Yesterday we brought you news of McLaren's plan to parade the 2012 MP4-12C supercar through its North American dealerships to drum up interest, and today we have the official word on pricing. The newest McLaren supercar will start between $225,000 and $250,000.
McLaren hasn't gotten more specific than that, though we suppose it's as close as necessary to gauge the car's competitiveness. The MP4-12C is already set to be a performance legend, with its twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8 engine cranking out 600 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. But will it be worth a small premium on the Ferrari 458 Italia?
It may be. Though we have a hard time imagining a better driver's car than the Italia, if anyone could do it, it would be McLaren. The MP4-12C's carbon fiber chassis, 8,500-rpm redline, incredibly flat turbo-induced torque curve, 7-speed in-house dual-clutch gearbox, dual-F1-world-champion-tuned setup, and bespoke suspension and traction electronics, the MP4-12C promises to be not just blindingly fast, but easy to drive.
We still give the edge to the Italia on aesthetics, though some will love the scissor doors and gaping side gills of the McLaren. It's a matter of personal taste and preference, as they're both very good looking--and quite similar in profile.
[McLaren]
