McLaren MP4-12C

[Pup]

Seven minutes flat around the ring? If that's true...wow...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/anything ... -ring.aspx

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Seven minutes flat around the ring? If that's true...wow...

http://www.autocar.co.uk/blogs/anything ... -ring.aspx

Wonder how Porsche and Nissan will react?

My cash is on the SLS Blackseries smashing 7 minutes too...so long as they put the new 5.5 litre twin turbo V8 in place of the naturally aspirated 6.2 litre.

[Just_a_fan]

It makes you wonder what the top of the range version will do. The MP4-12C is the mid-range car; there will be a cheaper and a more expensive car too. The lower one will probably be targetted at the 911 and the upper one at, well what?

[thestig84]

Great videos here http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default ... ryId=23182
Like the other press Pistonheads were very very impressed with it.

[Onch]

It makes you wonder what the top of the range version will do. The MP4-12C is the mid-range car; there will be a cheaper and a more expensive car too. The lower one will probably be targetted at the 911 and the upper one at, well what?

My thoughts exactly... It looks like the journos will have to define a new car category to put the MP4-[pick a number higher than 12 here] in.
Or maybe it will be a trackday special like the Lotus T125? I hope not...

[Just_a_fan]

It'll be a proper road car.

The journos already have a term for such cars anyway - hypercar. Covers the Veyron, F1, biggest Lambos etc.

In effect, Ferrari don't make sports cars anymore (unless you include the California which is more of a top-down 'cruiser' anyway) - their "baby" car is a supercar. The 599 is a superGT and the 612 is no more. The 599 GTO is a 'special'.

Porsche do make sports cars - the Boxster, Cayman and 'ordinary' 911s. They also make supercars in the form of the 911 Turbo and the GT2. The Carrera GT was probably a hypercar. The 918 will probably fulfil this role too (on price if not performance).

I think McLaren's product line will have a supercar (the -12C), a sports car (the -6C (?)) and a hypercar (the -24C (?)).

Of these, I think the sportscar will have the hardest job because it will need to be brilliant and cheap (cheap here meaning £60-80,000) in order to compete with the 911. The hypercar will have a fairly easy job because it's just got be f'ing fast. I expect Veyron-beating levels of performance in a smaller, lighter car but with the -12C's handling abilities. Hell, the -12C (along with the 458) is already pretty close to the Veyron considering its price.

[chepoi]

MP4-12C vs Ferrari 458

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ejAKZ3KXcQ[/youtube]

Mp4-12C got a longer wheelbase vs F458

[freedom_honda]

MP4-12C vs Ferrari 458

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ejAKZ3KXcQ[/youtube]

Mp4-12C got a longer wheelbase vs F458

I am pretty sure Ferrari wouldn't be too happy about this video (referring to Chris Harris' article)

http://jalopnik.com/#!5760248/how-ferrari-spins

[Muulka]

MP4-12C vs Ferrari 458

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ejAKZ3KXcQ[/youtube]

Mp4-12C got a longer wheelbase vs F458

I am pretty sure Ferrari wouldn't be too happy about this video (referring to Chris Harris' article)

http://jalopnik.com/#!5760248/how-ferrari-spins

Is Ferrari ever happy about anything?

[Just_a_fan]

All of the journos keep saying the MP4-12C is brilliant and then finish with a "but" and then pick some spurious little thing to keep Ferrari happy. Usually calling the -12C "clinical" or some such.

Chris Harris in Evo magazine talked about supercars should have an element of "rubbishness". What? You pay £170,000 for a car and you want it to be a bit rubbish? This used be called "character" in the old days which was a euphamism for "it'll break down every 5 iles but it looks / sounds nice".

McLaren have answered every criticism of supercars - the visibility is excellent, the ride is comfortable, the grip is amazing but predictable, it goes like stink but is "economical", it's practical to use, has decent space and excellent ergonomics. What's wrong with it? Looks are subjective and everyone will have a different view.

Every review (including Harris's review which is sickening when one reads the blog piece he wrote about Ferrari) is the same. If the thing had a prancing horse on it there would have been an epoch-changing car. As it hasn't they add a "but".

[Richard]

http://jalopnik.com/#!5781410/mclaren-m ... n-the-wild

[Pup]

Nice.

This video warms my little heart...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=375-d3t0guw[/youtube]

[Just_a_fan]

@richard leeds

How do you think the driver gets out once the car is in the truck? Surely he doesn't ride in it to the destination...

[Onch]

All of the journos keep saying the MP4-12C is brilliant and then finish with a "but" and then pick some spurious little thing to keep Ferrari happy. Usually calling the -12C "clinical" or some such.

...

Every review (including Harris's review which is sickening when one reads the blog piece he wrote about Ferrari) is the same. If the thing had a prancing horse on it there would have been an epoch-changing car. As it hasn't they add a "but".

Don't know if it has indeed to do with keeping Ferrari happy, but I have also been a bit surprised at the 'too clinical' bit...

That said, I tend to agree that too much perfection is not necessarily a good thing. A supercar like the NSX is the perfect example of this. It seemed to tick all the boxes but still it did not go down in history as the best of its era.

I do not think this will be a problem with the Macca though...

Nice vid Pup!

[CMSMJ1]

@richard leeds

How do you think the driver gets out once the car is in the truck? Surely he doesn't ride in it to the destination...

Have you not seen Knight Rider?