McLaren Makes Last-minute Changes to MP4-12C

Members of the general public will only get to sit behind the wheel of the new McLaren supercar in about a week’s time, but automotive journalists have been testing it in various stages of development for a while. Responses have been mixed, with most agreeing that it’s very fast on the track but lacks the passion and soul of its biggest competitor, the Ferrari 458 Italia.

The all-new, all-British MP4-12C is still an impressive car, but how can it be better than a Ferrari? McLaren themselves agree that the Maranello marvel is an awesome car, but their creation is mathematically and scientifically proven to be superior. However, there are those who would rather have an exciting car than a super-fact lap time setter.

With the clock ticking on deliveries, McLaren has taken the lessons from the journalistic world to heart and has played with the car a bit for a boost in “emotional appeal”. The main problem is that all the electronics make it so you can only drive the car fast the way that the company wants you to.

The biggest change is a faster throttle response and a “fruitier” exhaust note, which was achieved by a new induction kit for the exhaust, designed to channel more sound into the cabin, directly addressing criticism of the McLaren's muted note next to the more vocal Ferrari. It will be a standard addition to all future production cars.

“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.”

Also added is a lighter feel to the wheel-mounted paddles. The shifters had received criticism for their unecessarily heavy mechanical feel. Finally, some carefully chosen modifications to the steering system are said to result in additional feel for the driver.