McLaren MP4-12C

Active suspension and 205mph performance, now under £100k

FOR McLAREN, engineering a mind-bendingly fast supercar was simple. It had the passion, expertise and high-tech facilities to make the MP4-12C a reality. After all, it didn’t do a bad job when it gave road car production a stab in the ’90s.

The MP4-12C represented so much more than an exercise in excellence, though. McLaren Automotive was an all-new company, insisting on selling a usable, reliable and technologically advanced supercar to rival the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini. With all the dealers, servicing and finance packages to support it.

Yet the single-minded approach of a company born out of an F1 team didn’t make the achievement easy. There were plenty of off-the-shelf platforms, engines and transmissions, but McLaren wanted to build its own car, its own way.

At the core of the 12C is a carbonfibre ‘MonoCell’ monocoque that is not only lightweight but also extremely rigid. Power comes from a 592bhp, 90º twin-turbo V8 developed in the UK by Ricardo. It’s the same basic design that has gone on to power every McLaren road car since, including the P1. It drives the rear wheels through a super-quick sevenspeed dual-clutch transmission.

Launched in 2011 for £168,500, the 12C maybe looked a bit restrained by comparison with shoutier rivals but it made up for that in performance. It hit 60mph from rest in 3.3 seconds, achieved 186mph by 24.5 seconds, and topped out at 205mph.

Double wishbones and fully adaptive coil-overdampers laid the groundwork for a new high-tech suspension system. Dispensing with anti-roll bars was the big revolution, instead using hydraulics to connect all four corners. This allows for Lotus-like ride quality, with impressive chassis control.

Drivers can switch between Normal, Sport or Track, altering spring and damper rates significantly. The 12C also pioneered ‘Brake Steer’ – eliminating understeer by grabbing at the inside rear brake – as part of the ProActive Chassis Control system.

It left the Ferrari 458 Italia standing, but seeking out every last ounce of grip and performance left the first cars feeling devoid of charm on the road. There were teething problems too, with delayed delivery and the inadequate IRIS computer and navigation system. To get on top of the issues McLaren offered many free upgrades, including a boost to 616bhp. Hundreds of small calibration changes steadily improved the driving experience.

Towards the end of 2012, McLaren launched the 12C Spider and production stopped in 2014 with the introduction of the 650S. Only four years on, we’re already looking at the 12C as a modern classic. It’s such a significant car, laying the groundwork for McLaren Automotive’s constantly expanding and improving range of sports, super and hypercars. When you consider that a good MP4-12C now starts at well below £100,000, it’s a cracking buy. Matthew Hayward