McLaren launches MP4-12C in Australia

McLaren has launched its second street car Down Under, and while it’s hardly a snip at around $500K, the MP4-12C is decidedly more populist than the company’s last effort, the legendary F1 of the 1990s. The 12C is more than a hardcore, hard-sprung racing machine with number plates — with driving dynamics designed to run the gamut from softly spoken city companion to howling track monster, all available at the push of a couple of buttons.

Available in a 17-hue spectrum with an options list one company spokesman said could add up to $80K to the base price, the 12C is aimed at street-level consumers as much as aspiring track stars. While the company doesn’t make such ambitions explicit, it does say pricing will reflect a competitive tilt at Ferrari’s $526,950 458 Italia. Exact pricing has not yet been finalised, but will be by mid-year.

So far, anointed dealer Trivett has more than 20 deposits for the car. With the first delivery scheduled for October or November, that’s going to keep anointed dealer Trivett busy for some time into 2012.

The 12C comes two decades after the extraordinary F1. Launching at less than half that machine’s price in its home market (and just a quarter of the $2 million it cost in Australia), the 12C is decidedly more conventional. But that doesn’t mean it’s conventional per se. For a start, it’s all carbon fibre, with a chassis that weighs just 75kg, yet is so strong it relieves the body panels covering it of all protective duties – they’re there for purely aerodynamic purposes.

Despite the breadth of its driving dynamics ambit, the 12C is still a highly focused sporting proposition, something reflected in an instrument panel dominated by a large central analogue tacho with a digital speedo sitting within it.

The designers have kept the centre console as slim as possible, allowing them to push the seats towards the centre in the quest for perfect weight distribution. To keep the console focused on drive functions, they’ve moved the HVAC controls out to the door armrests. They’ve also turned the satnav/audio screen 90 degrees to portrait mode, allowing it to stay big without being fat.

The mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, delivered complete from engineering specialist Ricardo, puts out 441kW at 7000rpm (it revs out to 9000 no problem), with its peak 600Nm turning up from a low 3000rpm right up to 7000. Driving a 1301kg package (plus petrol and people) through McLaren’s own seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, it’s good for 0-100km/h in 3.3 seconds, 0-200km/h in 9.1 seconds, and a standing quarter mile in 10.9 seconds at a terminal 217km/h. That’s on street tyres. The optional Corsa tyres remove a couple of points from each.

When it comes to CO2 emissions, they’re fond of saying it’s more efficient than a Toyota Prius, but there’s an important caveat here: it’s more efficient in terms of grams emitted per horsepower – and this is a very high powered engine indeed, emitting 279g/km CO2.

Such is the strength of the brand that McLaren and Trivett see no need for A-list parties and brand ambassadors. “So far we’ve found everywhere that the interest lies with very informed buyers, people who know their performance cars,” Ian Gorsuch, McLaren’s regional director for the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific told the Carsales Network.

Trivett executive chairman Greg Duncan confirmed this was reflected in Australia as well. So the marketing effort remains discreet, with Trivett running one-on-one sessions with prospective customers this week.

The company’s website contains a slick configurator function allowing detailed visuals of colour schemes outside and in, with wheel and brake caliper options.

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