McLaren 650S Spider: "So much better than the 12C it defies belief"

4 April 2014
Review

The McLaren 650S Spider costs some £20k more than the £190,000 coupe version, and it’s worth every penny. Why? Because it can do just about everything the coupé can do dynamically yet adds a sizeable hit of extra sex appeal to go with it. And that arrives courtesy of a folding hard top roof that can glide up or down in but a few seconds, and which transforms the 650S into an even more exotic creature on the move. Steve Sutcliffe puts it to the test.

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Comments
11

fadyady

4 April 2014
McLaren is on a roll. Goes without saying!

Matthew Langton

4 April 2014
Mclaren just seem to get better and better. It's not really a surprise given the masterpieces the F1 and P1 are.

Captain Darling

4 April 2014
This is what the 12c should have been like in the first place.The 12c just isn't quite good enough in both looks and ability.

Mortice

4 April 2014
Things move on and it seems like cars are becoming more like phones this way.
I do not say that in a bad way I hasten to add...!!! I would not like to stand in the way of technological progress.
When the 12C was reviewed here in its various guises it amazed and inspired admiration from all quarters as such a good car should do.
Let us not forget all the MP4 12C owners out there who might feel a little peeved at having their pride and joy usurped.
Like phones though?....well the car technicians move on and when allowed freedom of thought within the company might be inclined to say?...well look here team leader or boss........we did so well with the aero dynamics of the P1..what with its splitter at the front and such, that why dont we apply it to the 12C.?
Corporate discussion ensues and they say yes...and a new feel to the handling of the 12C arrives over a speed of about 60mph that has Sutters drooling at the front end grip.(also you can see the way the areo stuff has transformed the handling in the vid)
Compare the front end of the 12C to the 650S and it is like comparing something stylish to something that might work.
Just my thoughts on one massive department of improvement.

The Apprentice

4 April 2014
So why wasn't the Qashqai review like this instead of a euro duty free run blog?

Guy08

4 April 2014
Seriously?

How much is "so much better" actually?

Overdrive

4 April 2014
Guy08 wrote:

Seriously? How much is "so much better" actually?

Apparently "so much better" is the equivalent of only half a star in Autocar speak! That's what happens when a magazine hypes the original so much......which makes you wonder if they're also hyping the 650S a tad.

Peter Cavellini

5 April 2014
In a word......clinical!

Cardinal Fang

5 April 2014
Peter, you're so predictable. Have you driven one yet?

Peter Cavellini

6 April 2014
Cardinal Fang, no i haven't but, like fellow posters ,who like me have not driven one,we still have an opinion on the car's looks,clinical means it's designed to do a job,looks wise?......well lets just say it doesn't make me want one like a Porsche GT3 does,it's a fair comment.

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