McLaren MP4-12C Reportedly the fastest car around Top Gear Test Track

[DDD4175]

I saw this on an iPhone App called "Car Buzz" where they release news about cars, etc.

Uploaded them from my iPhone

 

[Stevisiov]

Interesting, I am slightly sceptical if this is true, purely because that would be an incredible lap time.

That said, the Mclaren is reported to be incredibly quick.

 

[MercilessOne]

That's 3 seconds faster than the Ariel Atom 500.


Even the standard 1:14 time, which is still very impressive, I'm finding that hard to believe.

 

[DDD4175]

I agree. The atom has more power to weight ratio than a Bugatti Veyron, and it is incredibly fast in acceleration although it understeers. It is still incredibly fast

 

[AOS-]

MP4's a cornering beast.... It carves through turns like nothing.

 

[Racedude]

Impressive, but I'll wait for official numbers.

 

[gogatrs]

This just got me even more excited for the next Top Gear season.

 

[TB]

This video is about a year and a half old so the car is still in testing but they were clearly on the TGTT for this.



Also, I've moved the thread to the Automotive section.

 

[eSZee]

Don't we already have a MP4 thread? Come on TB, get on to the merging.

 

[TB]

Don't we already have a MP4 thread? Come on TB, get on to the merging.

We do, but as this thread is pertaining to it's (alleged) run on the Test Track, I let it go.

 

[thesrdic]

http://www.gtspirit.com/2011/05/25/top-gear-trio-spotted-in-italy/
Heres a link from gt spirit that has a little bit on the reported lap, a 1:14.1 for the standard.
Also contains a couple other things about the new series, which starts 2 weeks this weekend

 

[Zenith]

I have serious doubts about this claim. An Ariel has 500hp, weighs slightly more than half a ton. It does zero to sixty in 2.3 seconds (a full second faster on than the MP4-12C) and can out-brake a fly. I know it has understeer issues, but I don't think the MP4-12C can make up for that.

I know that these may not include the optional lightweight pack and the corsa tires, but the difference is still profound.
Specs:
McLaren:
Power: 592 horsepower
Weight: 1,300kg
P/W: 455hp/ton

0-60: 3.2sec

Atom 500
Power: 500hp
Weight 550kg
P/W: 900hp/ton

0-60: 2.3sec

That's just a completely different league...

 

[eSZee]

Also contains a couple other things about the new series, which starts 2 weeks this weekend

There is no start date for season 17.

I have serious doubts about this claim. An Ariel has 500hp, weighs slightly more than half a ton. It does zero to sixty in 2.3 seconds (a full second faster on than the MP4-12C) and can out-brake a fly. I know it has understeer issues, but I don't think the MP4-12C can make up for that.

I know that these may not include the optional lightweight pack and the corsa tires, but the difference is still profound.
Specs:
McLaren:
Power: 592 horsepower
Weight: 1,300kg
P/W: 455hp/ton

0-60: 3.2sec

Atom 500
Power: 500hp
Weight 550kg
P/W: 900hp/ton

0-60: 2.3sec

That's just a completely different league...

The atom could be too light or not have the downforce needed to use all that power in the corners. I doubt that wing is enough.
I'm leaning towards what you're saying though and I won't believe it til I see it. Of course the car is british so it could have some unfair advantages.

 

[sems4arsenal]

Are both cars Driven by the same generation Stigs (can't believe I wrote this )

 

[eSZee]

I would assume so. Last year's stig was the new stig and I don't think they were replacing him.

 

[stig's helmet]

I'm not convinced, it just doesn't seem like it can be faster.

 

[E28]

Well, from Jezza's test of one of the prototypes the handling is meant to be ridiculously good (better than the 458) and quick on a straight too.

Also, it technically isn't the fastest car round the track. A Zonda R did it in 1.08.xx and an F1 car did at a similar, or faster speed. It could be the fastest on the power lap boards though.

 

[Lizard]

The fastest car was a Renault at 59 seconds.























Ok it was the f1 car?

 

[Peter.]

Must have been a rolling start. From the very start of the runway. That time is just unbelievable. Reserving judgement until I see it for myself. The Ferrari 458 was a tenth off the Enzo, and McLaren already said the MP4 is faster than the 458, but it just cannot be by that much. They both still should be pretty close in times, maybe 2 seconds the most apart, but 5 seconds? Not possible.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

The only way to find out.... try it in GT5.

 

[Capt Air]

Can anyone tell me what was up with the paint job in the MP4 in the Video?

 

[Stotty]

The 458 isn't invincible.

In Autocar's car of the year feature a 997 GT3RS was only a fraction behind it at Donnington (with >100bhp less), and a Noble matched it.

And in this month's EVO a 997 GT2RS set a time round Bedford that's only beaten by the Grumpet Apollo and a couple of track day specials.

Still, the lap time quoted above does seem a bit on the quick side!

 

[Luminis]

Wait a sec... It's heavier than a Gumpert Apolloo Sport, makes a hundred BHP less, is slower to 60mph, slower to 120mph and its top speed is just 2mph higher. Additionally, I doubt it has a lot more downforce than the Gumpert, and yet it's supposed to go faster than the car that literally curb stomped the Gumpert?

I'll believe that when I see it.

Luckily, Ariel is also a British manufacturer, so both cars shoudl be tested under the same conditions

 

[Jim Prower]

I'm guessing it's the racing version..."and thus we'll have to take it off the board because it's not road legal and you can't buy one."

 

[eSZee]

Whether you can buy one or not doesn't disqualify it, does it? It just has to have street legal tires and be able to drive over a sleeping policeman.

 

[Luminis]

It'd have to be road legal, I assume. Otherwise, the power lap board would be filled with race cars... And they would've probably had the DBR9 do a lap already, just to have an Aston at the top of the board

 

[eSZee]

DBR9 was taken off due to low splitter, the sleeping policeman test. But yeah, they use small excuses as to why they take the car off and it usually is tires or other road requirements.

 

[Alex.]

Absolutely refuse to believe that. If they end up doing announcing that then Mclaren have paid TG a lot of money. The MP4 will do a 1.17:4 tops.

 

[mPWRD]

Absolutely refuse to believe that. If they end up doing announcing that then Mclaren have paid TG a lot of money. The MP4 will do a 1.17:4 tops.

I have a hard time believing that it'll beat a Zonda F roadster and be shouting distance from the Gumpert Apollo, whose sole purpose appears to be sending the driver's eyeballs out the passenger window. 1:18.5 tops.

 

[Bigbazz]

I'm a big Mclaren fan but I don't believe that time, unless those tyres are racing slicks (I have no idea). Top gear would test the car as it is sold for road use with road tyres, there's no way its going to beat those track cars like the atom V8.