceptionally long way in a very short space of time. It's easy to forget that the first drives of the MP4-12C (as it was then) took place in early 2011. Since then we've seen that car updated to the 12C and then 650S, with the 675LT too. Those in addition to the P1 and Sports Series cars. It's arguably not ideal for customers who can't have the latest, greatest McLaren for long, but the speed of progress is staggering.

See, it can do supercar drama

Inevitably though the non-limited cars will depreciate, so here we are just a few years later with an original MP4-12C. That really was a clumsy name, wasn't it? While the styling does look a little ordinary in light of the P1-esque 650S update, there's a lot to recognise from this in the current McLarens; it's really not that old, after all!

That will be the same with all 12Cs though; what's special about this particular McLaren Orange car is the price. It's offered at £98,500, which is the first time we've seen a new-era McLaren at five figures. Of course it's a still a great deal of money, but it's definitely worth talking about.

Because that's the sort of money people pay for a 370hp 911 Targa, and now it's enough for a modern, 600hp supercar. And while the MP4-12C might not have been spot-on from the outset, there's still some really significant technology in it: the carbon fibre tub, the Proactive Chassis Control and the Brake Steer to name three. It will, of course, be terrifically fast as well.

Downsides? There are a couple. It's left-hand drive, which will automatically disqualify it for some people. Even with the McLaren's very good visibility, that will make it trickier in the UK. Moreover, the interior won't be to all tastes, with almost-tan leather not the best match for the orange paint. It is also one of the higher mileage 12Cs available.

So yes, about the interior...

But perhaps more pressing than those concerns is the knowledge that right-hand drive cars are deprecating too. This older 12C has more miles on it than the orange car but is just over £10K more expensive. Worth the extra? Or is the appeal of a sub-£100K McLaren strong enough?

Finally, there's the Ferrari question. New or used, the 12C will always be up against the Ferrari 458. The most affordable 458 currently in the PH classifieds is £120,000, also left-hand drive but with nearly 20,000 miles. A tough decision...

In addition, how much further can they fall? There must be a little more depreciating to do given how new the cars are, particularly with the 458 and 12C having now been replaced. Whichever you get and whatever you pay, it promises to be a brilliant supercar. Let's just hope they get cheaper for a couple more years yet...

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MCLAREN MP4-12C
Engine: 3,799cc, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: 7-speed SSG twin-clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 600@7,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 443@3,000rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: 279g/km
First registered: 2013
Recorded mileage: 14,000
Price new: £168,500
Price now: £98,500

See the original advert here

[sidesauce]

I think the reason it's fallen beneath the £100k mark is that colour combination isn't very nice in addition to the fact it's lhd - at this price point, people are more likely to hold out for what they actually want spec wise and not just 'go with it' because of the price. Personally, I'd pay the extra £10k for the rhd model linked in the article as it looks a lot nicer to my eyes; if I can afford £100k for a car then a 10% surcharge for something that is more to my taste seems like a (relatively) small price to pay!

[Arbs]

The older they get the more I like the older styling! When it first came out I thought it was a little subdued but now I think it looks really good! Would have thought these would hold there money as they can't have been many produced before they updated to the 650s.

[TooMany2cvs]

I quite like the colour combo - to my eyes, at lesat, it's massively preferable to that bland is-it-white-is-it-silver-do-I-even-care with bland-coal-hole on the RHD car.

I find it extremely depressing, though, that 14,000 miles over three years has led to "one of the higher mileage", combined with a £70k depreciation tag. I sincerely hope that every single one of those miles was worth the fiver (plus maintenance, fuel etc).

A thought, though - Guernsey car. So is there VAT payable on top of the £98,500? Or is that already included? The advert should clearly state if it is payable, but...

[diandmike]

I think that at around £100k these cars put the current air cooled 911 into some perspective (and also interesting comparison with a new well specced Alfa 4C?)

[j90gta]

Left-hand drive shouldn't be a problem; I always found it easier to place a wide car when driving on the left-hand side of the road.

[AyBee]

I'd be paying £10k more for the RHD version myself. Stick a decent wrap on it and you've got a car in the colour with the steering wheel on the correct side. Why compromise for the sake of an extra £10k?

[Krikkit]

TooMany2cvs said:

I quite like the colour combo - to my eyes, at lesat, it's massively preferable to that bland is-it-white-is-it-silver-do-I-even-care with bland-coal-hole on the RHD car.

I find it extremely depressing, though, that 14,000 miles over three years has led to "one of the higher mileage", combined with a £70k depreciation tag. I sincerely hope that every single one of those miles was worth the fiver (plus maintenance, fuel etc).

A thought, though - Guernsey car. So is there VAT payable on top of the £98,500? Or is that already included? The advert should clearly state if it is payable, but...

We don't often agree, but I'm with you there.

This one has a better colour scheme again with the tan in the centre of the seat: http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

£25k more mind.


As an aside, why isn't there a nicer-looking fixing on the throttle bodies than a bloody jubilee clip?! Doesn't seem very McLaren not to have specified a nicer fitting since it's visible through the engine cover.

[james_gt3rs]

Orange is definitely my favourite colour for the 12C!

[patch5674]

I honestly think the 12C is so much better looking than the 650S. Grafting the P1 nose onto this beautiful thing spoiled it.

There is a couple of these in black around London and they really do just burble by daily, unnoticed. Which I understand is possibly not appealing to all, but it really was a really tasteful design, and considering it was McLaren's first attempt in quite some time, it is remarkable.

[matsoc]

Good price, in EUR this is now 120k, I found some tempting LHD in Germany but at not least than 130k€ so far

[Baryonyx]

The MP4-12C is such a great looking car, it's funny to think that it's faded into relative obscurity. The dreadful name can't have helped, but then it seems McLaren didn't make much of a fuss about it either, they just quietly moved onto other models without much fanfare.

[FN2TypeR]

Baryonyx said:

The MP4-12C is such a great looking car, it's funny to think that it's faded into relative obscurity. The dreadful name can't have helped, but then it seems McLaren didn't make much of a fuss about it either, they just quietly moved onto other models without much fanfare.

There was a bit of fanfare among owners once the new model was announced I believe, many weren't happy

[sidesauce]

TooMany2cvs said:

it's massively preferable to that bland is-it-white-is-it-silver-do-I-even-care with bland-coal-hole on the RHD car.

It's a super car. It's not a bland car whatever the colour it comes in. Plus a white car in summer always looks good to me...

You are of course entitled to your opinion. However I think it's more likely the white car will sell first (and for more money too) even though it has more miles on it.

To me, it's a simple case of a lack of market demand for that particular combination of lhd, mileage and spec/colour in comparison with other cars of this type on sale that's pushed it beneath the £100k mark.

[CTE]

My view, but being an owner I am bound to be biased, but I only see the cars going up in value relative to its obvious competition (which is £20-30k more expensive)...it is a far superior product in almost every way, and I have experienced both.
And as for being compared to cars that can be bought for similar money...if you are in the market for a car of this value, you really ought to drive one before you go and waste your money on anything else.

[TooMany2cvs]

sidesauce said:

It's a super car. It's not a bland car whatever the colour it comes in.

I didn't say it was a bland car.

I said it was a bland colour combo.

sidesauce said:

that's pushed it beneath the £100k mark.

Or that it's actually £118,200 because of the VAT that the dealer's forgotten to mention (or doesn't realise), since it's being imported from outside the EU. It may actually be £130,020, because of duty, too.

Matt Bird - any chance of wrapping the article up by confirming the VAT status...? Because if the VAT and duty are due, then that knocks the whole basic tenet of the article out...

[bomma220]

Oh, shut up, you whining Cackybag. Who gives a st about the VAT? It's a lovely car that you'll never own, just be happy someone's shown you a picture of it.

[Dave Hedgehog]

bomma220 said:

Oh, shut up, you whining Cackybag. Who gives a st about the VAT? It's a lovely car that you'll never own, just be happy someone's shown you a picture of it.

i use the same logic for all the girls on p**nhub

[TooMany2cvs]

bomma220 said:

Who gives a st about the VAT?

When the whole point of the article is "Oh, look, a <£100k Mc", then do you not think it's kinda relevant if it's actually going to cost £100k, £120k or £130k?

[red_slr]

Drivers head rest looks like a porn starts face...

Anyway....

Stop it with these "look at how cheap this is" threads, because the little grid urchins like myself who are waiting in the bushes for these to drop a bit more so we can afford one really don't appreciate you informing the whole world how much car you get for "little" money.

[BVB]

Be lucky to get 80 grand for that. How many 12C's sold? Not many at all, there's a reason for that. Tiff Needell being spewed off the track backwards by it's intrusive inside wheel braking system is one of the reasons. But moreso, just look at it.