McLaren MP4-12C

[Pup]

This little tidbit slipped by us - the 12c has apparently taken the Top Gear top spot...

Up until now, the record for the fastest lap time around the Dunsfold track was held by the Ariel Atom V8 500’s time of 1:15.1. Now, a McLaren dealer in London is foaming at the mouth with information that the MP4-12C has smashed that record with a lap time of 1:14.118 when equipped with standard tires. Take it a bit further and this same dealer reports that, when the vehicle was loaded with the "Light weight package" and some Corsa tires, it managed to lap the circuit in 1:12.915. Oh, and it gets even better. The McLaren MP4-12C GTR is predicted to make that same lap in a blissful 1:09.

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/m ... 09732.html

[Just_a_fan]

If that time was set as part of a Top Gear programme then they won't be at all happy that it got out before the show is aired...

[xpensive]

Have they tried the Dod..I mean Mercedes SLS around the Dunsfold track yet, surely it will beat that time?

[Pup]

1:21.6

Must've been raining.

[CHT]

Power/Weight ratio of Ariel Atom V8 500 is 900bhp per tonne vs MP4-12C 455bhp per tonne. I find it hard to believe how the MP4-12C can be so much faster.

[Caito]

Depends on the track, though the top gear track is "too fast" a bit power biased.

[imightbewrong]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8EAYPssUzg[/youtube]

[Just_a_fan]

Power/Weight ratio of Ariel Atom V8 500 is 900bhp per tonne vs MP4-12C 455bhp per tonne. I find it hard to believe how the MP4-12C can be so much faster.

The Atom is a total beast though and not that easy to get the power down. The McLaren has the full raft of modern electronic helpers - it's designed to be able to get its power down and it's designed to go round corners very quickly (c.f. brake steer).

In a drag race on the right tarmac then I'm sure the Atom would murder it (assuming the driver can get it hooked up perfectly). Again, modern electronic launch control systems allow Mr Average to perform perfect 0-60 times until they run out of fuel (or clutch...).

[RacingManiac]

I always get the feeling with the Atom though that it is not quite as good as its numbers suggests....its got all the formula right(aside from some interesting choices to mount suspension points), but it seems like it should be faster. Car & Driver had the KTM X-Bow as ~5 sec faster around a sub 3 min lap around VIR. Not sure though which spec of Atom it was. With the amount of adjust-ability though I am sure if the car was not setup properly out of the box it might not be able to run its sweet spot....And I'd imagine once speed is high enough that cars like X-bow or in the case here with the McLaren the aero will take over...

[HampusA]

Have they tried the Dod..I mean Mercedes SLS around the Dunsfold track yet, surely it will beat that time?

Surely this is a joke?

[xpensive]

1:21.6

Must've been raining.

More like a snowstorm I guess?

[bill shoe]

The Atom started as a styling excercise that was then applied to functional settings like tracks. As a result it has highly non-optimal functional characteristics such as a very ass-heavy weight distribution. I think this leaves plenty of room for more functionally optimized cars to beat it.

Sorry if this post is too grumpy. I never understood the Atom thing.

[paipa]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8EAYPssUzg[/youtube]

Apparently nobody wants to acknowledge this video. I'd like to note that the 458 was four seconds off the Atom around the Top Gear track. That McLaren dealer is a very funny guy.

[Just_a_fan]

Two points:
1. At the end of the video is a little written bit that says McLaren claim the car was poorly and did a 1.28 later on (beating the best time in the video)
2. Top Gear's track is also used by McLaren as a test track. One would expect the car to be quick around that particular circuit.

In the recent Autocar comparison of the -12C and 458 (which they gave to the 458 by the slightest margin), there is a bit about how the car needs to be driven in a particular way to get the best time from it. Apparently you need to try to get it understeering at which point the brake steer system kicks in to keep the nose tucked in. You can then ask form more throttle without the thing washing wider still. No wonder someone familiar with the car (a McLaren guy) was much quicker than Ben Collins who admitted it was the first time he'd driven the car.

It seems to come down to the journos preferring the 458 because you can turn the traction control off and drift it around corners. Hardly the most relevant feature of a road car I would suggest...

[JohnsonsEvilTwin]

Why the excuses?

It seems there is no end of evidence to suggest the 458 is the better car. From the Stig, through to various journos.
My beloved SLS gets spanked by all and sundry due to its rear traction issues.
Doesnt detract from it being a fine car.

The MP4 12 is a fine car, just didnt hit its lofty target. The excuses of tyres etc remind me of the Porsche/Nissan squabble of nurburgring times. If it made such a diffeeence why wasnt it added beforehand? Or is McLarens meticulousness now having to be questioned to back the excuse?