McLaren MP4-12C: Photos of the 200mph supercar with Wi-Fi

We rubbed shoulders with Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton as we feasted our eyes on the new British-built supercar at McLaren's high-tech headquarters

Richard Trenholm

Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.

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Richard Trenholm

March 18, 2010 11:37 a.m. PT

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The new McLaren MP4-12C will do 200mph, is road-legal, and it has Wi-Fi built-in. What more could you ask? We rubbed shoulders with Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton as we feasted our eyes on the new British-built supercar at McLaren's high-tech headquarters, and we've brought you the photos to put you in the driving seat.

The 12C will hit 200kph in less than 10 seconds, tops out at well over 200mph, and pumps out less than 300g/km of CO2.

There's some cutting-edge technology in the cabin, too. It offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth so you can stream your tunes. Should the car break down, it'll send a text containing diagnostic information to the dealer and McLaren, who can respond with the best way to get you back on the road.

The car was unveiled at McLaren's Technology Centre in Woking by Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers Button and Hamilton. Click play in the video below to see the two Formula 1 world champions putting the 12C through its paces.

The MP4-12C is the first in a range of cars to be built in a new factory at the Woking site. You won't be able to get yourself a McLaren off-roader or hatchback estate, however: they'll all be rear-engined, two-seater sports cars. The factory will be up and running next year, creating 300 jobs.

There's set to be a one-year waiting list for each car, and 1,000 12Cs will roll off the line in the first year. You'll be able to pick one up at a mere 35 dealers around the world, choosing customisation options from a touchscreen table not unlike a Microsoft Surface. Although there are no plans to enter the 12C in motorsport, a special department will be formed to support customers who want to race.

Click 'Continue' to motor past more eye candy of the 12C, and get a closer look at some of the technology on board.

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2008 and 2009 Formula 1 world champions, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

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Hamilton and Button unveil the 12C.

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This is a camouflaged test model, which was put through its paces on the Nürburgring, Top Gear's Dunsfold track and Kalahari desert roads.

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Driver and passenger sit in a carbon-fibre tub, or 'monocell', at the core of the car. The 3.8-litre V8 engine is at the rear, with an aluminium crumple zone at the front.

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The 12C comes together in McLaren's lab.

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Inside the car are Bluetooth and Wi-Fi options.

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The seven-speed gearbox is controlled by two paddles behind the steering wheel. These offer a 'pre-cog' feature, letting you lightly press the paddle to prime the gearbox, before completing the shift by pressing fully.