This is not a new model – having been out
on the market for three years now – but the McLaren MP4 -12C still retains its
appeal. The first production car fully designed and built by McLaren since the
McLaren F1 in 1998, I had four laps on a temporary track in the 12C at a
driving event that Wearnes Automotive organised in 2012.
It was a brief introduction of the car's
dynamic capabilities, such as the proactive chassis control. Driving it for the
first time on track-like conditions, you might be intimidated but the 12C has a
forgiving character to keep you safe and secure.
At that time, I said there is a lot more to
be discovered about the 12C but I would need more time with the car. My prayers
were answered and opportunity arrived recently in the form of a 24-hour test
drive.
The
best part of the 12C is that its silhouette looks almost identical to the coupe
with the roof up - something most convertibles struggle with
I took the 12C home for a night and had the
experience of being an honorary McLaren owner. Once the bat-wing doors opened
up, this sense of exhilaration rushed down my spine and I felt a swell of pride
for this car I would call mine for a day.
The roar to life from the mid-mounted
McLaren M838T 3.8-litre V8 twin turbo engine raised the goosebumps on my arm
and I was so excited I would have turned cartwheels around the car if I knew
how to.
The 12C drive was exactly how I remembered
it to be – dynamic yet effortless. The engine is placed low in its carbon fibre
composite chassis, thus lowering the centre of gravity and giving better
handling. Through the seven-speed SSG dual-clutch gearbox, the limits of 616bhp
and 601Nm are delivered smoothly and quickly, engaged via the paddle shifts.
At
a flick of the button, the 12C will go topless in 17 seconds
These limits are not possibly explored on
our everyday roads (unless you go at illegal speeds), but whenever you step on
the pedals you can feel how much more the 12C has to offer.
The car is eager to please your quest for
speed, but at the same time knows how to behave itself in daily traffic, making
it easy to drive in our urban conditions. You can switch between Normal and
Sport modes on the Active Dynamics Panel in the centre console, depending on your
mood. There is a third mode for Track if you can bear to take it to a racing
circuit.
Tapping on its expertise in Formula 1, some
of the technologies from the sport have been transferred to the car. For
example, if you take it too fast into a corner, the brake steer (inside rear
brake) reduces understeer for you. Should you throttle too soon out of a
corner, the stability control system will kick in and reduce body roll with the
hydraulic suspension.
The
two knobs on the centre console - 'H' and 'P' - will change the character of
the car to suit your mood
The 12C may be on the subtle side with
slightly conservative styling compared to other supercar brands, but it still
attracts attention like all supercars do. I saw kids pointing at the car,
excited teenagers rushing to get their phones out before the stoplight turns
green and even the security guards at condominiums told me what a beautiful car
I had.
Parking the 12C is not a problem, but
getting out of the car might be an issue if you are parked in a tight lot
because of the way the doors open. I managed fine, not needing to re-park
elsewhere and not getting stuck coming out of the car. But when you are getting
out of the car, do be more conscious if you are wearing a skirt.
You don’t see as many McLarens as you see
Ferraris or Lamborghinis, though there are about 60 12Cs out there on the roads
of Singapore now. In time to come, as more models are rolled out, I’m sure the
McLaren community in Singapore will expand quickly. The latest 650S is stunning
and hope I will get to try one someday.
The
car does the century sprint in just 3.1 seconds, thanks to 616bhp and a
mountain moving torque of 601Nm
I know of women who dare not drive their
husbands’ supercars for fear of not being able to handle them, but the 12C is
one that has won the hearts of many ladies, according to Ron Dennis, executive
chairman of McLaren.
That’s not surprising, as the car is not
heavy or massive, plus it is easy to handle. Supercar owner Elaine Lim-Chan for
example, drives a 12C as one of her daily rides and takes it anywhere,
including shopping malls. As a female, I agree that it is one of the easier
supercars I have driven to date!
