One day; in fact, mere hours. That's all I had with one of the most exciting new cars in years. Yes, I guess that's more than most people would enjoy with the new McLaren MP4-12C, but for a full review of this new supercar, I'd prefer to have more time with it to pass along to you, dear readers.
In fact, this isn't even the car that you'd buy in the new Dubai showroom - it's a pre-production model, the only one available to the local media here. But I'm assured by the McLaren staff that the basic car is exactly what is available, save for excessive wind and hydraulic pump noise filtering into the cabin. Oh, and a limited infotainment system. But the rest is the same, so I'm told - the chassis, the handling, the engine, all the stuff that matters.
So, what do I do? Drive. Drive hard, fast and all day long. Drive towards Hatta, drive towards the twisting, open roads that this car was made for. It's exhausting work, but it's all for you.
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My initial disappointment at the time allotted is dulled somewhat when I first set eyes on the car, though. It's low, sleek and that bright orange really lets its curves shine in the sun. The front headlights have a neon-look LED surround reminiscent of the car's logo, while the tail lights are cleverly hidden in black accents at the rear; the mid-mounted, twin-turbo V8 is on show under a glass bonnet behind the passenger compartment. Its optional black wheels look good with the orange body and are 10kg lighter than stock, and this one has optional carbon ceramic brakes. The scissor doors open with a swipe of your hand under a body crease - get it wrong and you won't be able to get inside.
Inside, the seats are sparse and a little short under the legs, but supportive and relatively comfortable. The 12C was designed to be a real sports car that can be used every day, but the carbon fibre tub that forms the chassis has wide sills that make ingress and egress a bit of a chore, and it also takes up a lot of space in the cramped footwell.
That infotainment system on the vertical-layout screen in this pre-production model is the same as the showroom cars save for a lack of a sat/nav system, but the way it works impresses me. Its layout and operation is minimalistic yet futuristic, like something you'd see in a sci-fi film.
Yeah, but does that matter when you're driving? Trundling out of the showroom and onto the open road, I'm keeping it in the normal suspension and drivetrain modes for a while - the ride is firm but not jarring, while the engine is kept to a drone that permeates into the cockpit. The gearbox is on automatic and the shifts from the double clutches are smooth; for a supercar, the 12C can be a tame puppy if driven as such.
But all it takes is a stab at the throttle to know it's more than that. The high torque and horsepower send the car shooting forward at an alarming rate. McLaren says 100kph comes in just 3.3 seconds and from regular motorway speeds to a lose-your-licence rate is just all too quick and easy. The fence posts on the straight roads heading south-east of Dubai turn into a blurred, solid wall in between the radar cameras, and back to fence posts just as quickly as I hit the brakes hard. In the mirror I see the rear wing shoot up as an air brake, putting more weight on the rear wheels. It helps to make the 12C just as startlingly good at braking as it is in acceleration - no squirming.
I take a short break at the Hatta Fort Hotel for a coffee and a review of what I've experienced; it's not a car I'd want to drive every day, what with the ergonomics, though it's not exactly unbearable, either. But the 12C was built for much more than the commute to the office.
Back in the car and I switch the suspension and powertrain modes to sport; both have three settings of normal, sport and track, which can be changed independently of each other. They incrementally firm up the suspension for a sportier drive and remap the engine and gearbox. I put that to manual mode and use the paddles behind the wheel - they take a hard pull to change cogs, but you get the hang of it. And I feel the difference of the modes on the twisty country roads off the motorway.
The sport suspension mode is not a huge jump from normal, but the car stays flatter in curves. The powertrain change, however, is most noticed by the furious noise from the engine - it opens a valve in the exhaust for easier breathing and better sound, though it's still not the most satisfying V8 snarl out there - more of an angry drone. But it does help raise my adrenaline as I push it in some of the more open curves; maybe the rocky ditches at the edge of the asphalt also help with that, too. As my speed and courage increase, I'm finding the chassis rock solid, and the steering, which seemed a little jittery on the straight motorway, now shows its strength with tight, precise turns that transmit so much information on what the front tyres are doing. The braking, the power, the gearbox are all working so well that I soon realise I'm not even coming close to the 12C's potential; you just can't do that away from a full-on race track, and you'll easily find the edge of your own abilities far before those of the car.
Coming back, I try out the track mode, and I can't keep it on very long - the suspension makes the car feel like a buckboard on even the smoothest of roads, which this one is definitely not. I feel less in control around the curves because of it, and find sport much more enjoyable. With full confidence in those carbon ceramic brakes, you can really push it hard; it's pure exhilaration.
But the sun is setting, and my time with the MP4-12C is almost over. Pulling back into the hotel car park, I enjoy the crackling of the engine as it cools, and I think about the only thing I really don't like about this car - the seats. They are electrically operated and move back when you get out, but every time you get in you have to activate the memory setting. The company says it did everything to shave the car's weight (1,434kg), so why even have electric seats in the first place? The salesman tells me the memory settings are for when you loan it to your brother-in-law, but I wouldn't be loaning this car out to anyone. Manual seats, please.
But that's a small problem in an otherwise brilliant piece of work. Another coffee later and I'm back in the cockpit tamely pointed towards Dubai. I've put in a full day of driving more than 300km in the 12C, and yet, I want more - and by more, I mean a race track.
Base price
Dh925,000
Engine
3.8L, twin-turbocharged V8
Gearbox seven-speed DSG
Power 592hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 3,000-7,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined
11.7L/100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
India team for Sri Lanka series
Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)