McLaren MP4-12C Coupe full 9 point review
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Performance
Power comes from a mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 592bhp and 442lb ft of torque, which is put through the rear wheels via a seven-speed twin-clutch paddleshift gearbox. Whether you're getting away from the mark or cruising along in a relatively high gear, burying the throttle brings a vicious surge of acceleration that few cars at any price can match.
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Ride & Handling
The combination of a super-light, super-strong carbonfibre chassis and a ground-breaking suspension set-up gives the MP4-12C unbelievable handling. The car keeps gripping at seemingly unthinkable cornering speeds, and the body stays almost totally flat: it's eerily composed in corners. Somehow, the ride is still more comfortable than you get in many executive saloons.
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Refinement
This isn't an area that supercars are usually renowned for, but the MP-412C doesn't do a bad job. The engine sounds ballistic under hard acceleration (even if it's not as tuneful as the scream of a Ferrari 458's), but the noise melts away when you're cruising, while wind- and road noise are reasonably well suppressed.
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Buying & Owning
You'll need to be super-rich to buy a 12C, but things get a little better after the initial sting. Resale values will be superb, and although you won't be able to run it on a modest budget, it has the best fuel economy and CO2 figures of any supercar.
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Quality & Reliability
The MP4-12C's cabin looks smart and sporty, with a modern, high-tech design. It feels impressively solid, too, and there are some nice machined metal switches that add a dash of class. However, the overall quality of the interior doesn't quite have the wow-factor you'd expect at this money.
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Safety & Security
The MP4-12C's one-piece carbonfibre chassis is immensely strong, and it has impact-absorbing aluminium subframes at either end – that means that the passenger cell should stay intact if you have a smash. There are four airbags to prevent you from hurting yourself inside the cabin, too. Hopefully, the sophisticated stability control system should mean you'll never need to test the car's crash credentials.
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Behind The Wheel
The figure-hugging seats are wonderfully supportive, and there's plenty of adjustment so you'll find a great driving position. The low-set dashboard gives you superb forward visibility. Granted, the MP4-12C doesn't provide such a clear rear view, but not many supercars do. The portrait-screened entertainment system is designed to work like an Apple iPod.
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Space & Practicality
Supercars aren't renowned for their practicality, and the McLaren doesn't offer any more than its rivals. There's lots of space in the cabin for two people, with headroom and legroom to spare. However, the boot is tiny – you get only 144 litres storage space under the bonnet.
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Equipment
Standard equipment includes Bluetooth, a part-leather interior, climate control, cruise control, electric windows and rain-sensing wipers. However, you pay (quite a lot) extra for things such as parking sensors, electric seats and sat-nav.
MP4-12C rivals
MP4-12C used rivals
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