McLaren 12C
McLaren 12C was built from 2011 to 2014, as a 2-door coupe; 2-door retractable hard-top convertible. Powertrain: 3.8 L M838T twin-turbocharged V8. Layout: Longitudinal rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive. Size: 4,509 x 1,908 mm (L x W). Weight: 1434 kg.
Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. Photograph: M 93, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (Wikimedia Commons), from this generation's own encyclopedia entry.
Overview
The McLaren MP4-12C, later rebranded as the McLaren 12C, is a sports car produced by the British carmaker McLaren Automotive. Manufactured between 2011 and 2014, the MP4-12C was available as both a coupe and a retractable hard-top convertible, the latter known as the "Spider". The 12C marked McLaren's return to production car sales for the first time since 1998, when the F1 ceased production. Development began in 2005, and the car made its online debut in September 2009 as the MP4-12C. McLaren began series manufacturing the car in February 2011 at the company's facility in Woking, Surrey. The 12C Spider debuted in July 2012.
Design
The 12C is a sports car with the body style of a two-door coupe. It has dihedral doors, and it has a rear-wheel drive layout with a longitudinally-placed mid-engine. The 12C features a double wishbone and hydraulic suspension, the latter referred to as the ProActive Chassis Control. The car uses hydraulically assisted rack-and-pinion power steering powered by an electric pump rather than a traditional belt driven pump from the engine. The standard front brakes of the car feature a four-piston fixed caliper configuration, paired with a two-piece front rotor. The 12C uses a 3.
Reception
On 10 July 2011, the MP4-12C set the second fastest lap around Top Gear test track, posting a time of 1 minute and 16.2 seconds. The car was developed and tested by McLaren on the Top Gear test track as part of their product development, long before its appearance on the show. It was 1.1 seconds slower than the Ariel Atom 500 and 2.4 seconds slower than the Pagani Huayra.
Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.
Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.
Against the other convertible models in this database (48 with this body type). Computed from the dimensions in the specifications, so it changes as the database grows.
- about the same as the median of 4,586 mm, and shorter than 79% of the 29 other convertible models in this database.
- about the same as the median of 1,934 mm, and narrower than 69% of the 32 other convertible models in this database.
- about the same as the median of 2,668 mm, and longer than 50% of the 34 other convertible models in this database.
Who it suits
- Drivers buying for enjoyment rather than space: coupes and roadsters trade rear space for style and handling.
Check before you buy
- Ask for service records: turbocharged engines are sensitive to oil changes and cool-down habits.
- Inspect for corrosion at sills, floor, subframes and suspension mounts, and replace perishable rubber (hoses, bushes, boots) at import.
- Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
- Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
- Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in Canada, United Kingdom. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator
General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.
Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
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Can I import a McLaren 12C from Japan?
By production year alone, McLaren 12C is inside the age window for Canada, United Kingdom. The earliest examples become eligible later in: United States (2036); Australia (2036). Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.
What powers the McLaren 12C?
Per its encyclopedia infobox, engine: 3.8 L M838T twin-turbocharged V8.
How big is the McLaren 12C?
4,509 mm long and 1,908 mm wide, on a 2,670 mm wheelbase (2-door coupe; 2-door retractable hard-top convertible). For container loading, use the container packer.
Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.
- en.wikipedia.org (retrieved 2026-10-19)
Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.
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