McLaren MP4-12C to cost £168,500

McLaren will charge £168,500 for the MP4-12C supercar in the UK. That's the new 2011 price, including the rise in VAT from 17.5% to 20% from 1 January. Today's news means that the MP4-12C will cost £1000 less than a Ferrari 458 Italia, its arch rival, at existing tax rates.

Want a 28% return on investment? Buy a Classic Ferrari.

The Wall Street Journal declares a classic Ferrari as a sound investment with returns in the last year averaging 28% on important models. It seems, especially if you’re a petrolhead, you can have your cake and eat it by investing in classic cars, and particularly in classic Ferraris, and not just see your investment on a balance sheet but in your garage too. The Wall Street Journal has been looking at ‘Treasure ASsets’ like fine wines, works of art and classic cars.

Mullin Museum to open next month

What promises to be one of the most significant automotive-museum openings in decades will take place next month when collector Peter Mullin opens the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, Calif. Mullin is known for his love of French cars, and the museum will have more than 100 of them. Graceful and elegant Delahayes, Delages, Talbot-Lagos, Voisins, Hispano-Suizas and Bugattis will all be on hand, wrapped in voluptuous forms from coachbuilders Chapron, Figoni et Falaschi, Gangloff, Vanvooren, Labourdette, Letourneur et Marchand and Saoutchik, among others.