McLaren MP4-12C

McLaren MP4-12C key specifications

How McLaren built its first series car

McLaren began the project in 2005 and decided in 2007 to build the car itself, without a partner. That followed the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, which the two companies had built together; the old 1cars text linked the clean break to disagreements between them. More than fifty prototypes were tested in places as different as Bahrain, Arizona, the Arctic and high-altitude South Africa.

The car was shown online in September 2009 and in public at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2010. Series production started on 2 February 2011 at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking. A dedicated McLaren Production Centre, built for about 4,000 cars a year, was opened on 18 November 2011. Frank Stephenson led the design team from 2008 and reworked the headlights, front bumper and cabin.

The name follows McLaren's Formula 1 cars, which have used the MP4 prefix since 1981. "12" is the company's internal vehicle performance index and "C" stands for carbon. McLaren dropped "MP4" in 2012, so later cars are badged 12C. For the wider story of the company, read the history of McLaren and the profile of its founder Bruce McLaren.

MonoCell carbon tub and ProActive chassis

The tub is the story. The MonoCell is a one-piece carbon-fibre structure that weighs 80 kg and is made by Carbo Tech in Salzburg. A carbon tub took about 3,000 hours to make for McLaren's F1 cars and 500 hours for the SLR; the 12C process cut that to four hours. Aluminium frames carry the front suspension and the engine.

The double-wishbone suspension is linked by a hydraulic system called ProActive Chassis Control. It controls body roll hydraulically, so the car can ride softly on a bumpy road and still stay flat in corners. Brake Steer brakes the inside rear wheel when the car starts to run wide, a trick McLaren had used in Formula 1. Tyres are Pirelli P Zero, 235/35 R19 at the front and 305/30 R20 at the rear, on forged wheels.

M838T engine, gearbox and performance

The M838T is a 3.8-litre 90-degree V8 with two turbochargers and a dry sump, developed with Ricardo. It revs to 8,500 rpm. Turbo lag is small. At launch McLaren quoted 441 kW (600 PS) at 7,000 rpm and 600 Nm from 3,000 rpm. A free upgrade in January 2013 added 25 PS, giving 460 kW (625 PS), and owners of earlier cars received it too.

Power reaches the rear wheels through a seven-speed Graziano dual-clutch gearbox that McLaren calls SSG. The engine sits behind the cabin, and the weight split is 42.5 % front and 57.5 % rear. McLaren quoted 0–200 km/h in 9.1 seconds and a stop from 100 km/h in 30.5 metres.

By our calculation, the launch car carries 3.25 kg per kW, and the 2013 update brings that down to 3.12 kg per kW. Use the 1cars power-to-weight calculator to set those numbers against any other car.

Dimensions, cabin and front boot

It is a low car. The 12C is 4,507 mm long, 1,909 mm wide and only 1,199 mm tall, on a 2,670 mm wheelbase. The dihedral doors swing up and forward, and the narrow carbon sills make getting in easier than in many mid-engined cars. The cabin is snug but simple, with a slim centre console and a portrait seven-inch touchscreen.

That screen ran the IRIS infotainment system, which drew criticism when the car was new. The optional upgrade added voice-controlled navigation, a larger hard drive and a seven-speaker Meridian sound system. Luggage goes in a 144-litre boot under the front lid.

Spider, HS and racing versions

The 12C Spider arrived in 2012 with a two-piece folding hard top that works at up to 30 km/h. Because the MonoCell needed no extra bracing, the Spider weighs only about 40 kg more than the coupé. Its top speed is 328 km/h with the roof up and 315 km/h with it down.

McLaren Special Operations built ten 12C HS cars with a revised nose, diffuser and wing, plus 75 hp more. It also built the one-off X-1 coupé, shown at Pebble Beach in 2012. On the track, the 12C GT3 was announced in December 2010 and raced from 2012, when 25 cars were readied for the FIA GT1 World Championship. The first wins came at Navarra with Hexis Racing.

Running costs and ownership

The EU combined figure is 11.7 l/100 km and CO₂ emissions are 279 g/km. That was low for a 441 kW car in 2011, when rivals with similar power used far bigger engines without turbochargers. Tyres and brakes cost more than fuel. Servicing was due every 16,000 km (10,000 miles) under a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty. In November 2010, McLaren's launch price list put the car at about €200,000 in Germany. McLaren later offered an extended warranty for cars up to 12 years old, which helps used buyers today.

Safety equipment and testing

There is no crash-test score. Neither Euro NCAP nor IIHS tested the 12C, which is normal for a supercar built in small numbers for a few years in a single British plant. The carbon MonoCell itself is the main safety structure, and it does not rust like a steel body. Stability control and cast-iron brake discs are standard. Early cars had no reversing camera; one became available as an upgrade in July 2013.

McLaren 12C against its 2011 rivals

The Ferrari 458 was the benchmark, and testers often found the 12C quicker but less emotional. The McLaren was widely praised for its supple ride, a result of its hydraulic suspension. The Gallardo and the Audi offered four-wheel drive and a V10 sound. In a Top Gear test-track lap on 10 July 2011, the 12C recorded 1:16.2, second-fastest at the time. Other mid-engined cars are listed in the 1cars supercars section, and the 1cars comparison tool sets any two of them side by side.