McLaren MP4-12C gets some tweaks to get a more ’emotional appeal’

Have you ever acquired a new car only to find out that you forgot to learn yourself about either an update or a completely new and improved model coming out? Well, if you’ve just recently bought a McLaren MP4-12C, this would probably be you. For those who haven’t, you might be better off. Either way, McLaren is set to unveil some new tweaks for the MP4-12C that are said to give the car more “emotional appeal.”

For those of you who might remember and those who don’t, majority of the world’s press have said that the latest McLaren supercar is too technical and therefore, doesn’t have any of the charm or pizzazz of the car that McLaren pinned as the MP4-12C’s nemesis: the Ferrari 458 Italia. In other words, there was no sense of occasion like there is with a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. As a result, McLaren, as precise as they are, studied this criticism to the dots and tees and have decided to make an effort to fix it. They first reworked and improved the throttle response and have readjusted the exhaust note.

“We want drivers to enjoy the car a bit more,” a McLaren spokesman said. “The changes don’t lead to any performance increase, but they do lead to an emotional increase when you drive the car.”

[slider id=74304]

Click here for more news on the McLaren MP4-12C.

In terms of the exhaust note, those changes only happen when the car is in Track mode since the car’s Intake Sound Generator, which controls the noise levels that permeate through the cabin, opens wider during that mode.

“It was a bit too sensible before,” said the spokesman, “You won’t notice the changes in normal mode, just when you’re really having fun and pushing it.”

And if you still don’t quite understand why the press has written what they think, when a company either mentions sensibility, the car’s excitement level immediately leans towards the boring side. That’s something you don’t exactly want when you spend over $250,000 on a car. For example, look at pretty much majority of the cars in the McLaren’s bracket and higher. They’re all completely bonkers! Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Pagani, and even higher to Bugatti. Do any of their cars’ performances speak sensibility? I don’t think so. Case in point.

Refresher: The 2012 McLaren Mp4-12C is powered by a 3.8L twin-turbo V8 making 592-hp at 7,000 rpm with a maximum torque of 443 lb-ft between 3,000 rpm to 7,000 rpm. That allows the McLaren MP4-12C to run from 0-62 mph in 3.3 seconds with a top speed clocked in at 205 mph. The Corsa tire option shaves 0.2 seconds off the 0-62 mph time. 0 to 124 mph takes 9.1 seconds and with the Corsa tire option that goes down by 0.2 seconds. The quarter mile run takes the McLaren MP4-12C  10.9 seconds at 134 mph. Stopping from 62 mph can happen in 100 feet. Price start at $231,400.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: AutoCar