RE: Driven: McLaren MP4-12C

[Dagnut]

The Pits said:

Congratulations to those with an MP4 12C on order.

With sufficient means I'd have one too.

The 458 may have more 'emotion' (read hystrionics), but the McLaren has more class.

Aside from being influenced by being a big fan of the McLaren F1 team, understated will always be cooler than trying too hard.

From my point of view there's no way a car as fast as the MP4 12C could ever 'lack excitement.' That does not compute.

I'd definitely have more respect for a 12C owner.

[robm3]

Carl_Docklands said:

Was this car fitted with the "EVO Magazine" tweaks? e.g noise, gear leavers and steering feel?

Interesting comment and would be curious to know the answer.
That EVO review also put me off this car, the way the suspension created travel sickness when at 7/10th's on a B road is just a shame.

[roadie]

I see what you mean about the roundel in the centre of the steering wheel. It doesn't look great to me! The rest of the car is lovely.

Can it carry a bag of golf clubs?

[Bill Carr]

dlist said:

Yes, it's at the dealership, unfortunately I'm on holiday right now so I'm getting the dealer to send me photos, it's like some reverse hostage situation

Edited by dlist on Saturday 20th August 23:15

Kudos to you sir. Loved the Batman reference

[phugleigh]

Chris-R said:

'Ours' came out at (deep breath) £220,840.

RRP £168,500

+

Volcano paint 3,820
CF engine covers 2,130
CF mirror casings 2,130
CF engine bay panels 2,980
CF diffuser 2,980
CF splitter 2,130
CF turning vanes 2,130
Sports exhaust 4,040
Stealth pack 770

Carbon ceramic brakes 9,770
Calliper paint 850
Wheels 2,980

Leccy memory seats 2,550
CF interior upgrade 2,980
Leather sport interior 3,400
CF seat backs 2,980
Contrast stitching on dash 260

Tyre pressure monitor 640
Parking sensors 1,530
Tracking system 600
Alarm upgrade 260

Car cover 430

If you have to ask...

Having not yet won the euro millions....
when you buy a new car like this, do they supply it filled with fuel, or do you need to drive at idle speed until you find the nearest station with v-power...??

[Walton]

Read a lot about lack of noise. All I can say is try one.

Last week I listened to my mates with sports exhaust, and I could here him coming over 1/2mile down the road while pootling.
Took a demo out the other day, and in TRACK mode you have to shout to converse with passanger while gunning it.

Key is to put the powertrain in TRACK mode. AFAIK non sports exhaust car has similar in-cabin sound to the sports-exhuast, as most of this sound is the intake.

As for price, you CAN spec one with essential extras (leather, IRIS, tracker, paint, OTR charges) for £180-185k, but I've heard average spec is coming in around £200k.

[Snoggledog]

zippycar said:

I was fortunate enough to have a tour around the MTC a couple of months ago when specking my 12C and can say that it is far from hype.

When you see the evolution of the logo over the years and on different cars, you can see exactly how the current logo has evolved.

It’s like comparing fish to men, no obvious link, but when Darwin shows you the evolution, it all makes sense.

I hate marketing and hype, but trust me, the current logo is a true evolution and a great one at that.

I'm still struggling to see how there's any sort of evolution. Both you and Stuart seem to either have a better eye or more information than I do. To me the new logo is an upside down, squished Nike swoosh tm (C).

[15yrold]

small text

LARGE TEXT

small text

LARGE TEXT

etc

[Insight]

Nicely written article and the journalist used a bit of imagination in the first few paragraphs so quite like that. However, I can't stand this tacky 'Vmax' slang, whatever is wrong with 'top speed'? Maybe it's just me though that doesn't want to keep up with this automotive slang. Please journo's, focus on new ideas and ways of portraying things rather than trying to invent a new language.

[Frik]

Vmax is an engineering term adopted by journalists, not invented by.

[El Guapo]

phugleigh said:

Chris-R said:

'Ours' came out at (deep breath) £220,840.

RRP £168,500

+

Volcano paint 3,820
CF engine covers 2,130
CF mirror casings 2,130
CF engine bay panels 2,980
CF diffuser 2,980
CF splitter 2,130
CF turning vanes 2,130
Sports exhaust 4,040
Stealth pack 770

Carbon ceramic brakes 9,770
Calliper paint 850
Wheels 2,980

Leccy memory seats 2,550
CF interior upgrade 2,980
Leather sport interior 3,400
CF seat backs 2,980
Contrast stitching on dash 260

Tyre pressure monitor 640
Parking sensors 1,530
Tracking system 600
Alarm upgrade 260

Car cover 430

If you have to ask...

Having not yet won the euro millions....
when you buy a new car like this, do they supply it filled with fuel, or do you need to drive at idle speed until you find the nearest station with v-power...??

Full tank of fuel supplied with car, sir - £2180.
Some of those option prices go beyond taking the piss.

[jayfish]

Can I suggest boxing day when the rest of the country is waking up to turkey sandwiches and endless reruns of vicar of dibb;ey/only fools and horses.
Maybe we could also shut the M25 and have some time attack

[ANDYCLAX]

dlist][url said:

|http://thumbsnap.com/9
RgdncHa[/url]
I got mine in fire back with black everything and red seat inserts that look like Batmans suit. I think it looks a lot meaner in this spec. This is the only pic I have for now as it's still with the dealer, will post more soon.
Great article although of course I'm biased, loved the pics too!

I think us Brits should be really proud that we've designed, engineered and built a truly world class mid engined super car that can take on the best in the world and win. This is indeed a great moment for Great Britain.

Edited by dlist on Saturday 20th August 22:10

Edited by dlist on Saturday 20th August 22:25

good if you could join us on mclarenlife,to post your pics and first opinions,there are alot of overseas customers hungry for info!!

[ANDYCLAX]

GFWilliams said:

Thank you, I took the photos

The yellowy effect was put on in photoshop after shooting. I spent quite a long time editing them to have the feel I wanted.

Here are two photos which weren't included in the article. I'm still working through the final few, keep an eye on my site (through my profile) as I'll post the full set with some of my thoughts on the car soon





ETA third shot...

Edited by GFWilliams on Saturday 20th August 11:57

please would you also post on mclarenlife,some great pics,very similar to my spec,which i hope to be picking up in the next few days

[Ftumpch]

I can certainly relate to the frustration of not being able to use fast cars to anywhere near their potential on public roads. That's I've made it my unofficial approach to life to "never drive anything younger than I am" (post 1978).

It's a supremely beautiful piece of kit though. After the procession of monsters and showboats put out by Ferrari, Lamborghini et al over the last 10 years it does my heart glad to see such a no-nonsense supercar on the market again.

[Schnellmann]

When I read comments about how the 12C leaves people cold I wonder whether I've wandered onto What Car (or perhaps Country Life) instead of PH. I certainly have my preferences but to my eyes the 12C, the 458, the Aventador et al are all brilliant, dramatic and just what I would expect supercars to be.

Anyway, after reading about the 12C for so long I am finally going to get to drive it on Wednesday. And no, I'm not left "cold" by the prospect.

[British Beef]

Having to re-engineer a supercar to artifically make a better noise for the drivers entertainment just seems so so wrong to me!

They have tried to make this thing so smooth, refined, ergonomic and quiet (whilst being a road missile), that I think they have missed the point a little for "proper" driving enthusiasts, who cannot have too much of a good thing (engine noise being one).

I suspect this is the price you pay for building an everyday supercar that even your mum could drive.

If I have £200k to spend on a supercar, I dont want it to be a jack of all trades, as I will have plenty other vehcles for that!!

For me, if I want a supercar a Noble M600 wins every time!!!

[Pistachio]

Stuart said:

Snoggledog said:

I'm confused.

Bruce McLaren logo



McLaren Automotive logo.



And the similarities are???

The orange device on the current logo is meant to be an evolution of the Kiwi bird from the original. It's pretty much evolved into something which looks completely different, granted, but that is where the orange thing comes from.

hmm logos well it might have been but for the fact it probably came from the when cigarette adevertising was banned here is another Mclaren logo just before the west sponsorship

Edited by Pistachio on Monday 22 August 11:27

[rhinochopig]

British Beef said:

Having to re-engineer a supercar to artifically make a better noise for the drivers entertainment just seems so so wrong to me!

They have tried to make this thing so smooth, refined, ergonomic and quiet (whilst being a road missile), that I think they have missed the point a little for "proper" driving enthusiasts, who cannot have too much of a good thing (engine noise being one).

I suspect this is the price you pay for building an everyday supercar that even your mum could drive.

If I have £200k to spend on a supercar, I dont want it to be a jack of all trades, as I will have plenty other vehcles for that!!

For me, if I want a supercar a Noble M600 wins every time!!!

A couple of points: First, all supercar manufacturers 'engineer' the acoustic properties of their cars. Second, why does it have to be 'proper' (i.e. has a raft of annoying idiosyncrasies that add 'character') enthusiast's car? I think McLaren have done a really nice job of creating a car that is not aesthetically vulgar and one that seems to offer a refined drive when you want it to, yet deftly balances the ability to thrill when being driven like it was stolen.

For me, a car that can happily be used every day, and yet can still thrill on a early Sunday morning is a fantastic achievement. I suspect these properties will help it sell well too. My money is on this car outselling the 458.

[ANDYCLAX]

British Beef said:

Having to re-engineer a supercar to artifically make a better noise for the drivers entertainment just seems so so wrong to me!

They have tried to make this thing so smooth, refined, ergonomic and quiet (whilst being a road missile), that I think they have missed the point a little for "proper" driving enthusiasts, who cannot have too much of a good thing (engine noise being one).

I suspect this is the price you pay for building an everyday supercar that even your mum could drive.

If I have £200k to spend on a supercar, I dont want it to be a jack of all trades, as I will have plenty other vehcles for that!!

For me, if I want a supercar a Noble M600 wins every time!!!

The noise has not been re-engineered artifically,its just more has been aloud to come into the cabin in track mode,giving you more choice if you want it,i see no problem in that