Epoch-Making Cars

One could write a book about McLaren road cars.



Indeed, Ron Dennis and designer Gordon Murray, who created the McLaren F1, hailed as the world's fastest road car, published a large-format book titled 'DRIVING AMBITION' in 2000. It tells the story of how the McLaren F1 was conceived, developed, and set numerous records. The first chapter covers the life of Bruce McLaren, who founded McLaren as a racing team, and features three photographs of the 'M6GT Prototype,' a road car Bruce built in 1968-1969.



From this starting point, the 'McLaren F1' was born, followed by theMercedes-BenzSLR, and then in 2011, the 'McLaren MP4-12C' made its debut. In this period alone, countless stories comparable to epic dramas have unfolded, but introducing them all would prevent us from reaching the actual impression. Therefore, we will summarize the history of McLaren road cars with the following sentence: The MP4-12C, introduced here, is a work that opens a new page in the history of McLaren road cars, filled with the aspirations of many people.

Opening the Dihedral Doors to Get In

I am now driving the MP4-12C towards Kamikochi Onsen, near Shiga Kogen in Nagano Prefecture. It's a little over 250km from the city center. From the moment I opened the distinctive dihedral doors and got into the car at our meeting point in Shinjuku, my mind has remained calm. I don't feel any undue pressure, nor am I driven by an urge to push myself. I can focus solely on safely maneuvering this expensive supercar while maintaining my composure.



There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the forward and side visibility is excellent, making it easy to grasp what's happening around me. The forward view, in particular, allows me to see right in front of the car, almost as if I could see my own toes. Similarly, thanks to the low waistline, I don't need to lean out to see when turning at intersections. Considering it's a mid-engined supercar, the rearward visibility needed for merging onto highways is not bad, and the view through the rearview mirror is only slightly shallow, so I have no complaints. This allows me to feel that I have the 4.5-meter long coupe body firmly under my control.

The Magic of Proactive Chassis Control

It's natural to think, 'Soft suspension must mean dull handling.' However, this formula doesn't apply to the MP4-12C. The roll rigidity during turn-in is high, allowing it to respond quickly and trace the intended line precisely.



The suspension, which is normally flexible in its travel, precisely controls unwanted movements like body roll thanks to a feature called 'Proactive Chassis Control.' Contrary to what its name might suggest, this is not an active system where the suspension itself tries to extend or retract, but rather a passive system that employs a clever design for the dampers. Its principle is similar to Yamaha's 'X-REAS,' interconnecting the hydraulic circuits of the front, rear, and side dampers.



The MP4-12C's dampers have separate circuits for compression and extension. The left and right dampers are interconnected alternately between compression and extension circuits, while the front and rear dampers are connected between their respective compression and extension circuits. This achieves a characteristic that suppresses body roll

while flexibly responding to inputs from the road surface in other situations. As a result, the anti-roll bars, which would normally degrade ride comfort, are unnecessary. This is also a contributing factor to the MP4-12C's soft ride.



As the MP4-12C enters the winding roads, it reveals a completely different character from its highway cruising mode, thanks to the 'Proactive Chassis Control.' When I begin to turn the steering wheel, the MP4-12C responds rather gently, as there are no devices artificially emphasizing responsiveness.



However, this means it responds accurately and precisely to steering inputs, not that it's dull or delayed. As I continue to turn the steering wheel, the MP4-12C's nose smoothly turns inward, and the way the yaw develops – the process by which the car begins to turn – is incredibly natural and easy to handle.

An Ecstasy Beyond Words

While checking the MP4-12C's cornering, there were several instances where the car briefly lifted as it went over a road joint, and the rear end slid slightly. I'll leave the speed at that moment to your imagination, but I recall navigating it with a slight counter-steer without feeling any tension.



Why this vague description? I apologize, but it's because I don't have a clear memory. The car did slide, that's for sure. However, I can't clearly recall whether I applied the counter-steer intentionally or if the car guided my hands to turn the wheel in the opposite direction. In any case, my heart rate didn't increase, and the MP4-12C didn't enter an unstable state – I can still recall that clearly.




Some might wonder if the MP4-12C, which allows the driver to maintain a calm grip on the steering wheel at all times, lacks the appeal of a sports car that excites the driver's spirit.



However, I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue with the MP4-12C while tackling the winding roads. At times, I experienced an ecstasy beyond words. But this was not obtained at the risk of my own life; it was a joy derived from the intellectual pursuit of high-quality sports driving.

McLaren's President, Ron Dennis's Answer to Sports Cars

Is this direction for the MP4-12C not set by Ron Dennis, the president of the McLaren Group? It seems so to me. For a perfectionist like Dennis, it wouldn't be at all strange if he conceived a new method of delighting drivers with a high-quality sports car.

At the same time, the McLaren F1 team's philosophy is likely strongly reflected in the MP4-12C. 'If a car is made by a racing team, shouldn't the handling be exceptionally sharp, and shouldn't your heart pound the entire time you're driving?' That assumption is, unfortunately, incorrect. What would happen if a car showed unstable behavior at speeds exceeding 250 km/h in a life-or-death battle? What if the car caused adrenaline to surge through the driver's body, hindering rational judgment? No F1 driver would want to drive such a dangerous racing car. They would undoubtedly choose a car they could safely entrust their lives to.




And that, I believe, is precisely the essence of the MP4-12C. There are no childish gimmicks. There are no superficial imitations of F1 design. What exists is the pursuit of essence without compromise. And this aligns with the philosophy of the McLaren F1 team. Come to think of it, the MP4-12C's controls are very orderly and easy to use. The use of space is also efficient and without waste, employing concepts not seen in previous sports cars. Furthermore, there isn't a single element that mimics an F1 cockpit. However, the approach to creating an ideal driving environment seems to share common ground with F1 car manufacturing in its fundamental aspects.

The monocoque made of carbon fiber, the 3.8-liter V8 twin-turbo engine producing 600ps, McLaren's 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox with seamless shifting, and the innovative control systems are not mere superficial imitations but are connected to F1 cars at a deeper level. Isn't this a type of car manufacturing that only McLaren can achieve, something that passenger car manufacturers could never replicate?

If that's the case, then the price of 27.9 million yen for the MP4-12C, with its superior quality, noble philosophy, and overwhelming performance, seems far too low. It's already been two weeks since I embarked on a long drive with the McLaren MP4-12C. Yet, the desire to 'drive it again' only grows stronger.


McLaren MP4-12C | McLaren MP4-12C
Body Size | Length 4,509 x Width 1,908 x Height 1,199mm
Wheelbase | 2,670mm
Tread Front/Rear | 1,656mm / 1,583mm
Vehicle Weight | 1,336kg (1,301kg*)
Front/Rear Weight Distribution | 42.5:57.5
Engine | 3,799cc V8 Twin-Turbocharged
Bore x Stroke | 93 x 69.9mm
Compression Ratio | 8.7:1
Max. Output | 600ps (441kW) / 7,000rpm
Max. Torque | 690Nm (approx. 70.4kgm) / 3,000-7,000rpm
Drivetrain | MR
Transmission | 7-speed AT (McLaren Dual Clutch Seamless Gearbox)
Suspension | Double Wishbone (McLaren Proactive Chassis Control)
Brakes | Cast Iron Discs + Forged Aluminum Hubs
Tires Front/Rear | 235/35R19 / 305/35R20 (Pirelli P-Zero)
Wheels Front/Rear | 8.5x19 / 11x20
Top Speed | 330km/h
0-100km/h Acceleration | 3.3 seconds (3.1 seconds with Corsa tires)
0-200km/h Acceleration | 9.1 seconds (8.9 seconds with Corsa tires)
0-400m Acceleration | 10.9 seconds @ 216km/h
0-1,000m Acceleration | 19.6 seconds @ 272km/h
200-0km/h Deceleration | 123m
100-0km/h Deceleration | 30.5m
Minimum Turning Diameter | 12.3m
Fuel Economy | 15 L/100km (approx. 6.6km/L)
Fuel Tank Capacity | 72L
CO2 Emissions | 279g/km
Price | 27,900,000 yen
*Vehicle with Lightweight Option

McLaren Tokyo
Tel. 03-6438-1963
McLaren Osaka Hachiko
Tel. 06-6121-8821