Used McLaren MP4-12C 2011-2014 review

McLaren, so long synonymous with Formula One racing, branched out with the McLaren MP4-12C back in 2011, launching under the newly formed McLaren Automotive brand.

It was the first of a range of high-performance McLaren car models planned by the UK motorsport company, based in Woking, Surrey. Production was reasonably short, as is often the case with high-end supercars, with the MP4-12C being built between 2011 and 2014. It was replaced by the McLaren 650S, which was a heavily revised version of the MP4-12C. There’s also a convertible version, called the MP4-12C Spider.

At the time of its launch, the MP4-12C (later renamed to McLaren 12C) was an arch-rival for the Ferrari 458 Italia. The two cars offer slightly different takes on the mid-engined performance car formula, as we’ll elaborate in this review.

Engines and performance: The 12C is powered by a mid-mounted 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which produces 592bhp and 442lb ft of torque. It was a brand new engine at the time, driving the rear wheels via a seven-speed twin-clutch paddle shift gearbox.

Performance is shattering. 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 performance cars at any price (458 included) can match. Officially, 0-62mph takes 3.1sec, which is a touch faster than the 458 Italia (3.3sec).

There's no let-up until the rev-limiter intervenes at a giddy 8500rpm, where one metallic click of the upshift paddle brings an impressively smooth and quick gearchange, sending you on your way again with even more jaw-dropping velocity.

The gearbox itself is a dual-clutch manual gearbox with a pre-cog function. A gentle tap on one of the paddles primes the next gear for an instant shift when the paddle is pulled more firmly.

Ride and handling: The 12C is an extremely high-tech car for its age. It has a one-piece carbon-fibre chassis that manages to be both strong and light, while the suspension uses adaptive dampers and complex hydraulics to provide control rather than a conventional anti-roll bar.

The chassis control system includes three handling modes and hydraulic inter-connectors on each axle in place of the usual anti-roll bar. These give the two-fold advantage of curtailing body roll in hard cornering while allowing each wheel to function independently in a straight line for a better ride.

As you’d expect, you can carry an insane amount of pace through bends in the 12C. Most of this is down to the car's immense grip, which keeps it glued to the road at seemingly unthinkable cornering speeds. The body stays almost totally flat, yet there's enough compliance to prevent the car from feeling skittish or nervous.

Brake-steer, an idea borrowed from F1, helps the car tuck into corners, while the air brake is a movable wing that moves the centre of aerodynamic pressure rearwards when deployed for greater downforce.

Throw in the quick, consistent reactions you get from the steering, brakes and throttle, and the 12C feels utterly composed and predictable, no matter how fast you're going.

You'd expect the ride to be rock-hard, right? Wrong. Put the suspension in the most comfortable of its three modes (Normal, Sport and Race), and the 12C is surprisingly usable on craggy UK roads. Bumps are dealt with smoothly at all speeds, and the ride is always beautifully controlled. It’s more comfortable than the 458.

Refinement isn't bad, either. Sure, the engine sounds great under hard acceleration, but the noise melts away when you're cruising, and wind and road noise are also well suppressed.

Engineering and background: The fundamental principle behind the MP4-12C, as with an F1 car, is efficiency. Primarily, that means lightness, since a light car needs less power to make it go and smaller brakes to stop it, and is more agile when it needs to change direction.

The car's dry weight (minus fluids and passengers) is around 1300kg. It will accelerate from 0-125mph in less than 10 seconds and come to a complete stop again in less than five seconds. Its carbon dioxide emissions are below 300g/km, which is low for a performance car of this era.

To keep the weight down, the car is built around an 80kg, one-piece carbonfibre passenger compartment called a monocell, on to which an aluminium crash structure is attached at the front and an aluminium fuel tank, engine cradle and suspension pick-up points at the rear. It's the same principle used for F1 cars.

That means the non-structural body panels can be made of light material and shaped purely for aesthetics and aerodynamics. A flat underbody and a large rear diffuser employ F1 know-how to help suck the car to the road.

The use of a lithium-ion battery saves 10 kilos and hexagonal, instead of round, wiring saves another four kilos. Even the company logo is embedded into the cross-car strengthening beam rather than embossed on it to save a couple of grams.

Interior and practicality: Even by modern standards, the Alcantara and carbon-fibre-trimmed interior looks smart and feels solid, even if it doesn't quite have the flair of the 458 Italia. Still, there's enough space to keep you and your lucky passenger comfortable, and the figure-hugging seats are truly supportive. They're a pain to adjust, though, because the under-seat electric controls are hard to find and even harder to use.

However, play around for a while, and you'll find a great driving position with superb forward visibility. Granted, the 12C doesn't provide such a clear rear view, but not many supercars do. The boot's no bigger than the average supercar's, either, giving you just 144 litres of storage under the bonnet.

Trims and equipment: There are no trim levels for the MP4-12C as such, but all cars come with alloy wheels (19in front and 20in rear), bi-xenon headlights, cruise control, manually adjustable seats (with electric height adjustment for the driver), Alcantara headlining, part-leather upholstery, a 7.0in portrait-orientated touchscreen, an AM/FM radio, iPod connectivity, Bluetooth and a four-speaker Meridian sound system.

What you’ll want to keep an eye on is options, because these vary between cars. These include a full leather interior, carbon fibre seatbacks, electric and heated memory seats, an upgraded Meridian sound system, front and rear parking sensors, carbon ceramic brakes, lightweight forged alloy wheels and a sports exhaust, among many others.

"I was shocked by how comfortable the MP4-12C was when I drove it. The suspension is on the firm side, but it doesn't crash or bang over bumps like most supercars do. Visibility is excellent, too, making it a surprisingly easy car to drive." – Mark Pearson, Used Cars Editor

If you're interested in buying a used McLaren MP4-12C or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.

Mileage, instead of age, tends to have the biggest impact on pricing for the McLaren 12C, seeing as the production span was so short.

Used prices for the coupé start at around £60,000 for an example with around 40,000 miles on the clock. For a car with around half that mileage, expect to pay upwards of £75,000. Prices top out at the £85,000 mark for a car with around 10,000 miles.

For the 12C Spider, prices are higher than the coupé because they’re rarer. Prices start at around £70,000 for a car with 40,000 miles on the clock, rising up to £120,000 for an example that’s covered just 2000 miles.

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MPG

Officially, the MP4-12C can average 24.2mpg on the old NEDC test cycle, while the 458 Italia can do 20.6mpg. That’s not bad for a supercar, but you’re unlikely to get anywhere near that figure in real-world driving, especially if you’re making the most of the performance.

With CO2 emissions, the MP4-12C emits 279g/km and the 458 Italia 307g/km. Again, that’s not bad for a car of this type, but don’t expect to win any favours from Greenpeace.

Road tax

The MP4-12C was in production before the current road tax system was introduced in April 2017, so it’s taxed under the older CO2-based scheme. As expected, it sits in the highest band, resulting in an annual charge of £760.

Servicing

Servicing costs won’t be cheap. You can expect to pay around £500 to £800 for a minor service from independent McLaren specialists, while major services can cost up to £2000.

Reliability

The MP4-12C is too rare to feature in the What Car? Reliability Survey, but early cars did suffer some reported issues, mainly with the gearbox and touch-sensitive door releases. These problems appear to have been resolved, and owner feedback is generally positive on forums, with later models offering greater peace of mind.

To find out more about used McLaren MP4-12C reliability, visit our dedicated reliability page.

The 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 is the only engine available in the 12C, but we suspect few will be disappointed by it. Likewise, there’s only one trim level, so you’ll want to keep an eye out for options, particularly if you want features like full leather upholstery, electric and heated memory seats or a sports exhaust.

Our favourite McLaren MP4-12C: 3.8T V8 SSG

The Ferrari 458 Italia is arguably the MP4-12C’s closest competitor. It’s powered by a 4.5-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine, producing 562bhp and 398lb ft of torque. It offers a more visceral, high-revving driving experience, with quicker steering and a superior soundtrack. It’s considerably more expensive than the MP4-12C.

The Mercedes SLS AMG is another good option. It has a more muscular 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine, producing 563bhp and 479lb ft of torque. It delivers a more theatrical, challenging and dramatic driving experience than the MP4-12C, but also the option of being a refined cruiser on motorway journeys. It’s another expensive choice.

The Audi R8 V10 is a more budget-friendly rival for the MP4-12C. The 5.2-litre V10, which produces 518bhp and 391lb ft of torque, provides a linear, high-revving driving experience, while the ride isn’t quite as firm as some more hard-core rivals. It’s also available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic gearbox, depending on your needs or preference. All versions have four-wheel drive.

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If you're interested in buying a used McLaren MP4-12C or any of the cars we've mentioned, head over to our Used Cars For Sale pages to find lots of cars listed at a great price.