McLaren MP4-12C Spider. FIRST DRIVE

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The taut bodylines, racy 19-inch Diamond Cut alloys and nearly-aggressive side air intakes remain intact, but all anybody will be looking at is that new retractable hardtop roof. Deployed in less than 17 seconds at the push of a button, the 12C’s roof-up silhouette remains as elegant and timeless as ever. For my money though, it pails into insignificance when the roof is down. The buttresses (which, in a clever design note, offer an extra 52-litres of storage space underneath) are things of beauty, and give an injection of ‘wackiness’ into the 12C DNA. Indeed, with the coupe model originally conceived as a convertible, this new look just seems… just right.

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Though we tip our collective hats to design director Frank Stephenson (he of BMW X5 and Ferrari F430 fame), it’s important to remember that the Spider is NOT just another convertible. Frank was on hand to explain that it’s a ‘pure McLaren, driver-focused’ machine; an opinion that an exploratory glance at the basics seems to confirm. The Spider’s base is the same innovative carbon fibre MonoCell structure that was specifically designed with stability and driveability in the MP4-12C in mind, the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that powers the coupe version, produces the same 616bhp as the 2013-spec MP4-12C. That equates to a 3.1 second 0-100kph time and a 329kph top speed; only 4kph less than its hardtop counterpart. Clearly Woking’s newest 12C can shift.

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Climbing aboard, using a new rubber button to open the doors (though customers can still choose the sometimes temperamental swipe system option through McLaren Special Operations), and firing the big V8 into life sends a surprisingly delicate yet deep roar through the exhausts valves, which gets the blood pumping almost immediately. Buckling up and pressing the go-faster pedal merely accentuates this.

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Boy is the 12C Spider quick. Engine response, as crankandpiston’s time on the Spanish asphalt found, is exquisite; smooth yet violent enough to give the small of your back a big punch. A flick of the right paddle selects the next gear with seamless speed, the resultant momentum allowing the power output to once again pin you to the high-quality leather-bound seats. With 616bhp to play with, and an in-built urge to hit the higher revs (anything less would almost be disrespectful), there is no trace of engine lag or strain, the warble through the exhausts increasing as the odometer needle rises. Admittedly, you won’t hear these too loudly given the noise reduction levels in place, but opening the rear window sends those engine notes ricocheting through the cabin. You could also take advantage of the intake sound generator which ups the intensity of the engine and exhaust valve notes in the cabin the more aggressive you go with the powertrain mode (the loudest being Track, obviously).  Needless to say with the roof down we kept looking for some tunnels to go thorough to get that music in surround sound.