The McLaren MP4-12C, later rebranded as the McLaren 12C, is a sports car produced by McLaren Automotive. Manufactured between 2011 and 2014, the MP4-12C was available as both a coupe and a retractable hard-top convertible, the latter known as the "Spider".
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
Mclaren really pulled it off here. It's really strange how much more arousing the spider is than the coupe. Given that we are entering an era of hard folding roofs for this segment I would love to see how much the sales of the coupe have been implicated. Ferrari must have some good numbers for the ratio of 458 coupes to spiders sold versus the F430.
If I was to buy any of the supercars, I'd pick the hardtop over the coupé. You have two cars in one, and performance is not really affected compared to 4 seater Coupés/Cabrios. It will be interesting to see if the next Gallardo/R8 will follow the same step.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
I'd do the same. Sure there's a minor loss in stiffness and there might be a small weight penalty but like you said, you get two cars in one.
Soup
Premium
No wonder McLaren expects 80 per cent of customers to choose the MP4-12C Spider. If you're in the market for a 12C, you’d be mad not to go for the Spider
What is it?
The MP4-12C Spider, McLaren’s unashamed attempt to provide an alternative to the Ferrari 458 Spider, and also the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and Porsche 911 Turbo convertible. It was planned in to the engineering process from the word go by McLaren, and as such suffers zero compromise when it comes to torsional rigidity or overall stiffness compared with the coupé MP4-12C. And it costs £195,500, undercutting the Ferrari 458 Spider by a small and not especially significant £3436.
Just like the Ferrari, the 12C Spider’s roof is a folding hard-top that disappears gracefully into the rear bodywork at the press of a button. It takes 17sec to go from fully closed to fully open, and the roof can be raised or lowered at speeds of up to 25mph. All-up, the Spider weighs mere 40kg more than the coupé, with an overall kerb weight of just 1474kg, a class best according to McLaren.
Also new for the Spider is an upgraded version of McLaren’s 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, featuring more power (up from 592bhp to 616bhp), fractionally better economy (24.2mpg v 24.1mpg on the combined cycle) and exactly the same CO2 emissions as before (279g/km). Peak power arrives 500rpm higher than before, adding to the sense of acceleration at the top end, claims McLaren, while removing nothing from the flow of torque, which peaks as before at 442lb ft.
Key modifications to the software of the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox have further improved the speed and quality of the gear changes, says McLaren. In its most aggressive settings the shifts are faster than ever, while in auto mode they are smoother and more intuitive than before. Not that there was a whole lot wrong with the way the MP4-12C performed or shifted gear previously.
Elsewhere, the Spider 12C is identical to the coupé in its engineering. Same steering, same suspension set-up, same brakes, same everything. And in case you were wondering, all of the various engine, gearbox and ECU upgrades applied here will become available on the coupé for the 2013 model year. Owners of earlier models will also be able to get the upgrades installed for free by taking their cars to one of McLaren’s 38 worldwide dealers.
What is it like?
Roof up, the 12C Spider feels much like a 12C coupé to be honest, albeit with a bit more rage at the top end and an even sharper gearbox than before. But ping the roof down and the transformation is extraordinary; the extra noise provided not just by the exhaust but the engine, the wind and whatever else the world chooses to fire at you once the lid has been removed makes the Spider feel three times more dramatic – more emotional, if you will – than the coupé once on the move.
And if you then drop the small heated glass panel that sits where the rear bulkhead does in the coupé, the extra noise that erupts from behind your head becomes twice as loud again, and is four times better to listen to as a result.
At a stroke, the whole character of the 12C seems to crystallize and become larger than life once its roof has been removed, which is just what the doctor ordered on a subjective level. The mild sense of politeness that underpins the coupé’s personality disappears straight into the ether when the hood goes down, and what you get in its place is a car that, metaphorically at least, appears to be grinning from ear to ear most of the time.
It feels much more alive on the road, too. The engine and gearbox tweaks make a surprisingly big difference on their own, providing an intensified sense of urgency – and sound – over the last 1000rpm that wasn’t quite there before. And the improved gear shifts merely add to the heightened subjective experience.
It sounds quite different, too, thanks to the tweaks McLaren has applied to the induction and exhaust systems, both of which now generate more noise inside the cabin, and deliberately so. Under load the combination of induction suck and exhaust scream make the Spider sound much naughtier, and much more like the outrageously rapid supercar that it is. There’s also a more pronounced 'wap-wap' audible during downshifts, Woking’s engineers having realised that outright refinement isn’t necessarily what the customer wants in a car like this.
Should I buy one?
Removing the roof and turning up the volume where it was needed has unlocked the 12C’s personality, and allowed it to dazzle rather than merely impress beside the rivals with which it was designed to compete.
Rotate a few buttons, put the hood back up, glide the rear screen into place and it will do the full Jekyll and Hyde routine, in either direction. Which makes it one of the most versatile supercars there has ever been, and one that even the 458 Spider might struggle to match.
No wonder McLaren expects more than 80 per cent of 12C customers to choose this model when deliveries start at the end of next month.
McLaren MP4-12C Spider
Price £195,500; 0-60mph 3.1sec; Top speed 204mph; Economy 24.2mpg (combined); CO2 279g/km; Kerb weight 1474kg; Engine V8, 3799cc, twin turbo, petrol; Installation mid, longitudinal, rear wheel-drive; Power 616bhp at 7000rpm; Torque 442lb ft at 3000-7000rpm; Gearbox 7-speed dual clutch auto
McLaren MP4-12C Spider | Autocar
What is it?
The MP4-12C Spider, McLaren’s unashamed attempt to provide an alternative to the Ferrari 458 Spider, and also the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and Porsche 911 Turbo convertible. It was planned in to the engineering process from the word go by McLaren, and as such suffers zero compromise when it comes to torsional rigidity or overall stiffness compared with the coupé MP4-12C. And it costs £195,500, undercutting the Ferrari 458 Spider by a small and not especially significant £3436.
Just like the Ferrari, the 12C Spider’s roof is a folding hard-top that disappears gracefully into the rear bodywork at the press of a button. It takes 17sec to go from fully closed to fully open, and the roof can be raised or lowered at speeds of up to 25mph. All-up, the Spider weighs mere 40kg more than the coupé, with an overall kerb weight of just 1474kg, a class best according to McLaren.
Also new for the Spider is an upgraded version of McLaren’s 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, featuring more power (up from 592bhp to 616bhp), fractionally better economy (24.2mpg v 24.1mpg on the combined cycle) and exactly the same CO2 emissions as before (279g/km). Peak power arrives 500rpm higher than before, adding to the sense of acceleration at the top end, claims McLaren, while removing nothing from the flow of torque, which peaks as before at 442lb ft.
Key modifications to the software of the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox have further improved the speed and quality of the gear changes, says McLaren. In its most aggressive settings the shifts are faster than ever, while in auto mode they are smoother and more intuitive than before. Not that there was a whole lot wrong with the way the MP4-12C performed or shifted gear previously.
Elsewhere, the Spider 12C is identical to the coupé in its engineering. Same steering, same suspension set-up, same brakes, same everything. And in case you were wondering, all of the various engine, gearbox and ECU upgrades applied here will become available on the coupé for the 2013 model year. Owners of earlier models will also be able to get the upgrades installed for free by taking their cars to one of McLaren’s 38 worldwide dealers.
What is it like?
Roof up, the 12C Spider feels much like a 12C coupé to be honest, albeit with a bit more rage at the top end and an even sharper gearbox than before. But ping the roof down and the transformation is extraordinary; the extra noise provided not just by the exhaust but the engine, the wind and whatever else the world chooses to fire at you once the lid has been removed makes the Spider feel three times more dramatic – more emotional, if you will – than the coupé once on the move.
And if you then drop the small heated glass panel that sits where the rear bulkhead does in the coupé, the extra noise that erupts from behind your head becomes twice as loud again, and is four times better to listen to as a result.
At a stroke, the whole character of the 12C seems to crystallize and become larger than life once its roof has been removed, which is just what the doctor ordered on a subjective level. The mild sense of politeness that underpins the coupé’s personality disappears straight into the ether when the hood goes down, and what you get in its place is a car that, metaphorically at least, appears to be grinning from ear to ear most of the time.
It feels much more alive on the road, too. The engine and gearbox tweaks make a surprisingly big difference on their own, providing an intensified sense of urgency – and sound – over the last 1000rpm that wasn’t quite there before. And the improved gear shifts merely add to the heightened subjective experience.
It sounds quite different, too, thanks to the tweaks McLaren has applied to the induction and exhaust systems, both of which now generate more noise inside the cabin, and deliberately so. Under load the combination of induction suck and exhaust scream make the Spider sound much naughtier, and much more like the outrageously rapid supercar that it is. There’s also a more pronounced 'wap-wap' audible during downshifts, Woking’s engineers having realised that outright refinement isn’t necessarily what the customer wants in a car like this.
Should I buy one?
Removing the roof and turning up the volume where it was needed has unlocked the 12C’s personality, and allowed it to dazzle rather than merely impress beside the rivals with which it was designed to compete.
Rotate a few buttons, put the hood back up, glide the rear screen into place and it will do the full Jekyll and Hyde routine, in either direction. Which makes it one of the most versatile supercars there has ever been, and one that even the 458 Spider might struggle to match.
No wonder McLaren expects more than 80 per cent of 12C customers to choose this model when deliveries start at the end of next month.
McLaren MP4-12C Spider
Price £195,500; 0-60mph 3.1sec; Top speed 204mph; Economy 24.2mpg (combined); CO2 279g/km; Kerb weight 1474kg; Engine V8, 3799cc, twin turbo, petrol; Installation mid, longitudinal, rear wheel-drive; Power 616bhp at 7000rpm; Torque 442lb ft at 3000-7000rpm; Gearbox 7-speed dual clutch auto
McLaren MP4-12C Spider | Autocar
Soup
Premium
There's a song by bluesman Johnny Lang in which he implores a lady friend to tell him their love isn't ending, even though they both know it is. But if he's happy being lied to, who gets hurt?
I asked myself the same question behind the wheel of the new 2013 McLaren 12C Spider. (Yes, they gave up on the silly MP4 prefix.) Readers might recall that during our Best Driver's Car competition earlier this year, I remarked that driving the 12C coupe was akin to "paying for sex." While that sounds like damning with faint praise, I meant it in the most highbrow way possible. I wasn't referring to a quickie behind the 7-11, but rather a high-end escort, a lady who charges appropriately for all that class. My point was that in such a relationship, she's going to tell you you're the best she's ever had and you're absolutely going to enjoy the experience because at that price, she's going to be good at her job. You both know it's a lie, but if everyone leaves happy, who gets hurt?
That's what the McLaren is like, roof or no roof. There's a wealth of technology in the car that does everything it can to get you down the road and around the bend faster -- so much so that you as the driver have become the limitation needing to be accommodated. As pro wheelman Randy Pobst put it, this car is "a whole other level of performance." Like the lady of the night, it'll whisper sweet nothings in your ear about what an amazing driver you are and you'll finish the drive feeling like a stud, but deep down, you both know she was exaggerating your talents for your benefit.
While I don't doubt that Randy is telling the truth when he says he can feel the subtle computer interventions and enhancements as he drives, he's far more qualified to judge than I. I've not yet been to Daytona, much less won a 24-hour endurance race there, so when it comes to nearly imperceptible changes in the car's behavior, I defer to him. If the car is making ever-so-slight changes to the steering ratio, braking, throttle, hydraulic anti-roll bars or anything else mid-corner at extra-legal speeds, I can't tell. And you know what? I'm OK with that. I still feel like the greatest driver in the world when I'm behind the wheel, and if I'm enjoying myself, why complain?
With that established, let's talk about what separates the Spider from the coupe. There is, of course, the folding metal hard top. It'll do its thing while the car is moving, provided you're not moving very fast, and it stows in a compartment on top of the engine. When it's up, the cabin suffers surprisingly little road or tire noise for a sports car. While you'll get plenty of engine note regardless, McLaren recommends leaving the rear window rolled down when you have the roof up for the full effect. Variation on the "full effect" is now possible thanks to a setting buried in the information screen on the left side of the gauges that lets you modify the Intake Sound Generator. Namely, it lets you turn it down, so you don't have this vacuum cleaner sitting just over your right shoulder for the entire drive. It's a marked improvement from the 2012 car, which tended to drone loudly in your right ear on the highway.
Ditching the roof requires an extra step confirming on the screen in the gauge cluster that there's nothing in the roof storage area. While it's always been technically possible to store small items in a convertible's roof storage location, most manufacturers prefer you don't, and some actively make it difficult for you to do so. McLaren, on the other hand, is making it easy with controls on the driver's door to raise the cover and access a bit more cargo space. On the flip side, you have to confirm you've removed your stuff before you can drop the top.
Once you do, the 12C Spider looks rather like a Ferrari 458 Spider, much as the coupes resemble each other. From the pontoons behind the occupants' heads to the vents in the cover, there's a striking similarity. What isn't suspiciously similar is the noise. McLaren admits it's still defining the sound, because, unlike a Ferrari, no one really knows what a McLaren is "supposed" to sound like. I find it most similar to a power boat. There's a deep, booming, staccato rumble at idle and low speeds that builds to a mighty roar as the revs climb, but never comes anywhere near Ferrari's wail. It's accompanied by the thinly veiled whistle of the twin turbochargers and the occasional scream of the waste gates, which sounds surprisingly like the screech of a tire when you've locked a wheel under hard braking (which, incidentally, is when the waste gates tend to pop off).
If you were hoping the roll-up rear window or the low seating position would spare your hair, I have bad news for you. It's going to get messed up, and if you're planning on having the top open on the freeway, it's really going to get blown around. At freeway speeds, it's not just windy but also pretty loud, so you'll be talking even more loudly to be heard across the narrow cabin. Being a convertible clearly falls below being a supercar on the priority list.
That's evident as you turn the wheel. As discussed earlier, the car is doing some of the heavy lifting for you, but the experience really isn't any different than the coupe. The 12C Spider has the same moves and it's not afraid to cut a rug. Body roll is supremely well-controlled, the steering is ultra-responsive and provides meaningful feedback, and the brakes are simply undefeatable. Pushed to the limits of your personal comfort zone, the car barely feels like it's working, much less working hard. Think you messed up this corner? Just keep turning and it'll keep going. The worst you can do is invoke moderate understeer, which comes on surprisingly quickly but corrects just as fast with a lift of the throttle. The McLaren doesn't allow for big oversteers because as cool as they might be, they're a slow way around a corner. Is it all perhaps a little too good? Probably, but you'll be having too much fun to care.
The McLaren also boasts a few new refinements for 2013 that apply to both models, most notably improved ride quality and the quieter cabin. A navigation system is available, though it's a work in progress. We had a number of arguments over whether or not a road it requested I turn on existed, and it had a bad habit of temporarily freezing while giving directions, which led to several missed turns. McLaren promises rapid improvements. Overall, it's made the car a bit more livable without giving up any apparent performance.
As we've established, if you're the hairy-chested sort who's still fighting the losing battle against computer nannies in cars, this probably isn't the supercar for you. But if you can put aside the philosophical argument and that fleeting feeling of being outmatched by the car, you're not likely to regret it. As for me, I'm with Johnny. Go ahead and lie to me.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/exotic/1210_2013_mclaren_12c_spider_first_drive/
I asked myself the same question behind the wheel of the new 2013 McLaren 12C Spider. (Yes, they gave up on the silly MP4 prefix.) Readers might recall that during our Best Driver's Car competition earlier this year, I remarked that driving the 12C coupe was akin to "paying for sex." While that sounds like damning with faint praise, I meant it in the most highbrow way possible. I wasn't referring to a quickie behind the 7-11, but rather a high-end escort, a lady who charges appropriately for all that class. My point was that in such a relationship, she's going to tell you you're the best she's ever had and you're absolutely going to enjoy the experience because at that price, she's going to be good at her job. You both know it's a lie, but if everyone leaves happy, who gets hurt?
That's what the McLaren is like, roof or no roof. There's a wealth of technology in the car that does everything it can to get you down the road and around the bend faster -- so much so that you as the driver have become the limitation needing to be accommodated. As pro wheelman Randy Pobst put it, this car is "a whole other level of performance." Like the lady of the night, it'll whisper sweet nothings in your ear about what an amazing driver you are and you'll finish the drive feeling like a stud, but deep down, you both know she was exaggerating your talents for your benefit.
While I don't doubt that Randy is telling the truth when he says he can feel the subtle computer interventions and enhancements as he drives, he's far more qualified to judge than I. I've not yet been to Daytona, much less won a 24-hour endurance race there, so when it comes to nearly imperceptible changes in the car's behavior, I defer to him. If the car is making ever-so-slight changes to the steering ratio, braking, throttle, hydraulic anti-roll bars or anything else mid-corner at extra-legal speeds, I can't tell. And you know what? I'm OK with that. I still feel like the greatest driver in the world when I'm behind the wheel, and if I'm enjoying myself, why complain?
With that established, let's talk about what separates the Spider from the coupe. There is, of course, the folding metal hard top. It'll do its thing while the car is moving, provided you're not moving very fast, and it stows in a compartment on top of the engine. When it's up, the cabin suffers surprisingly little road or tire noise for a sports car. While you'll get plenty of engine note regardless, McLaren recommends leaving the rear window rolled down when you have the roof up for the full effect. Variation on the "full effect" is now possible thanks to a setting buried in the information screen on the left side of the gauges that lets you modify the Intake Sound Generator. Namely, it lets you turn it down, so you don't have this vacuum cleaner sitting just over your right shoulder for the entire drive. It's a marked improvement from the 2012 car, which tended to drone loudly in your right ear on the highway.
Ditching the roof requires an extra step confirming on the screen in the gauge cluster that there's nothing in the roof storage area. While it's always been technically possible to store small items in a convertible's roof storage location, most manufacturers prefer you don't, and some actively make it difficult for you to do so. McLaren, on the other hand, is making it easy with controls on the driver's door to raise the cover and access a bit more cargo space. On the flip side, you have to confirm you've removed your stuff before you can drop the top.
Once you do, the 12C Spider looks rather like a Ferrari 458 Spider, much as the coupes resemble each other. From the pontoons behind the occupants' heads to the vents in the cover, there's a striking similarity. What isn't suspiciously similar is the noise. McLaren admits it's still defining the sound, because, unlike a Ferrari, no one really knows what a McLaren is "supposed" to sound like. I find it most similar to a power boat. There's a deep, booming, staccato rumble at idle and low speeds that builds to a mighty roar as the revs climb, but never comes anywhere near Ferrari's wail. It's accompanied by the thinly veiled whistle of the twin turbochargers and the occasional scream of the waste gates, which sounds surprisingly like the screech of a tire when you've locked a wheel under hard braking (which, incidentally, is when the waste gates tend to pop off).
If you were hoping the roll-up rear window or the low seating position would spare your hair, I have bad news for you. It's going to get messed up, and if you're planning on having the top open on the freeway, it's really going to get blown around. At freeway speeds, it's not just windy but also pretty loud, so you'll be talking even more loudly to be heard across the narrow cabin. Being a convertible clearly falls below being a supercar on the priority list.
That's evident as you turn the wheel. As discussed earlier, the car is doing some of the heavy lifting for you, but the experience really isn't any different than the coupe. The 12C Spider has the same moves and it's not afraid to cut a rug. Body roll is supremely well-controlled, the steering is ultra-responsive and provides meaningful feedback, and the brakes are simply undefeatable. Pushed to the limits of your personal comfort zone, the car barely feels like it's working, much less working hard. Think you messed up this corner? Just keep turning and it'll keep going. The worst you can do is invoke moderate understeer, which comes on surprisingly quickly but corrects just as fast with a lift of the throttle. The McLaren doesn't allow for big oversteers because as cool as they might be, they're a slow way around a corner. Is it all perhaps a little too good? Probably, but you'll be having too much fun to care.
The McLaren also boasts a few new refinements for 2013 that apply to both models, most notably improved ride quality and the quieter cabin. A navigation system is available, though it's a work in progress. We had a number of arguments over whether or not a road it requested I turn on existed, and it had a bad habit of temporarily freezing while giving directions, which led to several missed turns. McLaren promises rapid improvements. Overall, it's made the car a bit more livable without giving up any apparent performance.
As we've established, if you're the hairy-chested sort who's still fighting the losing battle against computer nannies in cars, this probably isn't the supercar for you. But if you can put aside the philosophical argument and that fleeting feeling of being outmatched by the car, you're not likely to regret it. As for me, I'm with Johnny. Go ahead and lie to me.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/exotic/1210_2013_mclaren_12c_spider_first_drive/
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
It's very strange isn't it? I can't explain it either, could it be that the colour palette of the spider that gives the car a much needed aura of sexiness?
twistedlifestyle
Precision Tuner
The McLaren 12C Spider In Hong Kong For The Launch Mid December
HD, full screen, turn the speakers up and hit play.
HD, full screen, turn the speakers up and hit play.
DeDe
Subscriber
I'm afraid that's just a driving comparison.
Beemer B773ER
Tire Trailblazer
Go hit that Ultimate Garage thread with a vengeance, Marcus.
Yep, it actually looks sexy now!!
Similar threads
McLaren
McLaren Automotive is a British luxury automotive manufacturer founded in 1985 as McLaren Cars and later
re-introduced as McLaren Automotive in 2010. Based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England,
the company's main products are sports cars, which are produced in-house in designated production
facilities. In July 2017, McLaren Automotive became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the wider McLaren Group.
Official website: McLaren Automotive
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