MCLAREN MP4-12C Spider Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

In 2011, McLaren launched its first car after the iconic McLaren F1 back in 1992. It was named MP4-12C and, one-year later, the open-top version named MP4-12 C Spider was unveiled.

When a car manufacturer has more Formula 1 titles on its shelf than cars launched, it had to do something about it. It needs to get back something from that renowned name. By the time it launched the 12C, as it was known for short, it has eight Formula 1 constructor's championships won and 13 driver's championships. The MP4 resembles the first Formula 1 car built with a bodywork made out of carbon-fiber. And so was the MP4-12 Spider.

Since the beginning of the project, the 12C was designed to have a roadster version and since the carbon fiber is such a strong and light element, it was easy to convert the car from a coupe to an open-top vehicle. That added only 40 kg (88 lbs) to the vehicle, due to the retracting mechanism consisting of electric motors, levers, and cables.

The retractable hard-top can disappear in 17 seconds in a special design compartment behind the cabin. The interior of the car featured the same expensive materials show-off with carbon fiber, leather, and aluminum. The seats, air-conditioning, and the audio system were redesigned for the Spider version since they have to cope with open-top driving experience.

But more improvements were done to the technical side. The engine gained more power than the coupe and the ESP was re-calibrated for better control on the limits. The twin-turbo engine was re-tuned for better torque in the mid-range.