McLaren 12C production ends, replaced by 650S

McLaren have officially confirmed the end of production of the extremely popular 12C supercar. The 12C, launched only three years ago will make way for the faster, more powerful and slightly more expensive McLaren 650S that was unveiled at the Geneva Motor show earlier this year. The 650S incorporates a whole host of technological upgrades and design elements that McLaren has used when it built its halo hypercar, the P1.

The McLaren 12C was available in both coupe and cabriolet versions and was a popular choice for supercar buyers who wanted a more technologically focused car as compared to the obvious choice of the day, the Ferrari 458. The McLaren 12C, although slightly boring in terms of design was much superior than most of its competitors due to its new fully independent suspension and twin-turbo V8 engine. The 3.8-litre engine produced 600PS in its original format, but in October 2012, McLaren announced an upgrade to the engine bumping the power output to 625PS and 601Nm of torque.

The McLaren 12C marked the rebirth for McLaren nearly a decade and a half after they made the legendary McLaren F1. The McLaren 12C could officially manage 0-100 kmph in 3.1 seconds and will hit 200kmph in 9.0 seconds. Similarly, the carbon ceramic brakes on the 12C resulted in the car going from 200-0kmph in just under five seconds with 100-0kmph managed in just 30 meters.

The 650S will replace the 12C and will come with the same 3.8-litre, twin-turbo, V8 engine with 650PS of power and 678Nm of torque. The 650S will get a 7-speed SSG gearbox and will be capable of going from 0-100 in 3.0 seconds with a top speed of 333kmph. The 650S borrows its design cues from the McLaren P1. The front bumper gives the McLaren 650S Coupe a dramatic appearance, and sits below the new LED headlamps, which are similar to the McLaren P1. The McLaren 650S Coupe is priced at Rs 2.0 crore while the Spider comes with a price tag of Rs 2.2 crore before shipping, taxes and registration.