McLaren MP4 to cost £168,500 25 | 11 | 2010

HERE'S A GOOD reason to make sure you enter tomorrow's Euro Lottery: McLaren has just announced its new MP4-12C supercar will cost from £168,500 when it goes on sale next year. That's just over £1000 less than its chief rival, the Ferrari 458 Italia, which starts at £169,545.

The McLaren price also includes VAT at the new-for-2011 rate of 20%. You do though have to find an extra 55 quid for the first registration fee and a whopping £950 road fund licence. By comparison, the Ferrari's price does include the two, but its price includes VAT at only 17.5%.

Punch all those figures — including the 2.5% VAT increase for the Ferrari — into your calculator and the price differential extends to around £3k in favour of the super-sleek McLaren.

The MP4’s Ricardo-developed, twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre 90-degree V8 engine will rev to 8500rpm, with its maximum 592bhp output arriving at 7000rpm. The peak 442lb ft of torque is available from 3000rpm, although 80% is available between 2000-6500rpm.

McLaren, which of course has brought all its F1 racing heritage to the car, says the MP4-12C will accelerate from 0-124mph in under 10 seconds, and stop from 124mph in less than five seconds.

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Jim McGill