McLaren MP4-12C

[switters78]

Looks like some small company's one-off car. Definitely not "look" the price tag and name. Kinda disappointed really... expected this to be an incredible car, and well... the original McLaren looks way better.

Yes, it looks like any number of generic supercars that are forgotten after a year because they lost funding. Plus, a little too much Hyundai Genesis in the front end for that price...

EDIT: I think a Le Mans win might win it a few points though!

[2ndclasscitizen]

I don't mind the styling, but the numbers make me smile. That thing is going to ****ing go.

[NicFromLA]

Don't underestimate McLaren. It is a very big company, not just another small company trying to make a sports car. I have never heard of any problems with the current SLR. McLaren also makes all the ECUs for the current F1 cars so I am sure they can handle the electronics of a road car.

First, the SLR had the electronics from a MB SL, what one would call 'tried and true'. Second, F1 cars and road cars are two totally different animals: the electronics in an F1 car only need to work for about four hours and afterwards can be rebuilt with little regard for cost, electronics in a street car need to work for years and need to be inexpensive enough to fix that dealers and customers can pay for it.

What it comes down to is this: People think it's easy to do what Ferrari does, but it's not.

[Matra et Alpine]

That last sentence just answers your own question.

Wait till you get the chance to drive a 70s sportscar with straight cut gearbox operated through a dozen hinges/balljoints/rods ..... Not for all the time, no thanks

[fpv_gtho]

First, the SLR had the electronics from a MB SL, what one would call 'tried and true'. Second, F1 cars and road cars are two totally different animals: the electronics in an F1 car only need to work for about four hours and afterwards can be rebuilt with little regard for cost, electronics in a street car need to work for years and need to be inexpensive enough to fix that dealers and customers can pay for it.

What it comes down to is this: People think it's easy to do what Ferrari does, but it's not.

I dont think the task is going to be any harder than it would for someone like Koennigsegg for instance.

[Matra et Alpine]

I liked this description of their engineering comprosies ....

“We have spent most of the programme ‘adding lightness’,” said Mark Vinnels, McLaren Automotive Programme Director. “If the cost of reducing weight brought performance gains in speed, handling or economy, we did it. However, if the expense could deliver improved performance elsewhere we didn’t pursue it. We never set weight targets as such; we set cost-to-performance targets and examined everything in this way.

“A good example of this philosophy is that we considered carbon fibre body panels. They would have reduced weight but added little benefit as the new one-piece Carbon MonoCell provides all of the torsional strength the body needs. The costs saved were used elsewhere for greater weight reduction and efficiencies overall. This was the holistic approach to weight saving that we used all the way through development,” he concluded.

Colin would be pleased to see British car design building on his heritage

EXcellent 100,000 word McLaren release at McLaren MP4-12C (2011): the first official P11 story | Automotive & Motoring News | Car Magazine Online

Love also that they are citing 80% of torque availabel at 2000 revs.
Going to make it a usable street car AND set up for a future in GT racing I hope

[Ferrer]

Wait till you get the chance to drive a 70s sportscar with straight cut gearbox operated through a dozen hinges/balljoints/rods ..... Not for all the time, no thanks

But as you said if you want to enjoy a car you prefer the good ol' three pedals and lever. And that was precisely my point. It doesn't matter if it's from the 70's or was built yesterday.

[Matra et Alpine]

yes, but I also enjoy getting drunk and falling over ... but I don't want to do it EVERY day !! ( every couple is fine )

That was the point I was trying to make ... yes manual moving the pedals and levers is fine. But, give me the same experience with better quality, reliability and performance ?
It's like expecting the gearchange to be on the outside of the body with the clutch being a lever on the handle. I'm sure all those early car owners yearned for those days after they got gearstick and clutch pedals

IF this 'box can shift as quick or quicker than Koenigsegg's then it's fine.
I'd rather have the performance ( nb, I don't expect the Alpine to match the performance of a modern performance car, so already making those trade-offs )

Re electronics, McLaren pioneered electronics in F1 and one of the most repsected.
TAG supplied race and road cars.
Also a race car is much more aggresive to electronics than any road car coudl ever be.
Besides, it's MUCH more about the software and knowledge of control that makes the difference. THey've got terrabytes of real world data to use as the basis of testing new control solutions !!

[LTSmash]

After watching that video I'm even less excited for this to be released. Why does this need race/sport/touring options? With everying thing McLaren represents you would think they would make a super hardcore-no wimps allowed car.

[blingbling]

wow i arrived so hard when i saw this people are drowning in my mojo

[Wouter Melissen]

Just added more and larger shots:

2011 McLaren MP4-12C - Images, Specifications and Information

[NSXType-R]

This is NOT a car to beat the F1. It is placed against Gallardos, 458s and 911 Turbos.

I didn't say it was out to beat the F1, I'm just saying that those who already own the F1 might be turned off by the fact that it doesn't have a manual. That's all.

[digitalcraft]

It's not a bad looking car. I agree that it is pretty generic, and therefore shares a look with the Hyundai Genesis and new Mazda models.

Reminds me a bit of the early 2000s when everything looked honda.

That said, not bad looking but really good performance, I think this car might do ok.

[Matra et Alpine]

After watching that video I'm even less excited for this to be released. Why does this need race/sport/touring options? With everying thing McLaren represents you would think they would make a super hardcore-no wimps allowed car.

I think for two reasons ...
1. You can With electronic controlled dampers, adjustables springs, traction control and differnetial brake control then it's "easy" to add standard "templates". After all, if you want hard core, just leave it on race all the time
2. It's nice to own a car that you can drive on the beautiful roads (in Scotland) and then can rip it on the tracks at the weekends

and I guess a third ... increase sales. They'll sell more cars that way AND ..... They will likely add a "LM" version later which is stripped out, high speed aero, more power, bigger brakes and setup for race

[LTSmash]

I think for two reasons ...
1. You can With electronic controlled dampers, adjustables springs, traction control and differnetial brake control then it's "easy" to add standard "templates". After all, if you want hard core, just leave it on race all the time
2. It's nice to own a car that you can drive on the beautiful roads (in Scotland) and then can rip it on the tracks at the weekends

and I guess a third ... increase sales. They'll sell more cars that way AND ..... They will likely add a "LM" version later which is stripped out, high speed aero, more power, bigger brakes and setup for race

I see your point on 1, but I think it destroys the character of the car to have soft settings and then raced up settings all at the push of a button.

About 2, that applies to sentimental Scotts (and others who fit in, myself included) who enjoy driving on some of the more beautiful roads of this world. Sadly, this is not the case with many and I wouldn't be surprised to see the MP4-12C being only confined to the Las Vegas strip driven by wealthy d-bags who know nothing of really enjoying such a car.

On 3, I still can't accept the sad truth of supply and demand.