McLaren MP4-12C production halted – report

McLaren Automotive chief financial officer Richard Molyneux told PistonHeads that buyers are progressive and will want the new 650S model (pictured below), and that has forced production of the MP4-12C (above) to be put on the back-burner.

"There's an element of customers wanting the newest and best," Molyneux is quoted as saying.

The report claims buyers will still be able to order the MP4-12C, but McLaren appears to want to prove that it can change its ways quicker than some more established companies that hold on to their models for up to 10 years - the Lamborghini Gallardo, for example.

"The 650S is partly a reaction to that, and our partly down to our own learning," said Molyneux. "There's no point learning lessons like the big OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] and then waiting six years to put them on a new model."

McLaren debuted the new 650S - which features a P1-inspired front-end design and different rear styling to the MP4-12C - in hardtop and Spider guises at the Geneva motor show.

Both McLaren 650S variants are expected on sale later in 2014, with pricing likely to start below $500,000.