RE: Hennessey McLaren 12C HPE700
Discussion
trickymex said:
What a world we live in when 625 bhp isn't enough. I don't have enough skill to drive the standard car anywhere near it's limit let alone with nearly another 100bhp, I suspect most are in the same boat so this does seem a little pointless
Money doesn't buy talent.On the other hand, if the 12C had 200bhp I doubt the market for it would be large. For some people, more is more.
C
How many 12C owners in the US, or the rest of the world that matter, drive their cars to the limit, or use the power for anything other than straight line squirts and bragging rights? Less than 10% I'd guess. Most of these cars aren't going to see a track, a twisty road or a hard life at all. I'm sure there will be plenty of rich 12C owners, to whom $19,000 for 70bhp is probably nothing, and more than worth the bragging rights and a bit of extra highway poke.
i drove a 12c to work this morning in the rain. It is already way too powerful to get its power down in bad weather conditions which i guess is not a situation this car often finds its time spent but a huge amount of fun, more so than in the dry where speeds that would require jail time are required before the fun starts. I just dont know where u can really use its current full power in the dry let alone more. This and the 458 need a track as do most modern supercars. I spend most of my time in my 76 911 which is a blast no matter what u are up to. I dont have the self control to live with most modern fast cars in factory spec without being able to expend them at the track.
I'm not a fan of this Hennessey.
Seems to me to be a massive amount of re-engineering for a pretty pointless upgrade. And the stock car is so beautifully measured and fast to start with, I struggle to see the point.
Still, I'm sure they will sell some of these to people who want the bragging rights. But I don't see much of a market - in the main I think McLaren drivers are not really into bragging rights. It is'nt really the McLaren ethos IMO.
Seems to me to be a massive amount of re-engineering for a pretty pointless upgrade. And the stock car is so beautifully measured and fast to start with, I struggle to see the point.
Still, I'm sure they will sell some of these to people who want the bragging rights. But I don't see much of a market - in the main I think McLaren drivers are not really into bragging rights. It is'nt really the McLaren ethos IMO.
The "too much power" tagline can be applied to so many cars. If you're attitude is that you can't use this power on the road, too fast, what's the point, etc - surely you'd be happier in getting a little Yaris (fitted with a restrictor so it couldn't do more than 70mph).
This car, and other ultra HP cars like this, could actually be used by people that just want to go fast on a track/drag strip, occasionally.
This car, and other ultra HP cars like this, could actually be used by people that just want to go fast on a track/drag strip, occasionally.
CraigyMc said:
This isn't a bad writeup: http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/track-tests/201...
This caught my eye - "In a sense the McLaren's M838T engine is just getting started. In eighteen months, the M838T was designed, developed and assembled to McLaren's requirements by engine consultants/gurus Ricardo in West Sussex, England. Those requirements included that the M838T generate 600 PS, 600 Nm, weigh no more than 200 kg [it actually weighs 199kg] and provide class-leading fuel economy. [The] M838T is a fairly conventional engine - it employs port fuel injection, valve lift is fixed (though timing is variable) and its turbos are single-volute wastegated units. Currently the engine has a low 8.7:1 compression ratio; applying direct injection would allow higher compression ratio, collectively bumping output by roughly ten percent. And because the M838T is a flat-plane V8, its firing order means it is ideally suited to twin-scroll turbos. Switching to twin-scroll turbos would improve volumetric efficiency (read: more output) and improve transient boost response. Plus, Ricardo officials have hinted at some kind of innovative valvetrain as a possible future enhancement. Time will tell."
Which basically leads me to believe that this engine is running in a relatively 'relaxed' state at the moment. I doubt what Hennessey's done has even really scratched the surface of this engines potential. Despite what the British naysayers on here think regarding customisation, the American mentality when it comes to cars is far more individualistic - "Any schmuck can buy a fast car, I want mine to be unique" is the mindset. you don't have to like it but that's the way it is!
simonrockman said:
mrclav said:
"Any schmuck can buy a fast car, I want mine to be unique" is the mindset. you don't have to like it but that's the way it is!
That way lies Masonry.C
JLJ11 said:
i drove a 12c to work this morning in the rain. It is already way too powerful to get its power down in bad weather conditions which i guess is not a situation this car often finds its time spent but a huge amount of fun, more so than in the dry where speeds that would require jail time are required before the fun starts. I just dont know where u can really use its current full power in the dry let alone more. This and the 458 need a track as do most modern supercars. I spend most of my time in my 76 911 which is a blast no matter what u are up to. I dont have the self control to live with most modern fast cars in factory spec without being able to expend them at the track.
Good to hear a genuine input from someone that has real world experience of this actual car.Meoricin said:
Mafioso said:
Can we stop this stupid Americanism please? It's plastered everywhere now and looks so childish/fastfurious to me. Am I the only one?
Sounds better than standard, so no.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_o135BaMZM
so, "stock" is fine by me too.
Seems reasonable when you consider Litchfield charge about £10,000 to take a standard Nissan GTR up to 750BHP (although I think they fit a lot more than just larger turbos to Nissan's 3.8 litre engine for that money).
I think there will always be a place for tuners at all levels. I haven't left many of my cars standard over the years and I'm sure there are a lot more people like me on this site.
I think there will always be a place for tuners at all levels. I haven't left many of my cars standard over the years and I'm sure there are a lot more people like me on this site.
Lots of people can afford a 12C in the US but want to have the fastest and most powerful. It's mainly about bragging rights, and a lot of the guys paying for these mods simply ask the tuner to make it the best regardless of cost. I have a friend who built up a large company doing just this in Beverley Hills. He said most of his clients couldn't drive these super cars at 50%, yet still wanted to throw a lot of money to customise it and make it the biggest, baddest car on the street with headline making numbers. His quote was along the lines of "anyone can buy a Ferrari in this town, the only way to stand out is to have the most power, fastest 1/4 mile, custom interior and have spent the most money".
Hennessey is just catering to this market. Apart from the owner coming across as an absolute thieving cretin (google his treatment of various Viper customers) I do like that they've not fiddled too much with the 458 and 12C styling.
Hennessey is just catering to this market. Apart from the owner coming across as an absolute thieving cretin (google his treatment of various Viper customers) I do like that they've not fiddled too much with the 458 and 12C styling.
gwm said:
We are just very anti-modification in the UK. I don't see anything wrong with this. It's not some gawdy tart up. McLaren will factor in marketing and reliability just like any other manufacturer.
Rather than assume the only people who will want this are looking for bragging rights, perhaps the mod will change how the car feels too? Without a back-to-back road test, none of us could say.
So why aren't these aftermarket guys shouting from the roof tops how much faster the cars are with their upgrades? Oh that's its, they haven't tested it have they! lol Rather than assume the only people who will want this are looking for bragging rights, perhaps the mod will change how the car feels too? Without a back-to-back road test, none of us could say.
4a4 said:
JLJ11 said:
i drove a 12c to work this morning in the rain. It is already way too powerful to get its power down in bad weather conditions which i guess is not a situation this car often finds its time spent but a huge amount of fun, more so than in the dry where speeds that would require jail time are required before the fun starts. I just dont know where u can really use its current full power in the dry let alone more. This and the 458 need a track as do most modern supercars. I spend most of my time in my 76 911 which is a blast no matter what u are up to. I dont have the self control to live with most modern fast cars in factory spec without being able to expend them at the track.
Good to hear a genuine input from someone that has real world experience of this actual car.Unless you are taking it on track there is just no need for the extra power, you aren't going to use it on the road.
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