Friday 4th April 2014

McLaren 12C - RIP

It's official, McLaren 12C production has ended (but existing cars get free 650S upgrades)

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A letter from McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt to existing 12C owners today confirms what we'd suspected but McLaren had, until now, officially denied; the arrival of the 650S officially signals the end of the 12C.

"After three years of 12C production, this represents a natural evolution of our model line-up," says Flewitt in the letter. "The new car has been so well received since its unveiling at the Geneva Motor Show (we already have a six month order bank) we will focus all our capacity at the McLaren Production Centre on 650S."

That's it, the last 12C has left the building

Many in the thread following our 650S drive speculated how the rapturous reception for this evolution of the 12C would leave existing owners feeling. Not least as they consider the ongoing residual values for their cars in the face of them no longer being the newest and latest.

Well, Flewitt has an olive branch for them in the shape of a free upgrade package.

"True to the McLaren ethos, the benefits of such progress are not limited to our new models. As a McLaren owner, we want to be able to share these developments with you with the offer of a free Technology Upgrade available from June," he tells owners. "This package of upgrades will offer new Active Aero software which will allow your 12C's existing Airbrake to 'sense' different driving scenarios, deploying to improve stability when lifting off the throttle or cresting a hill - this is in addition to the usual Airbrake position under heavy braking. The new system also includes a DRS (Drag Reduction System) mode which lowers the wing when driving at speed in a straight line, improving high-speed aerodynamics. The Technology Upgrade also includes improvements to functionality and usability of the Android-based IRIS system. Later 12C models (with door buttons) will further benefit from an external control to lower the windows, to aid easier access in confined spaces."

650S style DRS among upgrades for 12C owners

'Special price' upgrades to 650S DAB and reversing camera are also on offer, though the letter notes "depending on your model year, there may be hardware restrictions."

The package will be available to fit from June and owners are encouraged to contact their dealers to discuss how it will apply to their particular car directly.

Desperate attempt to appease disgruntled existing customers? Or a pragmatic response to the fast-moving evolution of the 12C into the 650S? Over to you...

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Read the letter in full here.

[Andy665]

Will existing California owners be receiving a similar olive branch from Ferrari following the announcement of the California T - I doubt it

McLaren are doing more than they necessarily need to and should be congratulated on not simply sticking the fingers up to 12C owners

[elvismiggell]

Agreed. Vauxhall didn't write to me when they made changes to the Astra.

VW offer DAB on all new cars, but I can't imagine they're retrofitting it to previously sold ones of the same model.

[richs2891]

A clever marketing move, and a good way to preserve both customer feelings and used values of 12C's

[abbotsmike]

Sounds very generous of McLaren! Why should 12C owners feel disgruntled? They bought a car that they wanted, and now the manufacturer has brought out a newer model. Sounds like normal progress to me...

[PHMatt]

I cant get my head around the fact this is 3 years old.
I swear it only came out at the tail end of last year?!

[Cassius81]

I agree with the thoughts above - seems a very generous move on McLaren's part.

Does anyone on here actually own a 12C as would be good to hear from them?!

[Gompo]

Andy665 said:

Will existing California owners be receiving a similar olive branch from Ferrari following the announcement of the California T - I doubt it

McLaren are doing more than they necessarily need to and should be congratulated on not simply sticking the fingers up to 12C owners

The California is 6 years old rather than 3, and also probably contains more substantial developments on the new model. Lastly McLaren said they would offer upgrades from the off anyway.

[monthefish]

the article said:

A letter from McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt to existing 12C owners today confirms what we'd suspected but McLaren had, until now, officially denied; the arrival of the 650S officially signals the end of the 12C

It's ridiculous that manufacturers do this i.e maintain a company line that everyone knows is bulls**t. It just makes them look dishonest when they finally admit the truth.

[Frimley111R]

PHMatt said:

I cant get my head around the fact this is 3 years old.
I swear it only came out at the tail end of last year?!

That's what I thought too!

[Raman Kandola]

How many manufacturers would offer to a FREE upgrade on a previous model when the range has been updated. Kudos to Mclaren!

[EdLeMas]

I think it is very refreshing that McLaren are offering this free package to existing 12C owners. I cannot understand why anyone with a 12C would feel disgruntled if a newer model is brought out, especially as the early cars have been offered free upgrades throughout the life cycle of the car.

The 650S has new hardware that would not be cost-effective for McLaren to swap out with 12Cs but if the 650S is sold out for 6 months, one could argue McLaren don't need to do anything to help existing owners.

My ideal spec would keep the 12C looks but with the hardware upgrades from the 650S. I think the new nose looks completely at odds with the rest of the car...

[gofasterrosssco]

I am a disgruntled 650S owner, annoyed at all those inferior, used 12C's getting all these free upgrades..! Should just have bought one of those!



(Nice touch by Mclaren IMO)

[loudlashadjuster]

Cue the whingers...

I think this shows McLaren has their customers in mind more than most. That they're still learning how to be a 'proper' manufacturer, with all the publicity genuflection that entails, is obvious, but at least they're being commendably transparent about it.

Granted, three years isn't a long product cycle, but on this showing and from the little I know of how customers in these brackets are treated, I'd far rather be a customer of McLaren than Ferrari.

Something tells me that, rightly, the 650S won't be with us for long either.

Release early, release often. Works in software, probably right for the 'software generation' of cars too.

I bet people with unfulfilled 12C orders are being suitably compensated/incentivised.

[Vantagefan]

Other manufacturers should take note of this. Keeping loyalists loyal will pay dividends in the future.

[toppstuff]

loudlashadjuster said:

Cue the whingers...

I'd far rather be a customer of McLaren than Ferrari.

Same here. I think that sums it up.

[zeduffman]

monthefish said:

It's ridiculous that manufacturers do this i.e maintain a company line that everyone knows is bulls**t. It just makes them look dishonest when they finally admit the truth.

They only announced the 650S a few weeks ago didn't they? Perhaps they didn't imagine they'd get 6 months worth of orders in that time.

[P4ROT]

Andy665 said:

Will existing California owners be receiving a similar olive branch from Ferrari following the announcement of the California T - I doubt it

McLaren are doing more than they necessarily need to and should be congratulated on not simply sticking the fingers up to 12C owners

I agree, this is a very rare gesture at this end of the market IMHO. Having seen my dad own Porsches and an Aston from new, although the service is very, very good, never expect anything for free (let alone car upgrades!).

[kbf1981]

Andy665 said:

Will existing California owners be receiving a similar olive branch from Ferrari following the announcement of the California T - I doubt it

McLaren are doing more than they necessarily need to and should be congratulated on not simply sticking the fingers up to 12C owners

This.

[Carl_Docklands]

Its a nice olive branch but when your 500 mile 12C spider has dropped £65k in 12 months, I doubt re-programming the air-brake is going to cut it.

If Mclaren wants to keep owners and future owners happy, Mclaren simply should have dropped the price of the 650S to where it should be and where the market says it should be. What have they done? They have increased it.

Will this make new 650S owners happier or more peed off in 2 years time? It don't take a degree in marketing or car market economics to work that one out.

[hondansx]

Carl_Docklands said:

Its a nice olive branch but when your 500 mile 12C spider has dropped £65k in 12 months, I doubt re-programming the air-brake is going to cut it.

If Mclaren wants to keep owners and future owners happy, Mclaren simply should have dropped the price of the 650S to where it should be and where the market says it should be. What have they done? They have increased it.

Will this make new 650S owners happier or more peed off in 2 years time? It don't take a degree in marketing or car market economics to work that one out.

But won't the 650S continue to evolve, too?

I think it's a good way of forming a loyal client base. After all, this is effectively a brand new car company.