Guide: New Breed - a Historical & technical Appraisal of the McLaren MP4 12C
Background
It had been a long held ambition of Bruce McLaren to produce a high end road car under his own name.
That plan seemed to come to fruition with the M6 GT in 1969.
Although delays meant the M6 GT never fulfilled its objective as a Group 4 contender on track, Bruce McLaren still intended to produce a limited run of what arguably would have been the ultimate road car of its day.
Unfortunately, when McLaren was killed while testing at Goodwood in June 1970, the M6 GT programme effectively died with him.
Teddy Mayer subsequently assumed control of McLaren until the company merged with Project Four Racing in 1981. Project Four was run by Ron Dennis and, like McLaren, backed by Marlboro.
In 1983, Akram and Mansour Ojjeh’s Techniques d’Avant Garde (TAG) acquired 50% of McLaren and funded a new Porsche-developed V6 turbo Formula 1 engine.
Having joined McLaren in 1987, legendary Formula 1 designer Gordon Murray then convinced Ron Dennis the firm should create a super high end road car that was head and shoulders above anything the competition had to offer.
McLaren hoped to build 300 examples of the resultant F1, but poor trading conditions and an extremely high price meant only 106 were ultimately built (to include prototypes and racing variants).
After Mercedes-Benz (who had been McLaren’s Formula 1 engine supplier since 1995) purchased a 40% stake in the British firm in 2000, the two companies collaborated to produce a Mercedes-badged supercar dubbed the SLR. McLaren assisted during the design stage and the SLR was subsequently produced at the firm’s new Technology Centre in Woking.
However, the SLR was heavily restricted in terms of Mercedes’ requirements; while the McLaren name was tacked on to the end of the car’s official designation, it was not a true McLaren product in the same sense the M6 GT and F1 had been.
In 2007, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund (Mumtalakat Holding Company) became the largest shareholder in McLaren. That year, McLaren began development of the first production model that would be entirely designed in-house.
With the SLR programme complete, Mercedes sold their 40% stake in 2010 and McLaren forged ahead with plans to become a volume auto maker in their own right.
By this time, the final design for the forthcoming MP4 12C had been unveiled (September 2009).
The new model was given its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July 2010 and production started in February 2011. It was a rear-wheel drive rival to the Ferrari 458 Italia, Lamborghini Gallardo and Porsche 911 Turbo.
A flagship model, the P1, would be unveiled in late 2012.
The MP4 12C’s tub, engine, gearbox and other key parts were manufactured on McLaren’s behalf by outside suppliers. Assembly then took place at the new McLaren Production Centre (opened in November 2011) which was located next to the McLaren Technology Centre.
Chassis
The MP4 12C was based around a single piece carbonfibre monocoque dubbed the Carbon MonoCell.
It weighed 80kg and was manufactured by Carbo Tech in Salzburg.
Attached to either end were aluminium subframes to carry the engine, suspension and ancillary equipment.
The wheelbase measured 2670mm.
Although the MP4-12C used a conventional coil sprung double wishbone suspension arrangement, a state-of-the-art ProActive Chassis Control system did away with the need for traditional dampers and anti-roll bars. Instead, interconnected electro-hydraulic dampers had their pressure rates continually adjusted to control pitch and roll. This gave a soft compliant ride at lower speeds which then firmed up under fast driving conditions.
A Handling button on the centre console allowed the driver to choose one of three damper modes: Normal, Sport and Track.
An Electronic Stability Control system was also installed along with electro-hydraulic variable rate power steering.
Cast-iron ventilated disc brakes with four-piston calipers were fitted all round. The fronts had a diameter of 370mm and the rears were 350mm.
The wheels (8.5 x 19-inch front and 11 x 20-inch rear) were originally shod with Pirelli P Zero tyres.
A 72-litre fuel tank was installed between the cockpit and engine.
Engine / Gearbox
Mounted longitudinally behind the carbon tub was McLaren’s brand new Type M838T twin turbocharged 90° flat crank V8.
The engine was the result of a collaboration between McLaren, Ilmor and Ricardo. It had an all-alloy construction, dry-sump lubrication, dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. The extremely fuel efficient motor also employed state-of-the-art variable valve timing.
Displacement was 3799cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 93mm and 69.9mm respectively.
Engine management was via a Bosch-supplied ME17.8.3 system. The charge air cooler, condenser and radiators came from Visteon.
Engines were built for McLaren by Ricardo in Shoreham.
With an 8.7:1 compression ratio, peak output was 592bhp at 7000rpm and 443lb-ft between 3000rpm and 6500rpm. 80% of the peak torque was available from just 2000rpm.
Hooked up to the engine was a seven-speed paddle-shift gearbox with dual clutch transmission which also offered a fully automatic mode.
The Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG) was manufactured by Graziono Transmissioni in Turin. It featured a pre-cog system that pre-loaded the clutch allowing virtually instantaneous gear changes.
Alongside the Handling button on the centre console was a Powertrain button which offered Normal, Sport and Track modes which varied gear shift speeds.
The open differential used an F1-style brake steer system where the inside rear wheel braked during fast cornering to reduce understeer (effectively brake-based torque vectoring).
The aforementioned traction control system offered a choice of four stability modes: Winter, Normal, Sport and Track.
A launch control function was also installed.
Bodywork
In typical McLaren fashion, the MP4 12C was more conservatively styled than its Italian rivals.
Body panels were a mix of composite and aluminium; to keep repair costs down, carbonfibre was not used.
The front bumper housed radiator intakes fed by a full width aperture. The bottom section of the bumper could be painted black for a more aggressive appearance.
Either side of the un-vented front lid were fixed single piece light units under clear glass covers.
Behind the touch-sensitive butterfly doors was a massive cooling scoop with a body coloured internal blade.
Additional intakes were discretely housed behind the rear three-quarter windows. Ahead of these were black-painted B-pillars to give the side profile a more cohesive appearance.
At the back of the car was another full width aperture. It housed the high level dual exhausts and rear lights that remained concealed until lit.
Located in the upper recess between the bulbous rear fenders was an airbrake that improved stopping performance and stability. Under heavy braking above 95kmh, the airbrake activated at a 32° angle. Once the first stage angle was set, the centre of aerodynamic pressure forced the bottom of the airbrake up to 69°. Because aerodynamics raised the airbrake to its full and maximum angle (as opposed to a larger and heavier motor), potential weight was cut by 50%.
Interior
Despite the MP4 12C’s compact exterior, the cockpit was pretty spacious.
Bucket seats (electrically adjustable for height) were positioned close together to improve weight distribution and avoid any pedal clearance problems from wheel well intrusion.
The dash was integrated with a slim centre console that gave a wraparound effect for the occupants.
Behind the three-spoke steering (uncluttered by Ferrari-like controls) was a large analogue tachometer inset with a digital speedometer. To the left was an illustrated warning display and to the right were digital read outs for temperatures and levels. At the extremities on each side were an array of individual warning lights.
The forward section of the slim centre console housed a 7-inch IRIS touch screen and rotary control knob. Underneath was a control panel with the rest of the switchgear. Additional control panels were located on each of the doors.
The list of standard equipment included leather seats with fabric inserts, black fabric headlining, a Meridian four-speaker sound system, keyless entry, keyless start, dual zone air-conditioning, rain-sensing wipers and cruise control.
Options
McLaren also offered a comprehensive options list.
For the exterior, buyers could specify Special or Elite paint and a front splitter in body colour, contrast paint or carbonfibre. Carbonfibre could be selected for the mirror casings, turning vanes, diffuser, engine covers and engine bay panels. A Stealth Pack saw the exhaust tips and airbrake mechanism finished in gunmetal.
Performance upgrades included a Sports exhaust and a Brembo carbon ceramic brake pack that included 394mm discs with 6-piston calipers up front and 380mm discs with 4-piston calipers at the rear.
The brake calipers could be painted a variety of colours.
Lightweight forged wheels were available along with super lightweight forged wheels (both of which required the optional typre pressure monitoring system). A Stealth wheel finish was another option.
Cockpit upgrades included full leather seats, a full leather interior, a leather Sport interior, an alcantara and leather interior, custom interior colours, a colour coordinated steering wheel, contrast dash stitching, a carbonfibre interior pack, electric and heated memory seats, carbonfibre seat backs, carbonfibre sill panels, carbonfibre wheelarches, an IRIS upgrade with satellite-navigation, branded floor mats and an ashtray.
Safety and security options included parking sensors, an upgraded alarm, a vehicle tracking system, a warning triangle, a first aid kit and a lithium ion battery charger.
In addition to these off-the-shelf options, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) could customise cars in an almost limitless fashion.
Some of the MSO upgrades included special interior upholstery, a high downforce front apron, fender louvres, special paint to include matte shades and a bi-colour roof, an engine intake snorkel, diamond cut wheels with titanium bolts, engine cover vents and extra carbonfibre.
Weight / Performance
In standard trim, the MP4 12C weighed 1336kg. This could be reduced to 1301kg with all the carbonfibre options installed.
Top speed was 218mph and 0-62mph took 3.3 seconds.
Impressively, the new McLaren was easily the most fuel efficient and emissions-friendly vehicle in its class.
MP4 12C HS Limited Edition
In March 2012, McLaren announced a run of ten MSO-built MP4 12C specials designated HS (High Sport).
Not a great deal of information was officially released about these cars.
They had a revised aero kit inspired by the GT3 racing version of the MP4 12C.
A custom front bumper featured larger intakes, a new splitter and exit vents ahead of each front wheel.
MSO also fitted a new rear spoiler and diffuser, a vented rear bumper and the MSO front fender louvres that could be specified for the standard MP4 12C.
Custom wheels were used and the engines in these cars reputedly pumped out 675bhp.
One of the ten HS cars was retained by Ron Dennis and painted McLaren’s then F1 team colours of silver, black and red.
X-1
At the Quail Motorsports Gathering held during Monterey week in August 2012, McLaren revealed a true one-off based on the MP4 12C platform.
Dubbed the X-1, this unique car (covered in detail separately) was built by MSO at the request of a high ranking client in Bahrain.
It used a modified version of the MP4 12C’s MonoCell tub which allowed for a completely new appearance. Otherwise, it was mechanically unchanged from the standard car.
The X-1’s styling was inspired by a range of classic models from Mercedes-Benz, Facel Vega, Citroen, Buick and Chrysler.
2013 Model Year Production Changes
In October 2012, McLaren announced a range of updates that were also offered to existing MP4 12C owners at no-cost.
Thanks to a re-mapped ECU, the power output went from 592bhp at 7000rpm to 616bhp at 7500rpm. The torque rating was an identical 443lb-ft, but this was now available from 3000rpm all the way to 7000rpm (as opposed to 6500rpm beforehand).
Other benefits included a sharper throttle response, a fruitier engine note and more torque lower down the range.
Re-mapped gearbox software enabled even faster shift times and improved clutch control.
Top speed was officially unchanged at 218mph, but the 0-62mph time was two-tenths quicker (3.1 seconds).
An Intake Sound Generator allowed the engine note within the cockpit to be adjusted.
Also included as part of the upgrade pack were enhanced equalisation options for the Meridian surround sound system, an Easy-Exit function for the full electric seat option and headlights linked to the rain sensor when in automatic mode.
A software update fixed bugs with overly sensitive warning lights, battery drainage and performance issues for the IRIS infotainment system.
Standard equipment on new 2013 model year cars (now known simply as 12C) included a button-type door release (instead of the original remote swipe mechanism), updated IRIS 2 and a revised climate control system.
New options for the 2013 model year included Vehicle Lift (40mm front and 25mm rear), an expanded range of interior and exterior colours, a new lightweight five-spoke forged wheel and a one-touch return facility for the heated and electric seats.
12C Spider
A new addition to the McLaren range for the 2013 model year was a 12C Spider which had first been shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August 2012.
As the 12C had been designed from the outset with a convertible version in mind, no additional strengthening was required.
The Spider’s rollover system included a steel structure inside each of the rear supports to absorb shocks and protect the occupants. To limit weight gain, the car was not equipped with an active pop-up rollover protection system.
When lowered, the roof was concealed under a body coloured tonneau. If the hood was raised, the area under the tonneau could be used for additional storage space.
The retractable hard top could be raised or lowered in 17 seconds and while the vehicle was travelling at speeds of up to 30kmh. It came with a heated glass rear window that could be lowered independently of the roof.
Mechanically, the 12C Spider (which cost around 10% more than the Coupe) was identical to the fixed head variant. It weighed an extra 40kg (1376kg) and had a 4mph lower top speed (215mph).
12C 50th Anniversary Edition
In May 2013, McLaren announced a special 12C to celebrate the firm’s 50th anniversary.
The appropriately titled 12C 50th Anniversary Edition comprised 100 cars (50 of each body style).
Three exterior colours were available: Carbon Black, Supernova Silver or Heritage McLaren Orange.
Each car came with an MSO high downforce front bumper, a carbon Kevlar front floor, carbon ceramic brakes and special McLaren 50 Ultra Lightweight wheels. These rims gave an overall weight-saving of 2kg compared to the normal Super Lightweight wheels.
Other standard equipment included full leather upholstery, a black McLaren nose badge, McLaren 50 graphics on the side intakes, door sills and floor mats, a commemorative plaque on the driver's door, a tailored black-and-silver car cover, a limited-edition key, a carbonfibre key presentation box and a specially commissioned print signed by 12C designer, Frank Stephenson.
End of Production
Production of the 12C and 12C Spider was discontinued in April 2014, two months after the revised 650S had been launched.
Although McLaren have never published precise figures concerning the numbers of cars built, around 3400 are understood to have been completed. Of these, circa 2000 are believed to have been Coupes and the remaining 1400 or so as Spiders.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: McLaren - https://www.mclaren.com
