Image Credit: McLaren
The McLaren MP4-12C, later known simply as the McLaren 12C, is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1, which ended production in 1998. The car's final design was unveiled in September 2009, and was launched in mid-2011. The MP4-12C features a carbon fiber composite chassis, and is powered by a mid-mounted McLaren M838T 3.8-liter V8, twin-turbo engine developing approximately 592 hp (441 kW; 600 PS) and around 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. The car makes use of Formula 1-sourced technologies such as "brake steer", where the inside rear wheel is braked during fast cornering to reduce understeer. Power is transmitted to the wheels through a seven-speed seamless shift dual-clutch gearbox. A convertible version of the car called the MP4-12C Spider, renamed the 12C Spider in 2012, is also available. In February 2014, McLaren announced the related 650S, with revised bodywork, upgraded engine and other technical improvements. In April 2014, McLaren announced the end of production of the 12C.
Specifications
Design
In 2008, McLaren hired Frank Stephenson as design director for their reborn production car project.As with the McLaren F1, carbon fiber is used extensively in the vehicle to minimize weight. The MP4-12C weighs 1,301 kg (2,868 lb) dry. The chassis is based around a F1 style one-piece carbon fibre tub, called the Carbon MonoCell, weighing only 80 kg (176 lb). The MonoCell is made in a single pressing by using a set of patented processes, using Bi-Axial and Tri-Axial carbon fibre multiaxial fabrics produced by Formax UK Ltd. with the MonoCell manufactured by Carbo Tech in Salzburg, Austria. This has reduced the time required to produce a MonoCell from 3,000 hours for the F1 and 500 hours for the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, to 4 hours for the MP4-12C.
The car has a conventional two side-by-side seating arrangement, unlike its predecessor the McLaren F1 which featured an irregular three seat formation (front centre, two behind either side). To make up for this however, the car's central console is narrower than in other cars, seating the driver closer to the centre. Interior trim and materials can be specified in asymmetric configuration – known as "Driver Zone".
Engine
The car is powered by the M838T 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 engine, designed and developed by McLaren, Ilmor and Ricardo. The design of the engine was based on a racing engine which was designed and developed by Tom Walkinshaw Racing for the IRL Indy Car Championship but never raced. However, other than the 93 mm bore, little of that engine remains in the M838T. It produces 592 bhp (441 kW; 600 PS) and 443 lb·ft (601 N·m) of torque. It has a redline of 8,500 rpm, with 80% of torque available at just 2,000 rpm. When first announced, McLaren claimed that it would have a higher horsepower to carbon dioxide emission ratio than any internal-combustion engine available at the time. McLaren announced a small number of improvements to become available in October 2012, with the option to be retrofitted to existing cars free of charge. The engine now produces 616 bhp (459 kW; 625 PS) and no change to the CO2 emissions which remain at 279 g/km. This power output has also become standard on the 2013 model. The M838T engine is manufactured for McLaren at the Ricardo Shoreham Technical Center in West Sussex.
Transmission
The engine is connected to a seven-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox made by Graziano Oerlikon. Dubbed the "Seamless Shift Gearbox" or SSG, the gearbox features a system dubbed "Pre-Cog" that allows the driver to preselect the next gear by lightly tapping the paddle.
Performance
McLaren have stated the 12C can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.1 seconds and 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph) in 9.0 seconds. During independent testing of a stock 2012 12C, DragTimes recorded a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 2.7 seconds and a quarter mile time of 10.2 seconds at 218.15 km/h (136 mph), the 3rd fastest verified time for a stock production car at the time. The car has a claimed top speed of 207 mph (333 km/h) and was tested at 213.2 mph (343 km/h) by Sport Auto. It can brake from 200 km/h (124 mph) to a complete stop in under 5 seconds. Braking from 100 km/h (62 mph) to zero can be done in under 30 meters (98 ft), around seven car lengths.
Terminology
The name's former prefix 'MP4' has been the chassis designation for all McLaren Formula 1 cars since 1981. Since 1997, 'MP4' has stood for McLaren Project 4 (from 1981 to 1996, the "M" stood for Marlboro, McLaren's title sponsor), resulting from the merger of Ron Dennis' Project 4 organisation with McLaren. The '12' refers to McLaren's internal Vehicle Performance Index through which it rates key performance criteria both for competitors and for its own cars. The criteria combine power, weight, emissions, and aerodynamic efficiency. The coalition of all these values delivers an overall performance index that has been used as a benchmark throughout the car's development. The 'C' refers to Carbon, highlighting the application of carbon fiber technology to the future range of McLaren sports cars. MP4-12C shares its name with the MP4/12 Formula 1 car that raced in the 1997 season. This car featured a second brake pedal discovered by photographers to counter under-steer on the exit of the corners by selecting the inside rear wheel, similar to the computer controlled "brake steer" system of the MP4-12C. In the end of 2012, the name of the MP4-12C was reduced to 12C - that name is usually used when referring to the coupe. The open-top version now being called the 12C Spider.
Production
Produced at the new £50m McLaren Production Centre, which is located next to the existing award-winning McLaren Technology Centre in Surrey, the building is designed to serve as the future production site of McLaren Automotive's road cars. British Prime Minister David Cameron officially opened the building on 18 November 2011. All of the major components are produced by external contractors, with only final assembly, paint and inspection/shipping occurring at the McLaren Production Centre. Final assembly starts with the MonoCell, around which all components are then placed and fitted.
Reception
On 10 July 2011, the MP4-12C set the second fastest lap around Top Gear's test track, posting a time of 1 minute and 16.2 seconds. The car was developed and tested by McLaren on the Top Gear test track as part of their product development, long before its appearance on the show. It was 1.1 seconds slower than the Ariel Atom 500 with the third fastest lap and 2.4 seconds slower than the Pagani Huayra with the fastest lap.
The car was also tested by Top Gear when the 3 presenters went to Italy to try and find a car that was better than a Ferrari 458 and cost less than £250,000. However, the MP4-12C finished second behind the Ferrari 458 Italia in Car Magazine's July 2011 group test. It placed third behind the 458 and Porsche 911 GT2 RS in the lap times set at Rockingham Speedway by racing driver Ben Collins. At an EVO magazine test it was over a second slower than the Ferrari around the Bedford Autodrome West track, it was also slower in Fifth Gear and Car Magazine. The MP4-12C also lapped the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 28 seconds. The 12C won the Middle East "Car of the Year" Award as "Best Super Car" in 2012 and overall "Car of the Year" at the Middle East Motor Awards the same year.
Variants
McLaren MP4-12C Spider
Image Credit: NetCarShow
The 12C Spider is a convertible version of the MP4-12C with a retractable hardtop. Because the coupe was designed from the outset with a convertible version in mind, no additional strengthening was needed for the Spider and it weighs only 40 kilograms (88 lb) more than the coupe. McLaren has worked to preserve the coupé's 204 mph (328 km/h) top speed and up to 196 mph (315 km/h) is possible roof down. Meanwhile, the dihedral doors of the coupé are retained.
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