McLaren MP4-12C sets a time at the Nurburgring
It’s the default must do for all performance cars, so McLaren has taken the MP4-12C to the Nurburgring and set a time of 7.28.00.
We’ve had a spate of claims for lap records at the Nurburgring by production cars, and the latest to play the game is the McLaren MP4-12C, with McLaren claiming a time of 7.28:00.
The last shenanigans we had with Nurburgring records was with the Dodge Viper SRT10 ACR setting a Nurburgring time of 7:12.13 which, although very quick – and claimed as a Nurburgring record – wasn’t actually a record at all. Although we do have sympathy with our colonial cousins who believe its validity is greater than that of cars like the Radical.
But McLaren hasn’t posted a time for the MP4-12C that will trouble the lap record, although it does seem to have taken a few liberties with the facts.
We have no doubt that the lap time of 7.28 claimed by McLaren for the MP4-12C – in the hands of Sport Auto’s Horst von Saurma – is entirely correct, although the video we’ve got is a sort ‘edited highlights’ package for the McLaren’s Nurburgring adventure rather than the full run.
But what seems a bit odd is that McLaren post a chart of comparable times at the end of the video which seems to show the MP4-12C’s arch rival – the Ferrari 458 – has a Nurburgring time of 7.38, meaning the MP4-12C is a full 10 seconds quicker.
But as far as we know, the Ferrari set a time at the Nurburgring of 7.28 – exactly the same as McLaren’s claimed time for the MP4-12C.
We’re sure McLaren will explain, and correct, in due course.
nurburgringexplorer says
Put some proper tyres on it, then we’ll see whos the fastest
Percy says
The MP4-12C may not be 10 seconds quicker round the ‘Ring than the Ferrari, but it’s as quick. It’ s also a lot less flash git than the 458.