McLaren MP4-12C Spider 2013 convertible debuts

The McLaren MP4-12C Spider just made its worldwide debut in pictures today. The Spider is essentially a hard-top convertible version of the MP4-12C sports coupe.

McLaren says that since their cars have a carbon-fibre chassis, they can tack on any sort of bodywork on it, and all it took to make a convertible was chop off the roof, adding only 40 kg oweight for the roof mechanism and without losing any of the coupe’s rigidity. The little top takes 17 seconds to put up or down. It also has a power wind deflector that can be raised or lowered behind the seats.

Power still comes from a 616 hp 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. The MP4-12C Spider can still do the 0-100 kph run in 3.1 seconds like the coupe, though the convertible has a slightly lower top speed of 326 kph compared to the 331 kph of the original.

McLaren has opted for a retractable hard top, which the company says takes around 17 seconds to put up or down. The MP4-12C Spider also treats occupants to a power wind deflector that can be raised or lowered behind the seats.

The MP4-12C apparently takes 9 months to deliver from the time you order one, with the coupe costing around Dhs 900,000 in Dubai, while the Spider will cost just above Dhs 1 million. Body customisations are readily available from the factory, and can bump up the price even higher.