EXOTIC RACING SERIES CAR OF THE DAY: McLaren MP4-12C

Submitted by Kirk Pedersen on Tue, 2010-03-09 09:46

When your first efforts to produce a roadworthy car yielded the aesthetically beautiful and technically amazing McLaren F1, is it possible to build a better vehicle?

 McLaren thinks so, and their second street-legal car, the MP4-12C, is set to hit showroom floors in 2011 and is part of the Exotic Racing Series for Need for Speed SHIFT.   MP4-12C is a complete structural change from the F1, with every inch of the car re-engineered for a more pleasurable driving experience on road or track.  Under the hood, MP4-12C is powered by a much smaller engine than F1, with its 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V8 being dwarfed by the F1’s 6.1-liter BMW V12.  But there’s little difference in power, with MP4-12C kicking out approximately 600 ponies from its engine, comparable to F1’s 627.  Where the new car has an advantage is in distribution of torque, with 80 per cent of MP4-12C’s grunt available at only 2,000 RPM.  MP4-12C has smoother lines than the F1, looking more like a polished performance car than a speed demon vacationing from the track on public roads.  One major change in MP4-12C’s interior is the removal of the F1’s awkward ‘1+2’ seating arrangement, as both driver and passenger will be seated next to one another in the cockpit.  McLaren has positioned the MP4-12C to compete with top-of-the-line sports cars from Italy, with the company setting its sights on the Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari 458 Italia.  With prices approaching $300,000, owning an MP4-12C may be out of your reach, but if you download the Exotic Racing Series for SHIFT, you can save your pennies and drive one today.

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