It has been some time since British sports cars were the stuff of legend. That time has returned. The McLaren has been a fixture on the world’s racetracks for decades. Since the launch of the F1 roadster in 1992, its spectacular cars have graced the ordinary highways and byways and may be driven by mere mortals. Yet everyday drivers with ambitions to follow in the slipstream of their Formula One heroes can rest assured that racing DNA courses through the veins of every road-going version of the Woking wonder car.
Ron Dennis, McLaren’s executive chairman, has a hard-earned reputation for insisting on the highest standards of technical excellence and engineering innovation, and his philosophy oozes from every pore of his vehicles. For example, while most manufacturers will produce a coupe and then sacrifice weight and rigidity for the convertible, McLaren designed the latest release as a Spider from the outset, using the same hardcore carbon F1-style MonoCell found in its earlier sister, the 12C. This requires virtually no additional stiffening and only 40 kilograms of extra weight to accommodate the retractable roof paraphernalia.
RIDE & COMFORT
Step into the car’s cockpit, strap in and fire up the revised M838T 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 engine with a simple push of a button, then sit back and enjoy the ride. Unlike many of its closest rivals, the McLaren 12C Spider performs beautifully whether at low revs in traffic or when stretching the engine’s mind-blowing power. For mundane city driving or for the terminally relaxed, the ‘Normal’ chassis and power train setting is smooth, eminently practical and very comfortable. However, engaging the ‘Sport’ or ‘Track’ mode releases a turbo-charged 616-bhp beast, tamed only by the pro-active suspension that doesn’t so much hold the road as grab it by the scruff of the neck. The hydraulic roll control is complemented by an advanced, continuously variable adaptive damping system, which responds in real time to the wheel input of each damper.
Twisting along the narrow lanes of southern Hong Kong island at speed, there was no drift, and the handling was faultlessly confidence-inspiring even when driving to the limit. Only the brave or reckless would activate the air-break on the rear of the car to get even more down force. Feedback to the steering wheel is instant and reliable. Blistering acceleration is delivered through the pin-sharp throttle response, and the seamless seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox (made in Italy by Graziano) changes down under braking just like a manual shift, producing a satisfying double growl into the bargain.
BODY AND SOUL
The Spider’s low-slung, sleek body lines lovingly crafted by the legendary Frank Stephenson are broken by two rear buttresses and large air vents on either side. A glass panel exposes the mid-mounted engine block. Every curve and component has a specific purpose, but although form essentially follows function, the result is most definitely a thing of beauty. Drivers requiring an ego boost need look no further than this car. Everywhere we went during the test drive, people stared and pointed, even posing beside us for impromptu photo sessions when we came to a standstill.
Once the dihedral doors are closed, you get a real sense that the car has been designed around the driver. Although the 12C has two seats as opposed to the central single seat of the original F1, they are placed as closely to the centre as possible in a bid to produce the same straight in-line feel. The interior is ergonomically sound and uncluttered, featuring a steering wheel allegedly the same width as Lewis Hamilton’s and blessedly free of distracting bells and whistles.
Subtlety trumps flashiness every time, and everything a driver needs comes easily and effortlessly to hand. The pleasingly narrow and functional central console has simple, readable controls spaced in a sensible manner. A button activates the hydraulically-operated two-piece rigid roof, also fashioned from carbon fibre; it can be opened or closed in about 17 seconds while traveling at speeds of up to 30 kilometres per hour. With the roof down, the symphonic cacophony thrust from the sport exhausts resonates and escalates with brutal, unadulterated aural joy. With the roof up, you can lower the rear screen or adjust the three levels of the Intake Sound Generator system to achieve the same pleasing result.
VITAL STATS
|
ENGINE |
M838T V8 3.8-litre turbo |
|
MAXIMUM POWER |
616 bhp (460 kW) at 7,500 rpm |
|
MAXIMUM TORQUE |
600 Nm at 3,000-7,000 rpm |
|
TRANSMISSION |
Seven-speed plus reverse Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG) |
|
SUSPENSION |
Proactive Chassis Control (PCC) with hydraulic roll control and adaptive damping |
|
BRAKES |
4-piston monobloc aluminium calipers (front and rear) |
|
BODY |
Composite body panels |
|
PERFORMANCE |
0-100 km/h in 3.1 seconds |
|
TOP SPEED |
326 km/h |
VERDICT
The McLaren 12C Spider is truly a user-friendly supercar; it has enough genuine class and flexibility to cope with all driving styles and road conditions. Despite their wing-like appearance, the space-age doors take up less room than their more conventional counterparts, so the Spider can be safely parked in a busy city car park. When the roof is up, there is even a small amount of luggage space.
There may be a few minor niggles, such as a small blind spot created by the buttresses, but this car is as close to open-topped perfection as you will ever see. A mobile work of art that is obsessively well-engineered, it stirs primeval emotions and encourages reckless dreams. Comparisons with its illustrious rivals are gloriously irrelevant; this spider spins its own unique web of motoring excellence.
McLaren expects to produce up to 1,500 cars this year and 80 per cent are predicted to be Spiders. ‘No roof, no compromise’ trumpets the publicity material, and for once the reality more than matches the hype.
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