The world’s newest sports car company, McLaren Automotive unveiled the MP4-12C to local media at the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) last week. This unveiling also marked the first time the MP4-12C was made available for viewing to the general public in South Africa since November 2010, and the car on show is the first production car of South African specification.
At the unveiling, McLaren Automotive took time to recall some of the company’s defining historical moments that have led the company to where it is today and where it is headed in the future. Some of these included the company’s success of winning 1 in every 4 Formula 1 Grand Prix they have ever entered; the launch of the world’s fastest road car – the iconic McLaren F1 in 1993; Lewis Hamilton becoming the youngest Formula 1 World Champion in the 2008 season; the return of McLaren to racing outside of Formula 1 with 20 McLaren MP4-12C GT3 cars being sold to privateer race teams for the 2012 season; construction of a new £40 million McLaren Production Centre which will eventually produce up to 4000 cars per year.
As refresher The McLaren MP4-12C features a revolutionary carbon fibre chassis structure, the Carbon MonoCell: the first time a car in this market segment has been based around such a strong and lightweight racing car engineering solution and the first time any car has ever featured a one-piece moulded carbon fibre structure. The new design principle means the 12C introduces new standards in handling, ride, performance and practicality.
When it comes to power, the 12C is equipped with a bespoke McLaren ‘M838T’ 3.8 litre, V8 twin-turbo engine producing 441 kW, driving through a McLaren seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG). Consequently, the 12C can accelerate from 0 – 100 km/h in just 3.1 seconds, and on to a top speed of 330 km/h.
The Daytona Group, McLaren Automotive’s South African retail partner, will open their new Sandton showroom and aftersales facility in the coming weeks.
To see and hear the McLaren MP4-12C in action, take a look at these videos of the new supercar:
- McLaren MP4-12C introduction with Jenson and Lewis
- 2 300km with the McLaren MP4-12C
- McLaren MP4-12C against its supercar rivals
