The MP4-12C Spider Arrives | McLaren

McLaren MP4-12C Spider | McLaren MP4-12C Spider

The Spider Appears for the MP4-12C

The supercarMcLaren MP4-12Chas welcomed an open-top model, the McLaren MP4-12C Spider. McLaren opted for a retractable hardtop rather than a soft top for the roof, which was a major point of interest.

Text by AKIZUKI Shinichiro (OPENERS)

Retractable Hardtop Roof

The McLaren MP4-12C Spider, whose existence was revealed in the first report on June 29th. Its details were officially announced again by McLaren Automotive on July 4th. The roof, which had garnered much attention, is a retractable hardtop, not a soft top. It can be opened or closed even while driving at speeds up to 30 km/h, taking just 17 seconds. The MP4-12C Spider's body, like the coupe model, uses a CFRP (carbon fiber) shell called a carbon monocoque. However, as the design was conceived with open-top driving in mind from the development stage, hardly any special reinforcement was necessary.

Of course, it is equipped with passive roll-over protection to safeguard the driver and passenger from impacts (a system where rollover bars, integrated behind the headrests, deploy instantly upon detecting danger such as a spin or rollover, protecting the occupants). Nevertheless, the total weight increase compared to the coupe model is a mere 40kg. This increase is almost entirely due to the opening and closing mechanism. Consequently, the 0-100 km/h acceleration remains the same as the coupe model at 3.1 seconds. The top speed is also comparable, at 329 km/h (compared to 333 km/h for the coupe).

Performance Close to the Coupe Model

The powertrain is the same V8 3.8-liter twin-turbo engine found in the 2013 model MP4-12C announced yesterday. It produces a maximum output of 625ps at 7,500rpm and a maximum torque of 600Nm (approx. 61.2kgm) at 3,000-7,000rpm. The transmission is also the same 7-speed dual-clutch.

The interior, on the other hand, is almost identical to the coupe, with the only addition being a roof open/close switch on the center console. The interior trim can now be chosen from two materials: leather and Alcantara. For the trunk space, a specially designed bag is available that fits within the 52-liter storage capacity.

Regarding the delivery schedule, it is expected around November of this year. The MP4-12C Spider not only offers the enjoyment of open-air driving but also boasts performance nearly equivalent to the coupe model. Now, does this car have any weaknesses...?

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