Friday 18th February 2011

In Drag: McLaren MP4-12C Takes On 911 And 458

It's the knock-down, drag-out video you've all been waiting for...

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We know that there's been a fair bit on PH this week about the McLaren MP4-12C, but this little YouTube nugget has come our way and we thought we'd share it with you.

It appears to be an impromptu drag race between the Macca and its two arch nemeses, the Ferrari 458 Italia and the 911 Turbo.

We're not sure whether this was something McLaren did for its own amusement before the official press launch at Portimao, or whether there will eventually be some sort of official video about it (this sure as hell isn't an official promo vid...), but the results are pretty interesting.

Predictably, the 12C takes the 'win' but what's perhaps most interesting is the way the four-wheel-drive 911 loses out to the 458 at the very start before clawing back some ground to be neck and neck with the Prancing Horse as the two cars disappear from view.

After extensive, in-depth analysis of the footage with a panel of PH experts (all right, all right, we actually just phoned up Sutters and asked him what he reckoned), we've decided that this is down to the fact that the Ferrari has a more sophisticated launch control system, but that the Porsche catches up once its turbos kick in, while the McLaren wins because, er, it's faster than the other two...

ps - PH top tip: scroll straight to 0:40 on the vid, as nothing happenss before then...

 

[clinchy]

Worst video ever LOL Might as well have pulled up at a set of lights on the A4 and done that

[After_Shock]

clinchy said:

Worst video ever LOL Might as well have pulled up at a set of lights on the A4 and done that

Lol, mega delay for the Porsche starting!

[AndyCzech]

Clearly the Porsche fluffed the start.

[nonuts]

the noise of all three together. Good job, crap video.

[sleepersix]

A camera at the far end to see the result clearly would have helped.

[Lyons]

Poor reaction time for the Porsche...

[Oddball RS]

Driver reaction is the only thing that that proves, they should have all set of at the same time surely, also isn't the 911 Turbo at a bit of a cost diss-advantage..............................? GT2?

[lauda]

That's funny, I can't see a team of Ferrari mechanics anywhere in the background.

[vxr8mate]

Complete fail.

[Pixel Pusher]

lauda said:

That's funny, I can't see a team of Ferrari mechanics anywhere in the background.

They're still up a mountain digging the FF out!!!

[Jasper Gilder]

More importantly - who was leading at the end of the lap - Portimao is a pretty demanding circuit.....

[HAB]

Nice viral campaign by McLaren. Quite surprised they've endorsed this, though. Seems a bit teenage imo.

They could at least have made sure all three cars got off the line together.

[russy01]

Pixel Pusher said:

lauda said:

That's funny, I can't see a team of Ferrari mechanics anywhere in the background.

They're still up a mountain digging the FF out!!!

I like that.

[alz]

Oddball RS said:

Driver reaction is the only thing that that proves, they should have all set of at the same time surely, also isn't the 911 Turbo at a bit of a cost diss-advantage..............................? GT2?

GT2RS!!!!!!!!!

[Snoggledog]

The chap waving the flag 'appeared' to have a McLaren cap on. Slightly obvious?

[Niffty951]

I think the Porsche just bogged the start orvsimply had a poor reaction time. Don't think this was down to traction control. It looked faster than the Ferrari right from the start. Superb to see the McLaren (a British sports car) holding its own against probably the two fastest accelerating production cars on sale at the moment. Not often you see a Brit car competing in terms of outright speed (since TVR).

Edited by Niffty951 on Friday 18th February 13:10

[W00DY]

Disappointed.

From the title I thought we'd see it trash an old Rover.

[BBS-LM]

Telling the result of the race before you have the chance to watch the fking video is a little disappointing, you fking tt.

ps - PH top tip: Watch the video before you read the stupid spoiler news story.

Edited by BBS-LM on Friday 18th February 13:13

[Flanders.]

BBS-LM said:

Telling the result of the race before you have the chance to watch the fking video is a little disappointing, you fking tt.

Bad day?

[Pixel Pusher]

Flanders. said:

BBS-LM said:

Telling the result of the race before you have the chance to watch the fking video is a little disappointing, you fking tt.

Bad day?

fkin Tourettes syndrome