McLaren’s street car offerings have doubled (to two) with the introduction of the all-new MP4-12C Spider. The car features a retractable hard-top, making it the second mid-engine car with a retractable hard-top (the 458 Italia Spider was the first).
The McLaren MP4-12C Spider transforms from a coupe to a convertible in less than 17 seconds with the flip of a switch on the lower center console. The roof can be raised and lowered while the car is traveling at speeds of up to 19 mph (30 km/h).
The MP4-12C Spider is powered by the same engine found in the coupe which was recently upgraded. The turbocharged 3.8 liter V8 engine produces 616 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 442 pound-feet (600 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed automatic SSG dual-clutch transmission. The convertibles does the 0-62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 3.1 seconds, which is the same time as the coupe, the sprint to 124 mph (200 km/h) takes 9.0 seconds, 0.2 seconds slower than the coupe. The MP4-12C Spider has a top speed of 204 mph (329 km/h) which is about 2.4 mph (4 km/h) slower than the coupe.
According to McLaren, the MP4-12C was designed as a convertible from the beginning and therefore the chassis didn’t need extra stiffening, in order to cope with the loss of the roof, saving weight. The convertible weighs only 88 pounds (40 kg) more than the coupe with the addition of the retractable roof bits and pieces.
The McLaren MP4-12C Spider is ready to be ordered now and is expected to be delivered to customers in November, just in time for the winter. The car will be priced at £195,000 in the United Kingdom which is £19,500 more than the coupe.
McLaren MP4-12C Spider Pictures
