In their limited time producing streetcars, McLaren Automotive has produced some of the most exciting, wild, and flashy cars the world has ever seen. With their sharp designs and wild curves, a car costing around $250,000 can make you look like a billionaire. A quarter of a million dollars is all you need to look like a billionaire to the average person. At least, that's what you need if you want to get a McLaren brand new, with all of the most modern technology and designs. However, the truth is that you don’t actually need to own one of their new supercars or even hypercars like the P1 or Senna to look the part and enjoy driving like never before. 2012 was the first year this British exotic car manufacturer made their own streetcar without help from any other company, and their first independent automobile was definitely no-flop—well maybe except for the name.
This car was the McLaren MP4-12C, and because of the depreciation that McLarens are often struck with, it has become an absolute bargain supercar.
Connections To Formula 1
While it sounds like an old iPod meant to play music, the MP4-12C is nothing of the sort. In fact, the name is largely inspired by their Formula 1 cars, which have been called MP4 throughout their racing history, famously with the MP4/4 which Ayrton Senna, one of the F1 legends drove. In other words, this car isn’t a slow automobile that will perform horribly on the track.
Related: Watch: Supercharged Huracan Performante Race McLaren MP4 12C In Rolling Racing
The MP4-12C actually has a 3.8 Liter V8 engine that makes a massive 616 horsepower. This powerhouse engine, paired with the car’s mere 1434 Kilogram weight, largely from extensive carbon fiber use, allows the 12C to reach speeds in the area of 200-220 miles per hour. Most modern-day flagship cars for established companies like Ferrari and their 488 Pista or Lamborghini and their Aventador SVJ max out at speeds around this. On McLaren's first attempt at building any car on their own, for a fraction of the price, the MP4-12C can match these cars, or at least get close.
Bargain Pricing, Old And New
Supercars like the Aventador SVJ and 488 Pista often cost around $450,000-$600,000 brand new, and the Mclaren MP4-12C— well, its cost when it was new was like comparing the price of an iPod to an iPhone. Back in 2012, when this British supercar was new, which was only 8 years ago, not too long for a supercar, the 12C would cost you just over $250,000. This is a fraction of what you had to pay for these exotic cars other companies were making. But the used price now is even wilder. You can get a McLaren MP4-12C used for as low as $80,000. In under 10 years, this already bargain supercar has gone down in price by well over half. This exotic sports car costs less than some Cadillacs, which are surely not going to give nearly as good of a driving experience.
Related: Here’s How The McLaren Logo Has Evolved Since 1963
Showstopper Material
Not only does the MP4-12C produce great power numbers for an incredible price, but it looks stunning too. One of the large factors in that is its doors, a design they call “butterfly.” Lamborghini has what are called Scissor doors, which basically have the doors go upward. On McLarens, even their first, there are butterfly doors, which go in an upward and sideways direction. Some would argue that the scissor-type is better than the butterfly doors, but the honest truth is that not only are they both great, but the butterfly doors on McLarens are absolutely stunning showstoppers.
It’s no doubt that the butterfly doors are a design highlight and icon, but there’s still the rest of the car, and it looks amazing. Despite not having all of the new technology and features that newer models have, like the headlights that are the shape of the company logo, it still has wild designs with aggressive curves and features that you will be sure to love. Starting with the rear of the car, the MP4-12C has an electronic rear wing that can actually move and work as an air brake if you are sending it a little too hard on the track. This is a feature that often is reserved for multi-million dollar hypercars like the LaFerrari or Bugatti Chiron. In addition, the 12C has two center-mounted exhaust pipes on the back of the car that looks insane. Usually an exhaust pipe system, even on exotic cars, will be mounted low and in the corners, but not for the McLaren. Instead, it has them mounted high and out there, giving a similar look to race cars.
Related: McLaren MP4-12C: Costs, Facts, And Figures
If you head over to the side of the car, nothing changes. It has a massive air-intake towards the back, which looks insane, along with its mirrors that have a design reminiscent of a track car. Not only are there these distinct features on the car, but everywhere you look on this beast, there are sharp curves and aggressive lines that give this car an amazing presence.
All of these features, whether it’s styling, performance, or it’s crazy flex mode capability, make this car seem like a concept car made in the future. With all that it comes with, it is clear that the McLaren MP4-12C is an absolute spaceship quality bargain that you simply can’t miss out on if you get the chance.