So you love the look of the MP4-12C HS special version but don't have the urge to spend $420,000?

Well here's how you can achieve a very similar effect with a few hundered dollars of matt black wrap:

OR This:

These images were kindly taken for me by McLaren's head of client services, Kate Neale and whilst I've had them for a while I promised not to share them until after the new MPC facility was officially opened!

I've just been informed that McLaren have today signed off a comprehensive range of MP4-12C firmware and hardware updgrades that fix a range of niggles including battery drain and over sensitive fault sensors. These updates will be available for installation into customer cars within a few weeks and will also allow deliveries of new cars to be resumed.

Last week I received a personally signed letter from Ron Dennis, it read:

McLaren have received a fair amount of criticism over the MP4-12C's 'Iris' info-tainment system which is unfortunately not fully functional as yet.

OK, here is a 30 second video of a McLaren MP4-12C during mid-throttle acceleration using only 6,000 rpm. Powertrain mode is set to 'track'. This car has the 'standard' exhaust system.

As you'll see the Standard Silver really comes to life when exposed to natural light!

My car has been ready since Wednesday but business commitments prevented me from taking it until this evening.

I wanted to collect the car from the dealership because it's only about 5 miles away, so David at McLaren Birmingham kindly kept the dealership open late and arranged for my wife Alison and I to be collected from home (in no less than a Rolls-Royce Ghost!) so that we could both enjoy the experience of the first drive in the MP4-12C together.

I decided that before delivery I'd get my car 'detailed' and protected with G|Techniq sealants in order to ensure it looks fantastic and stands up to the traditionally awful British weather as well as possible.