Size comparison · drawn to scale
McLaren MP4-12C vs Mercedes-Benz 300SL W198: size comparison
- Length 300SL W198 11 mm0.4 in longer
- Width MP4-12C 118 mm5 in wider
- Height 300SL W198 96 mm4 in taller
Car 1 blue, solid outline
Car 2 coral, dashed outline

Change cars
Zoom in to read the measurements - or see the table below.
Scale about 1:20 on a desktop screen · grid 500 mm1 ft · in Overlay both cars start at the front bumper Side view: dashed lines mark the axles Front view: width without mirrors Top view: footprint on the road
Dimensions and difference
The MP4-12C is 11 mm0.4 in shorter, 118 mm5 in wider and 96 mm4 in lower than the 300SL W198. Its wheelbase is 270 mm11 in longer.
| Dimension | MP4-12C | 300SL W198 | Difference, car 1 vs car 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 4,509 mm14 ft 10 in14 ft 10 in4,509 mm | 4,520 mm14 ft 10 in14 ft 10 in4,520 mm | −11 mm−0.4 in −0.2% |
| Width | 1,908 mm6 ft 3 in6 ft 3 in1,908 mm | 1,790 mm5 ft 10 in5 ft 10 in1,790 mm | +118 mm+5 in +6.6% |
| Height | 1,204 mm3 ft 11 in3 ft 11 in1,204 mm | 1,300 mm4 ft 3 in4 ft 3 in1,300 mm | −96 mm−4 in −7.4% |
| Wheelbase | 2,670 mm8 ft 9 in8 ft 9 in2,670 mm | 2,400 mm7 ft 10 in7 ft 10 in2,400 mm | +270 mm+11 in +11.3% |
| Footprint | 8.60 m²92.6 sq ft92.6 sq ft8.60 m² | 8.09 m²87.1 sq ft87.1 sq ft8.09 m² | +0.51 m²+5.5 sq ft +6.3% |
| Kerb weight | 1,434 kg3,161 lb3,161 lb1,434 kg | 1,295 kg2,855 lb2,855 lb1,295 kg | +139 kg+306 lb +10.7% |
| Price new (EUR) | from about €200,000 (2011) | Not in our catalog yet | - |
Width without mirrors. Figures come from the catalog version pages; the drawing uses the same numbers. Body outlines are generic for the body type - proportions are exact, styling is not. New prices are list prices in EUR entered by our editors, with the year.
Garage and parking
A typical single garage is about 5.5 × 3.0 m18 ft 1 in × 9 ft 10 in inside; a parking bay about 5.0 × 2.5 m16 ft 5 in × 8 ft 2 in. Room to open a door: about 600 mm2 ft each side.
MP4-12C
- Single garage
- Tight 991 mm3 ft 3 in to spare in length, 546 mm1 ft 9 in each side
- Parking bay
- Tight 491 mm1 ft 7 in to spare in length, 296 mm1 ft 0 in each side
300SL W198
- Single garage
- Fits 980 mm3 ft 3 in to spare in length, 605 mm2 ft 0 in each side
- Parking bay
- Tight 480 mm1 ft 7 in to spare in length, 355 mm1 ft 2 in each side
Frequently asked questions
Which is bigger, the McLaren MP4-12C or the Mercedes-Benz 300SL W198?
The McLaren MP4-12C is the bigger car by footprint (length × width). The MP4-12C is 11 mm shorter, 118 mm wider and 96 mm lower than the 300SL W198. Its wheelbase is 270 mm longer.
Will the McLaren MP4-12C and the Mercedes-Benz 300SL W198 fit in a standard garage?
In a typical single garage of 5.5 × 3.0 m inside: The McLaren MP4-12C fits, but it is tight to get out (991 mm to spare in length, 546 mm each side). The Mercedes-Benz 300SL W198 fits with room to open the doors (980 mm to spare in length, 605 mm each side). Widths are without mirrors; check your own garage with our garage checker.
Drawn to one scale
Both cars use the same millimetre grid, so a longer bonnet or a taller roof shows exactly as it is.
Wheels at the real wheelbase
Dashed lines mark the axles. In Overlay both cars start at the front bumper; car 2 has a dashed outline.
Will it fit my garage?
Switch to Top view, or to feet and inches if your garage plan is in feet. Allow about 600 mm (2 ft) for opening the doors.
