Friday 7th March 2014

McLaren 12C production paused

New 650S expected to be biggest seller as the superseded 12C takes a back seat

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Production of the McLaren 12C has stopped while the firm satisfies the first orders for the related 650S, a spokesman told us at the Geneva show. On the stand for the first time was the open-roofed Spider version, which completes the line-up for a car we are now discovering will be more of a replacement for the 12C than a halo model.

We say 'more of' because you can still order a 12C if you want to, but McLaren envisage the 650S taking the bulk of sales. "There's an element of customers wanting the newest and best," McLaren Automotive's chief financial officer, Richard Molyneux, told us. Yes, the new model is almost £20,000 more expensive at £195,000, but McLaren is banking on increasingly younger and richer customers, especially in Asia, being happy to pay extra for the latest, more aggressive look with its P1-aping front end.

650S a sign that McLaren can move fast?

"The 650S is partly a reaction to that, and our partly down to our own learning," Molyneux said. "There's no point learning lessons like the big OEMs and then waiting six years to put them on a new model."

We already know it's no lightweight, track-specific rival to the 458 Speciale, despite the boost in power to 650hp from 625hp. And although the 650S is £17,000 more expensive than the standard 458 the detail is all in options, and the 650S gets more standard equipment than the standard 12C including Alcantara interior, carbon-ceramic brakes, an electric adjustable steering wheel and a new infotainment system. The other advantage of having the 650S positioned closer to the £200,000 mark is that McLaren can now put clearer air between that model and the new, 'entry' P13 due next year. No one was willing to talk in detail about that car, but privately McLaren says this will be two-thirds of the price of the 650S, putting it at around £130,000.

That's what's going to propel McLaren toward its stated aim of selling 'several thousand' cars in a 'few years', up from around 1,400 last year. It's already on their way to the 100 dealers worldwide it'll need to do that, with Molyneux telling us he expects the figure to reach 70 this year with 10 in the brand's second-biggest market of China (the US is top).

Perhaps the best news is that McLaren is in profit as of last year, as Ron Dennis told assembled journos at the show. We know the company's getting it right with the P1 in terms of sheer accelerative and dynamic awesomeness, but happily the figures are adding up too.

[tim milne]

Do McLaren use a Tombola to come up with their model names?

[MrTappets]

This makes me feel slightly better about the 650S,although it would have helped their case tremendously if the rear end was a little more adventurously styled. Looks like they started out all excited at the front, were a bit tired going along the sides and then at the back just thought "Actually, I think the 12C was fine as it was."

[gsuk1]

No surprise there then.

They very nearly got it right first time with the 12C so now they're finishing the job! Really taking the fight to Ferrari.
I don't think £20k really makes a lot of difference at this level.

458 Vs 650S - Battle #2

[smilo996]

Amazing what the British can do when they put their minds to it, despite the sustained love in by its own consumers.
It would be great if they pitched Project 13 direclty at the GT3.
F1 1 - CAREERA 0
P1 1 - 918 0
MP12C - Match abandoned, no competition
650S - Match postponed whilst Porsche abandon their rear engined philosophy and build a car to compete with the 458 Speciale and 650S
P13 1 - Match delayed until 2015.

[NotNormal]

I think give it 25 years and the early 12C's will be the ones people will be hunting for. As with all cars the first version of any model is the one people crave. With the quirky swipe locks and original 12C front end quickly being phased out, it's details like these that make the early versions that much more "unique".





With the amount of thread resurrection's on Pistonheads these days i'll be back to update this post in 2039

[mr_tony]

650S looks great, but can't help thinking that this 20k price hike and new front end is to create some clear blue water from a marketing perspective between this car and the entry level car, rather than anything else. I do like the new lights though.

[GTEYE]

I wonder what this will do to residual values on the 12C?

It seems likely that "production paused" really means "quietly replaced".

Is that likely to placate current 12C owners? Not sure that it will.

[007 VXR]

One day i will get one...

[J4CKO]

12C

650S

They following Apples Suffix lead ?

[CraigyMc]

tim milne said:

Do McLaren use a Tombola to come up with their model names?

Compare it with Ferrari's F1 model numbering scheme.

[jackpe]

So the 12C has had a facelift and price rise. This is how this car should have been reported and announced by McLaren. Clearly nervous of how that would be perceived by existing clients of the 12C and how the press would react to them having to make changes so early in the car's lifecycle.
Pretty crap on all levels really and to me the original design looks better and more cohesive. Just grafting on a P1 nose does it no favours.

[CraigyMc]

jackpe said:

So the 12C has had a facelift and price rise. This is how this car should have been reported and announced by McLaren. Clearly nervous of how that would be perceived by existing clients of the 12C and how the press would react to them having to make changes so early in the car's lifecycle.
Pretty crap on all levels really and to me the original design looks better and more cohesive. Just grafting on a P1 nose does it no favours.

It'll be interesting to see if the 650S and 12C actually drive the same.
I don't care about the tiny bit more power the 650S has, it's the suspension damping and e-diff tuning I'm more interested in.

[uncinquesei]

Superseded!
Is it amateur hour? Again?

[CraigyMc]

uncinquesei said:

Superseded!
Is it amateur hour? Again?

Very Speciale.

[vanschpunk]

GTEYE said:

I wonder what this will do to residual values on the 12C?

It seems likely that "production paused" really means "quietly replaced".

Is that likely to placate current 12C owners? Not sure that it will.

I agree with you. I reckon it will replace the 12c. Though with 12c's being original and in small numbers, it will be a niche car to have in the future.

[Gandahar]

I think the 12C will now die a natural death. Will be interesting how 2nd hand prices hold up.

[MycroftWard]

tim milne said:

Do McLaren use a Tombola to come up with their model names?

They may as well do, quite yawn-worthy names really, they don't exactly instill any excitment or emotion.

[JDMDrifter]

Surely no on will buy a 12c now, £20k for a whole lot more car?

[toppstuff]

Gandahar said:

I think the 12C will now die a natural death. Will be interesting how 2nd hand prices hold up.

Given that the 650S is firmly a £200k plus car, I think 12C values are likely to firm up pretty well around the 100-120k mark. Given that the first ones will be 3-4 years old now, I don't think that is too bad.

I think probably too much attention is paid to 12C values. There was always going to be a period of adjustment while the market got used to them and they found their natural value.

People inevitably compare the car to the 458, but Ferrari have had years of practice in trying to manipulate the market in their used cars. It was always going to take Mclaren a few years to adjust, especially as they are still building up their dealer network.

Given the apparent lack of use 458 owners put their cars though ( is it not amazing how so many 458's have less than 10,000 miles !??) I wonder how easy it is to "correct" the mileage on a 12C?

[Pistachio]

MP4-12C will be the purest as it was the original idea for the three pronged model lineup that never happened. (shame)
The 650S (sic) is just a higher price for some LED headlamps and a bit more power and a gloopy P1 esque frt end and a really bad rear bumper graphic.
But McLaren need to earn big bucks, to pay back investment on original car.
So 12C RIP it was nice knowing you. 650S no thanks, if I want flash I will buy a Lamborghini