You can often find “Ferrari/Porsche/BMW (insert your favourite prestige car manufacturer here) should be worried” at the end of a new car review. Quite often nonsense, of course, but it makes a useful, if unimaginative, pay-off.
Well, this time Ferrari is worried. McLaren developed the MP4-12C with the express intention of beating Ferrari at its own game. And, regardless of the fact that we marginally preferred the 458 to the 12C, Ferrari nevertheless still has much to be concerned about.
Our test car is the only current model derivative, which means a 592bhp, twin-turbocharged V8 engine. In the MP4-12C’s nomenclature, ‘12’ relates to its performance level and ‘C’ to its body style. Heaven knows how much power a ‘13’ or ‘14’ would have. We'll get the chance to find out soon enough as McLaren's range extends.
