McLaren MP4 12C: Supercar of your dreams

If there is a downside to owning a McLaren it's that hardly anyone knows what it is. I was once asked if McLaren cars were made the same people who make MacLaren baby strollers. (They are not, although both are lightweight, very responsive and quite British. You cannot, however, fold up the 12C Spider and take it on the subway.)

Even though it's recognizable at some distance as a truly exotic car, the McLaren does not have the instant brand recognition of a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Aston Martin. The looks it gets are as much quizzical as admiring.

So if you're looking to impress your neighbors with a well-known nameplate, this may not be your car. On other hand, if you're looking to simply enjoy the thrill of driving the way you've dreamed about since you were a kid... Here's your car.