MCLAREN MP4-12C Spider Review

Ah yes, there’s nothing quite like testing the acceleration of a supercar with the top folded nicely behind you. Screw the wind noise, we really don’t care about it! Nevertheless, these acts of bravery only last for a few minutes, after which the pain wins and you unfold the roof. This, of course, annoys you and, all of a sudden, you turn into a racing driver that can easily feel the performance drawbacks of the convertible when compared to the coupe.

Well, the McLaren MP4-12C Spider is so good with the maths that not even the aforementioned picky side of yourself will be able to tell the go-fast differences between this and the Coupe. First of all, both need 3.1 seconds to hit 62 mph, with the optional Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber. And the fact that the Spider can hit a top speed of 204 mph (329 km/h) is down right amusing, as this means it’s only 1 mph slower than the Coupe.

The entire dynamic experience feels identical to the one offered by the fixed roof MP4-12C.

Hammer it on the straights and you’ll feel a bit of pain in the back of your neck - we’ve just gone past 4,000 rpm and it’s almost as the speedometer can’t keep up with the instant build-up of revs. This thing makes a Ferrari 458 Spider feel a little bit lazy on the straights.

As part of the 2013 upgrade, McLaren has added 25 HP via a new ECU map and has also played with the 7-speed double-clutch transmission’s software. While it’s difficult to feel the extra muscle, the gearbox upgrades are easier to spot, both when it comes to blistering-fast shifts and refined ones.

McLaren has also addressed criticism about the MP4-12C’s less than perfect soundtrack. The supercar’s Intake Sound Generator (ISG), which brings the intake noise inside the cabin, now allows you to choose the level of intensity for all three powertrain modes.

The ISG is a nice little tech gadget, as it offers you all the forced induction (and exhaust) audible pleasure and the fact that you can configure it for the Normal, Sport and Track powertrain modes is great. However, the voice of the engine itself doesn’t feel like music and, on certain everyday driving occasions, it’s too loud.

And when it comes to braking, the standard AP-supplied hardware, which features forged aluminum bells to save weight, clearly outperforms a Lamborghini Gallardo’s steel brakes in terms of fading. However, both cars are available with carbon ceramics as an option.

Even when using the most hostile testing conditions for a convertible - full power cornering on the track - the McLaren MP4-12C Spider refuses to admit it’s got a foldable top. Among others, this means that we get to play with that monumental steering from the Coupe and not lose any of the joy.

In the Normal and Sport handling modes the vehicle can’t be persuaded to let the back out. It only does this when in the Track handling mode, but you’re never actually in danger of losing it, as the slip angles allowed by the car are moderate.

At the limit, the MP4-12C Spider is neutral, even though it does require you to adapt your driving style to its F1-inspired power delivery technology. This means that you’ll have to countersteer much less than you were used to and just let the electronics sort things out. If you want to go fast in this thing, it’s best to learn how the computer makes the car behave and then focus on riding the edge of the grip.

We’ve got to pause this hooning mood and almost come to a stop as the road in front seems to have developed acne. The cross-drilled section of asphalt only stretches for a few car lengths, but it’s enough to require us to tap the metallic arm that controls the turn signals.

The new (2013), optional, Vehicle Lifter System, is thus activated and this means that the elastic aerodynamic bits placed under the car, behind the front wheels, won’t kiss the pavement like before.

The suspension manages the situation without any hassle - thank you interconnected active dampers for making that stiff stabilizer bar redundant and keeping it out of the car.

As the rear wheels meet the last pothole, we decided to continue our drive in a more moderate manner and this is when the Spider proves to be superior to the Coupe.

Like the Nissan GT-R, the McLaren MP4-12C Spider doesn’t manage to fully entertain you once you start driving it below seven or eight tenths. And while the Spider’s open air drama doesn’t manage to fully make up for this, it’s certainly a nice thing to have.