Official: McLaren makes MP4-12C improvements official, current owners offered free upgrade

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Technology

McLaren has confirmed the rumored improvements to its 2013 MP4-12C, which we can now refer to as the "616-horsepower British exotic." The revised model carries a $239,400 base price in the U.S., which does not include $2,400 in destination charges.

The 25-horsepower bump to the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 is the biggest of the upgrades, but the MP4-12C also gets some transmission tweaks that result in "crisper throttle response and improved clutch control for gear changes that are both faster and smoother." McLaren says it has also changed the Intake Sound Generator so that the driver can choose how much engine noise they'd like pumped into the cabin.

Apparently customers were not entirely fond of the MP4-12C's touch-sensor system on the doors, so they will not have small buttons instead. Automatic headlights will now switch on along with the automatic wipers, and the automatic climate control will gain a new low setting. Other enhancements for 2013 include a new Volcano Yellow paint color, a new interior trim package and a new wheel design.

Additional new options include an optional Vehicle Lift mode that raises the front end 40 mm and the rear 25 mm to make the car easier to drive over speed bumps and up driveways and an upgraded audio equalizer.

McLaren will offer existing MP4-12C owners many of the upgrades later this year, gratis. All 2012 MP4-12C's are eligible to get the improved engine mapping that tweaks the horsepower upwards, as well as the revised transmission programming. The configurable Intake Sound Generator, programmed headlights and upgraded audio are also being applied to 2012 models, along with an enhancement to cars fitted with the optional power seat.

Scroll down to read the full press release.

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McLaren makes MP4-12C improvements official, current owners offered free upgrade originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jun 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/08/mclaren-makes-mp4-12c-improvements-official-current-owners-offe/

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