McLaren MP4-12C Spider spied

Text: Sam Hardy / Photos: SB-Medien

17th November 2011

These are the first pictures of the new McLaren MP4-12C Spider. Our spy photographer caught the new drop-top supercar testing in southern Europe, and if you take a close look at the rear of the car, you can see a somewhat disguised new convertible roof mechanism.

McLaren has publicly committed to launching a new model every year until the middle of the decade, and a rival to the Ferrari 458 Spider is the next step in the Woking company's growth. In fact the MP4-12C is expected to get a very similar folding metal roof to the 458.

Although not confirmed, it is likely to feature a central panel that flips upwards and back, to lie flat between the passenger compartment and the engine bay. If you look at the prototype here, you can see the thick black covering hides the rear quarterlight and most of the engine bay, from the roof down.

The new roof mechanism is expected to be made from aluminium or carbon fibre to keep weight to a minimum. The design allows the car's butterfly doors to remain intact, too. 

Power will come from the same 592bhp 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 as the coupe, allowing a top speed of around 200mph. The MP4-12C Spider is likely to be revealed next year, with sales beginning in 2013. 

Beyond that, McLaren is preparing a range-topping hypercar which will be a spiritual successor the original F1, for the middle of the decade. In the shorter term, McLaren has increased production of the new MP4-12C, officially launching its McLaren Production Centre, a new manufacturing facility next to the Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey.