The McLaren MP4-12C is one of the fastest, most desirable cars on our roads today, but McLaren thinks it could be even better. The 2013 model, will be faster, more powerful, sound more aggressive and be more user friendly.
The headline change is a 25PS increase in power. Its mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 has been tickled slightly so it now produces a whopping 625PS (616bhp).
The car’s 7-speed SSG transmission has been fettled, too, so it helps provide more immediate throttle response and improved clutch control for faster, silkier gear changes.
McLaren claims the changes provide a significant jump in performance. 0-62mph is unchanged at 3.1 seconds, and it does 0-124mph in 8.8 seconds — just 0.1 seconds quicker than before – but huge gains can be seen when you’re really pushing on. 0-186mph now happens in 26.5 seconds — a full second quicker than the previous car.
It’ll also do the quarter mile sprint in 10.6 seconds, as opposed to 10.7, and maxes out at 207mph instead of the previous best of 205mph.
While you’re ripping the tarmac a new pothole, you’ll appreciate the improved acoustics from the car. McLaren’s Intake Sound Generator (ISG) system, which controls the amount of engine intake sound heard inside the cabin, is now programmable across three levels in all three of the car’s driving modes. In theory, it should sound like it’s generating a small tornado under the bonnet when you lift off the throttle, which is a good thing as the previous car was sometimes accused of sounding a bit limp-wristed.
McLaren promises some tweaks to the 2013 MP4-12C’s bodywork. It’s removed the tricky touch-sensitive door locks in favour of physical buttons, so you can now get inside the thing (particularly when wearing gloves).
It’s also added a host of tech. The new car will come with a setting that turns the headlamps on when it rains, to improve the car’s visibility to other drivers (as if they could miss it). There’s also a new ‘auto lo’ setting to the climate control, which cools the cabin without running the vans at their noisiest, fastest setting.
Last but not least McLaren’s improved the interior trim, added Volcano Yellow to the paint options list and added a new 5-spoke wheel design. Oh, and it’s also slapped a £176,000 price tag on it.
If you’re a current MP4-12C owner then fret not. The company is offering many of the refinements seen on the 2013 car to existing models for free. Owners of the current car will get a free engine power upgrade, recalibrated transmission, the programmable Intake Sound Generator and headlights linked to the rain sensor.
Check out the pictures of the new car below and let us know what you think. Is it as good as the Ferrari 458 Italia? Do you prefer the Jaguar XKR-S? How many kidneys you think it’s worth. Speak your mind below or on Facebook.
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