Producing a successor to the triumphal F1 was never going to be an easy task for the engineers at McLaren. But tasked with building the first purely McLaren-built production car in over a decade, they revealed the 12C in 2009 to critical acclaim, and it remains a popular choice for budding supercar owners.
Unveiled to the world in 2009, the first McLaren MP4-12C, later rebranded the 12C, rolled out of the marque’s new flagship Surrey factory in 2011. And although it lacked the record-smashing top speed of its predecessor, the 12C soon caught the eye of motorists around the world, and a slew of motorshow awards followed.
Powered by a McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8, twin-turbo engine, the 12C boasts similar BHP to the F1 at 616, manages 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds and has a top speed just shy of 220mph. And while that top speed might not be most dazzling on the market, McLaren says its engine is one of the most efficient high-performance engines ever built, and that it has a higher horsepower to CO2 emission ratio than any other combustion engine in the world. It even boasts a not-terrible 24mpg, if that’s what you look for in your supercars.
Away from the engine, the 12C features technical innovations deployed to give it the edge over its competitors. Borrowed from McLaren’s Formula 1 garage, the ‘Brake Steer’ system automatically applies the brakes to the car’s rear inside wheel when cornering to avoid understeer, while the bespoke seven speed ‘Seamless-Shift Gearbox’ promises a big step up in comfort and usability over other similar systems.
Inside, the 12C offers a more conventional space than the F1 did – gone is the single central seat that caught so many people’s eye. Instead, McLaren have spared no expense making the 12C a comfortable and stylish place to sit, even if, according to Autocar, it lacks some of the ‘specialness’ of a Ferrari 458, one of its closest rivals.
By the time production halted in 2014, the 12C had spawned several variants – the most common of which was the 12C Spider; a convertible that offered a retractable hardtop without compromising on performance. McLaren also produced five ‘High Sport’ models featuring technology to be used on their 650S – 12C owners were later generously offered free upgrade packages with that new tech once the 650S hit the market in 2014.
Reported owners of the McLaren 12C include David Beckham, Miley Cyrus, and Will.I.Am, and if you want to join them a second-hand coupe can be yours for as little as £120,000 if you shop around.
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