McLaren slows MP4-12C production for fixes

British supercar maker McLaren has slowed production of the MP4-12C because of quality issues. The company says the problems are not safety- or performance-related.

"There are no safety concerns for the delay," Tony Joseph, director of McLaren North America, told Autoweek. "We've had some quality-related issues in a few cars we wanted to address before we continue to deliver customer cars."

Joseph refuted Internet reports of McLaren MP4-12C performance and safety issues. He said that the primary problems were minor, such as condensation in the headlamps, door operation and a battery-draining issue.

"We believe the battery issue is coming from the electrical head unit, which appears to not be shutting off," he said.

A temporary fix is being used. Locking the car door shuts down the car's electronics to prevent the battery from draining.

Not every McLaren MP4-12C delivered--59 throughout Europe--has been affected by the problems.

Joseph said that McLaren has been handling the issues on a case-by-case basis, sending repair people out from dealerships.

There are 179 MP4-12Cs ordered for North America. Factory shipments of those cars might be delayed by two or three weeks.

"We want to make sure we deliver a proper product to our customers," Joseph said. "And I would rather delay getting them in customers' hands by a couple of weeks if I can ensure a better product."

McLaren dealers in the United States are still expected to receive demonstration vehicles on schedule.

By David Arnouts