[Calitalia]

Hello all! I have finally decided to take the plunge. Coming from the prancing horse California, I must say I am very updated and brave to plunge into ordering a car without knowing the spec., the pricing, the dealership network and the service/support reliability. I have seen the car in metal once when launched but had not driven it. I know I could have the 458 in 2012 or MP4-12c but I have decided to go the less intuitively obvious route even after reading mag reviews picking 458 over MP4. I think it will be more of a timeless icon than the 458 which when looking back at the 360/430 all went through evolutions rather than revolutions.

Honestly, many called me crazy to spend this kind of money on a brand like McLaren, so niche and boutique compared to the KING Ferrari. In fact, over here, Mclaren is priced > 458 so I am pretty insane in a town when everyone thinks crazy money should turn heads.

The wait begins and this is very brave for me. I am lucky if I could be part of the 60 allocated cars in 2011/12 and if I could get one in 2012 it makes for a good purchase I hope.

Row call, Calitalia is going to be a McLaren man 2012 hopefully!

 

[6th element]

A giant congrats to you!! May you enjoy it in good health- I believe it will be well worth the wait and the funny looks in town...!

 

[MoBeanz]

Awesome. Congratulations.

 

[AMAROK]

They say "a beaten path is for a beaten man" ! I for one love having cars and bikes different to the rest of the crowd ! Enjoy what will be an AWESOME car and let the drivers of yesterdays car try and keep up !!! NOT !

 

[Calitalia]

A giant congrats to you!! May you enjoy it in good health- I believe it will be well worth the wait and the funny looks in town...!

For sure it'd be really funny when many people point at my car and say, wow, a Ferrari!

 

[Calitalia]

They say "a beaten path is for a beaten man" ! I for one love having cars and bikes different to the rest of the crowd ! Enjoy what will be an AWESOME car and let the drivers of yesterdays car try and keep up !!! NOT !

Thanks for the encouragement. I signed off today while the whole dealership network/service centre are in development stage. Showroom not present and service centre not set. Heck, the price list and spec and option list not set. For sure the car is less established in terms of support like a Ferrari but I hope to be rewarded. For sure those who dive in early for a plunge have cars that are being sold to contribute to the 500 million pound sterling sunk development costs factory service dealership costs aside. Hence, from that perspective, McLaren wouldn't be profitable until 4-6 years out and the only worry is that it may fall into financial peril if another crisis hit.

The car is built from ground up and R&D cost for sure >>> 458 (inference of course) as 458 is built on top of a winning formula and built evoluionized from a proven 430 platform. To that, I feel McLaren's price is more car for every dollar. The technology is indeed eons beyond the "still using a KEY FOB" 458.

I know I am crazy for paying that sort of money for the McLaren badge over the prancing horse to most but I hope I will be rewarded somehow in having a better car. Hopefully, it also retains value better but no one knows. It is definitely not as popular hence not as liquid.

The fun begins = the wait. Today, I also did an exercise and used a tape measure to measure clearance on carpark as I know I need a 2.6-7 m horizontal space to open the doors.

I m not sure if it is practical but I am diving in.

I need some help on the dihedral doors...

 

[Calitalia]

Specs in Asia/Colour questions

no spec out yet. Leather seat is an option (standard on 458), CCB option, IRIS (maybe standard and sat nav standard), parking sensors standard, electric seats option, sports exhaust (hopefully standard). Over here, it's priced > base of 458 and 458 has CCB as standard... so the MACCA is expensive in this sense with no Carbo Brakes and no leather seats. I think I need those 2.

I think they should make leather standard over technical fabrics and make CCB for this price point standard. I wonder the true usage of wifi and doees it mean that if I park close to starbucks or a wifi hotspot then I can download software updates and surf net? Seems extrafluous.

Also, I have little ideas about colours but considering that the car is good as is, maybe I should take zero option.

Question, anyone can tell me about the colours. Standard colours are silver, white or blue (I still have a hard time picturing this car in any colour that can match a Rosso Corsa Ferrari but... I wait to be enlightened). White is a fad hip colour but on a McLaren is a question mark. The safest choice is silver standard (I do not know what special paint and elite paint truly mean) but may look a bit too 1997 boxster.

I find the McLaren flat orange to be quite flat but the burnt orange is cool as a poster on the wall but I want something that can be good. Any recommendation. I am slightly leaning towards a liquid silver or white colour. Would matt be an option?

 

[HyperMac954]

For sure it'd be really funny when many people point at my car and say, wow, a Ferrari!

I'm banking on that for the first time I get a speeding ticket... let the officer write the wrong make on the ticket and poof! instant get-out-of-ticket-free card.

 

[Calitalia]

I'm banking on that for the first time I get a speeding ticket... let the officer write the wrong make on the ticket and poof! instant get-out-of-ticket-free card.

Chances are that, he would write Lotus... somebody did say it looks like a LOTUS.

 

[6th element]

Depends how fast you are going. If he clocks you at 335 KM/H, he'll know it's not a Lotus. Or a Ferrari, for that matter.