Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible

The latest version of the "New Generation" Corvette Stingray was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show. The new 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible. While the convertible is in most respects identical to the coupe, it does have some innovative features relating to the top itself.
For starters, you will never get wet if it starts to rain. The 3 ply fabric roof closes and opens at speeds approaching 30 mph! The rear window is glass and it also has padding that absorbs sound for quiet rides with the heat or air conditioning on.

Specifications

                                                       General Info

Vehicle Type: Convertible Coupe	Base Price: NA
Fuel Tank Capacity: NA	Miles Per Gallon: 25 combined city/hwy

Dimensions

Length: 177 in. (449.5 cm)	Wheelbase: 106.7 in. (271 cm)
Height: 48.6 in. (123.5 cm)	Width: 73.9 in. (187.7 cm)

Performance

Engine: 6.2 Liter LT-1 V8	Compression Ratio: 11.5: 1
Horsepower: 450 HP	Max RPM: NA
Torque: 450 lb-ft	Transmission: 7-Speed Manual
0-60 mph: 3.9 seconds	Maximum Speed: NA

Engine & Performance

This vehicle comes with a brand new 6.2 liter V8 engine. Not even a nut or bolt remains from the previous 6.2L engine. It produces 450 horespower and will accelerate from 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds.
In this time of outrageous gas prices, Chevy has an answer for that too.
The new Chevrolet Stingray Convertible features a cylinder deactivation system that shuts down those not needed at the time. Coupled with the 7 speed manual trans or 6 speed auto/manual set up you should expect to get 26 miles per gallon on the highway.
The ride is smooth with independent long and short armed double wishbone suspension controlling each wheel.



Exterior

Obviously with the convertible you miss the sleek and sporty new roof line. This model is reminiscent of the C6 edition which may disappoint some. Any regrets about the top or front view will clearly disappear when you see this sports car's rear.
The spruced up taillights and 4 exhaust outlets stand out. As a matter of fact, the open roof accentuates the back and emphasizes even more changes to the rear fascia. The Stingray has a wheelbase of 106.7 inches and measures 177 inches total from the front to the back.
Interior

You will feel as if you are in the cockpit of a Lear Jet, save a few extra instruments. Both driver and passenger have a wrap around dash in front of them. Both occupants will also enjoy the dual climate control system.
Of course there is a multi speaker sound system and electro-luminescent gauges for the captain, I mean driver.

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Bugatti Aerolithe

The 2025 Bugatti Aerolithe Concept is the work of Douglas Hogg, a Coventry graduate. The design draws its inspiration from the original Bugatti Aerolithe concept showcased at the 1935 Paris Motorshow.
The old Bugatti Aerolithe concept was also the inspiration of the Atlantic 57SC.

Specifications

    General Info

Vehicle Type: Super Sport Coupe

Est. Market Price: $1,405,800.00

    Performance

Engine: Micro Turbine/Electric Hybrid	Electric Horsepower: 450 HP
Torque: 1500 lb-ft	Curb Weight: 3000 lbs (1361 kg)
0-60 mph: 2.7 seconds	Top Speed: 220 mph / (354 km/h)

The Future in Mind

Designed 75 years after the original Aerolithe was launched in Paris, Douglas Hogg has introduced the modern interpretation of the design. The car looks quite futuristic, despite being based on a design that was made quarter of a century back. Hogg suggests that he has used a minimalistic approach in pure surfacing for the design and applied a principle of Ettore Bugatti for Automotive design.
The car design represents simplicity, elegance, and intelligence. The design follows a smooth flow, uncluttered by door handles, external mirrors or spoilers. It's in complete harmony with advanced aerodynamics.
The underbody aerodynamics are an important feature of the design that allows two air channels to traverse the entire length of the body, funneling air from the front of the body to the diffuser at the rear, producing enough down force in the process to keep the car glued to the tarmac at high speeds.

Features

Some of the key features of the design include aeronautics inspired split canopy doors, split windshield, pronounced windows, bullet proof windows, lightweight construction material and Bugatti's signature front grille  
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Performance

The car is powered by a Microturbine-battery hybrid powertrain. Microturbines do not power the wheels directly and merely function as a generator to charge up the batteries on the run and acts as a range extender for an otherwise purely electric vehicle. A single fill of the tank can make this car run up to 800 miles.
The Bugatti Aerolithe design is a great concept that showcases the design elements that may inspire the cars of tomorrow. It's a great tribute to Ettore Bugatti, who was way ahead of his time when he launched the first Aerolithe.

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Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport

Bugatti has launched a special edition Veyron Grand Sport at the Qatar motor show in January 2012.
This special edition is a convertible and is no doubt the fastest convertible produced in the world with a top speed of 253 mph (407km/h) with speeds up to 217 mph (350km/h) achieved without the roof.
The Veyron Grand Sport features a catchy yellow and black theme for its exterior. This edition of the Grand Sport is the last of the Veyron’s to be built.

Specifications

       General Info

Vehicle Type: SuperCar	Base Price: € 1,580,000.00
Fuel Tank Capacity: 26.4 gallons (100 liters)	Miles Per Gallon: NA

Dimensions

Length: 175.6 in. (446 cm)	Wheel Base: 106.6 in. (271 cm)
Height: 47.4 in. (120.4 cm)	Width: 78.6 in. (199.8 cm)
Curb Weight: 4387 lbs (1990 kg)	Maximum Seating: 2 people

                                                         Performance

Engine: W16 Quad Turbo	Displacement: 8.0 Liter
Horsepower: 1200 HP	Max RPM: 6000 RPM
Torque: 1106 lb-ft	Transmission: 7-Speed Automatic DSG
0-60 mph: 2.7 seconds	Maximum Speed: 252.9 mph (407 km/h)

 

The central console is colored in carbon black. The dashboard, gearshift and steering wheels are covered with black leather and yellow stitching.Exterior & Interior
The man behind Bugatti, Ettore Bugatti has always experimented with different color schemes and materials for his extreme cars. He has always preferred painting his cars in two color combinations. The Veyron Grand Sport is no exception and is colored in yellow and black. This interesting combination of yellow and black color is said to be one his all time favorite.
The two colors are split horizontally, with bright yellow covering the top part of the car with black carbon underneath it. The yellow and black theme is not only limited to exteriors, but also runs into the interiors with seats finished in yellow leather and black stitching.

Performance

Veyron Grand Sport's internal largely remains the same. The car is powered by the quad-turbocharged 8-litre W-16 engine which churns out whopping 1001-horsepower. The car can do 0 to 60 in 2.7 seconds.





Limited

The Veyron Grand Sport model would cost $2.05 million, which is more than 10% premium over the out of production original Veyron. The incremental changes are only cosmetic but the one planning to buy this car won't complain about the difference in price.
It's a limited edition and the company has decided to produce only 150 units of Grand Sport out of which nearly 2/3 slots are still available.

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Ferrari FF

As I’m driving through hairpin corners in the Dolomite Mountains of the South Tyrol region of Italy, the Ferrari FF’s two-door wagon body style is the last thing on my mind, which is interesting because it’s probably the first thing anyone else would notice about the latest four-seater from Maranello. Instead, my most pressing thought, besides not dropping a $300,000 GT car off a cliff, is the FF’s four-wheel-drive system, which has so tamed the 651-hp V-12 engine that a tail-out hero photo of a drifting FF requires serious commitment with the stability control fully switched off. When the back end finally does come around, though, it does so in a predictable, gentle manner. In sport mode, the sportiest of the five chassis settings accessible via the steering-wheel-mounted manettino knob, the back of the car hardly wiggles on dry pavement.But the first roadgoing Ferrari to put power to all four wheels doesn’t understeer like so many other four-wheel-drive sports cars. It’s actually mostly neutral through corners. Ferrari engineers repeatedly explained to us that the front wheels are used mostly for traction in bad weather and that power is otherwise shunted to the rear wheels as much as possible. Based on a cockpit display of power to the front wheels (we were told the display won’t be on customer cars), however, that’s not entirely true, as the system activates on almost every uphill corner if you request full power. Without the display, the only clue the FF isn’t rear-wheel drive is the aforementioned lack of oversteer. There’s no torque steer, no power-on push. And so it seems that the biggest compliment we can pay to the FF’s groundbreaking four-wheel drive is, paradoxically, that it’s not really a big deal.


What is a big deal, of course, is the FF’s body, a shape known to most of the world as a three-door hatchback, or a shooting brake. The latter term dates to the days of horses and carriages. In more modern times, it represents a sporty car in which a gentleman has enough room to carry his guns and hunting dogs. But Ferrari doesn’t necessarily prescribe a tweed jacket and a couple of hounds for customers (of which there will be about 1000 per year worldwide); it sees the FF simply as an evolution of the GT car with more cargo space and more mobility than its predecessor, the 612 Scaglietti, had. Heck, this Ferrari even has cruise control and cup holders. How’s that for progress?

Evolutionary Styling…and Chrysler Nav?

The V-12 sits entirely behind the front axle, and it resides within a snout that brings to mind cars like the original BMW M coupe or even the Jaguar E-type. Aside from the rear and its familiar round taillights, the Pininfarina-styled FF is an evolutionary step in styling away from Ferrari’s California and 458 Italia, with headlights that stretch back along the front fenders and functional vents and ducts scattered about. Inside, the nozzle-shaped vents recall those of the 612 Scaglietti as well as the 599GTO. But living among the vents on the dash, we find the FF’s biggest disappointment: a stereo-and-navigation unit common to the entire Chrysler family. It’s not only disgracefully downmarket but also not very good. Primary map functions, such as zooming in and out, must be done with fussy touchscreen buttons. The steering wheel, like the one in the 458 Italia, houses the turn-signal and wiper controls, leaving the giant paddle shifters as the only protrusions from the steering column. The instrument cluster features a giant center-mounted tachometer flanked by two high-resolution LCDs. The right display shows speed as a digital readout or a conventional dial, and it displays the rear camera’s feed when reverse is engaged. The left display shows accessory dials, navigation and trip information, and any warning lights. Front-seat passengers can be entertained by an optional screen that shows engine and vehicle speed or trip information.

The rear seats are accessed by pulling up big aluminum handles on the side of each front seat to move them forward electronically. Ingress to the rear involves basically falling into the snug seat, although once you’re planted, there’s plenty of head- and legroom. Rear passengers sit slightly higher than those up front, stadium-style, and well-behaved sub-six-footers should last a few hours without complaint, or perhaps longer with the optional rear-seat entertainment system. Taller folk will fit, albeit less comfortably. The rear seats fold in a 60/40 split and feature a center-section pass-through. Seats up, the FF’s 16 cubic feet of storage beat the Porsche Panamera’s 15.7, but the FF loses to the Porsche with the seats folded, 28 cubes to 45.

In the late 1940s, Enzo Ferrari reluctantly agreed to build road cars as a way to finance his racing outfit.

One has to wonder, though, whether he would have signed his name to today's Ferrari FF, a four-seat, all-wheel-drive hatchback intended to broaden the brand and boost global sales. Designed to lure a new kind of customer, the FF comfortably totes four passengers and their luggage without worrying mortal drivers about landing wheels up in a ditch.

Ferrari calls the body a shooting-brake design, which probably plays better than "hatchback" on the lot in Beverly Hills. At a few inches shorter than a Ford Explorer, the FF boasts more trunk space than a Toyota Camry does. And that's behind four leather-lined seats that can actually fit adults for trips of appreciable duration. It literally gives buyers more to like, and the results stand out on Ferrari's balance sheet.

In 2012, sales in the U.S., Ferrari's largest market, were up 11.2% over 2011, according to research firm Autodata. Though Ferrari doesn't disclose sales for individual models, the company says the success of the FF helped global V-12 sales climb 22% in the first three quarters of 2012, boosting profit 7.6%.
A cursory glance at the spec sheet of our Ferrari FF tester tells you where at least a portion of that profit is derived.
The car starts at $295,000. But a liberal flogging of the options boxes ran our test car up to $377,341. That extra $82,000 includes an $11,000 "Grigio Abu Dhabi" paint job (or as it's known to us poor folk, silver). Other overpriced goodies include a $3,500 backup camera; a $5,800 suspension-lifting system to prevent driveway scrapes; and $4,400 privacy glass for the rear windows.
Curiously, a sport exhaust system costs just $700, a strikingly better value than the camera. Also odd for a car costing the GDP of New Hampshire: an outdated navigation and stereo system from a garden-variety Jeep.
But the important equipment on the FF — the drivetrain — comes standard. Mr. Ferrari would have no quibble here. A direct-injected 6.2-liter, V-12 engine makes 651 horsepower as it screams along at 8,000 revolutions per minute. The car makes 504 pound-feet of torque at a quieter 6,000 rpm. Ferrari says the bulk of that, 369 pound-feet, is available between 1,000 and 8,000 rpm.
A seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission routs power to the wheels, where Ferrari has installed a proprietary all-wheel-drive system that it says is 50% lighter than a conventional setup. The FF pulls off this sleight of hand by essentially acting as a rear-wheel-drive car most of the time. Only when the vehicle's systems detect the rear wheels slipping can up to 20% of the engine's torque be routed to the front wheels via a second, two-speed gearbox.
This system can also vary the torque sent to each of the front wheels. By pushing more power to the outside wheel when cornering, the FF can better pull itself through the turn.
The FF provides yet another layer of technology to keeping the car safely planted on the roadway, with a dial on the steering wheel that lets drivers choose among four electronically enhanced driving modes: snow, wet, comfort and sport. The various settings alter throttle response, transmission shift points, and traction and stability control thresholds. You can also shut the electronic nannies off entirely.

This being Los Angeles, 300 miles of testing were limited to dry roads, so the "snow" and "wet" settings went unused. A missed opportunity perhaps, but a testing environment that Ferrari says replicates where the vast majority of FF buyers will drive.
Also unused was the "off" setting. Neither I nor anyone who takes my phone calls has $377,341 to hand Ferrari after wrapping the car around one of Mulholland Highway's finest telephone poles. But "sport" mode allows more than enough fun, and the computers don't object to swinging the FF's tail around a bit when accelerating out of a turn.
Otherwise, the FF stays glued to the pavement and carves up curves with predictable precision. The chassis feels composed and solid, probably because of a hefty curb weight of 4,145 pounds, or about 550 more than Ferrari's latest V-12 GT car, the F12 Berlinetta. Only the overeager steering took careful attention.
Meanwhile, the dual-clutch transmission rips off rapid-fire shifts with ease. Even in full automatic mode, the gearbox has no fear of its 8,000-rpm redline and demonstrates remarkable intuition in deciding when and, crucially, when not to shift. The only minor weakness here was an occasional tendency toward abrupt downshifts at low speeds.
In daily driving, the FF proved remarkably easy to live with; this car shares little of the anxiety of its 458 Italia brethren. The ride of the FF's magnetic suspension, also seen on General Motors products including the Chevrolet Corvette, was perfectly compliant in both the normal and "bumpy road" settings

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Pagani Huayra 230 mph

        

You, the avid reader, are no doubt aware that we recently hosted a little dust-up between the 2013 SRT Viper GTS and the 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 that ended with the outgoing ZR1 setting a new lap record at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Much hand-wringing and explanation-giving ensued with regard to the worse-than-expected performance of that “pre-production” Viper GTS. But was the GTS the right model for the test? Vipers of old didn’t give you a lot of options, short of the race-ready ACR model. For the fifth generation, though, SRT has decided to do a significant two-model split. For the racer, the base model gives you all the thrills and few of the frills. If you like leather seats and contrast stitching, get the fancier GTS model.

 

Until now, all our testing has been done on the GTS. This isn’t unusual, as automakers like to get their fanciest model out to the press first to dazzle us with all the features. In truth, the extra weight of some leather and do-dads shouldn’t meaningfully affect performance on a 640-horsepower car. Nevertheless, we felt it our duty to test the base SRT model as well, just to make sure. SRT is pitching this car as the highest-performing car under $100,000. At $99,390 to start, it’s an optional paint color away from breaking the C-note mark, and there are only three no-cost colors. Unfortunately, there’s the small matter of the gas guzzler tax, which pushes the price to $101,990 out the door. Our tester also sported a $500 set of polished wheels, but other than that, it was as base as it could get. So technically, it’s only an under-$100,000 car before tax, but never mind that. Is it the best?

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• Let’s see how the Viper performed, then. As it happens, we also had a production-spec GTS with us, so we’ll compare it to its high-dollar brother first. The base SRT hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, a tenth of a second behind the GTS. The same thing happened in the quarter mile, where the base car trapped in 11.5 seconds at 128.7 mph, a tenth of a second behind the GTS. In trap speed, the SRT was a tenth of a mile per hour faster than the production-spec GTS and a tenth of a mile per hour slower than the pre-production GTS. Pulling 1.04 g average on the skidpad, the SRT was barely out-gripped by the GTS at 1.05 g average. Oddly enough, the GTS was a tenth of a second quicker around the figure-eight test at 23.3 seconds to the SRT’s 23.4, but the SRT pulled higher average g at 0.93 to the GTS’ 0.91. The only substantial difference in performance between the two cars was in braking, where the SRT stopped 5 feet shorter, needing only 99 feet to stop from 60 mph to the GTS’ 104. That pre-production GTS, though, was on Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires, while the production GTS and the SRT were both on standard P Zeros. In case you’re wondering, the pre-production GTS and its stickier tires pulled 1.08 g on the skidpad and ran the figure eight in 23.2 seconds at 0.91 average .But wait, there’s more. You see, we also took these beasts back to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to see what they’d do at the track. And it got interesting. The Corsa-tired, pre-production GTS, as you may recall, lapped the famed circuit in 1:35.8. The production-spec GTS on P Zeros just edged it at 1:35.78, but the SRT and its non-adjustable suspension (the GTS gets two-mode electronically controlled dampers) pulled off a 1:35.37.Then it got even more interesting. As it happens, we had a set of the Viper’s optional P Zero Corsa tires with us, and we ran them on both cars. The result: 1:34.63 for the SRT and 1:34.23 for the GTS. How did that happen? Even hot shoe Randy Pobst was confused. “I liked the SRT better,” said Pobst. “The rear end of the GTS was still too loose. I felt faster in the SRT.”..
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• We took a look at the telemetry and the difference, it seems, was actually in the brakes. The GTS was equipped with the optional Track Package, which among other things upgrades the brakes with lighter, slotted, two-piece, StopTech rotors. Normally, we wouldn’t expect upgraded rotors to have a big effect, but the data showed that Randy was consistently braking slightly later in the GTS than the SRT, which earned him the extra tenths at the finish line. Of course, we’re talking tenths of a second here, which can be earned or lost in one good or bad corner. We’ve established, then, that both the SRT and GTS Vipers, in their full production spec with final suspension tuning and optional tires, are faster on the track than previously observed. Not fast enough to take the lap record from the defunct Corvette ZR1, but not as slow as previously observed. What, then, about that other claim? Best performer under 100k?

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Well…no. Sort of. It depends. Brace yourselves, kids, because there’s some hair-splitting coming here. You see, there’s the small matter of the Chevrolet Corvette Z06/Z07. That car, with its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure tires, laid down a lap time of 1:34.43 back at Best Driver’s Car 2011. That’s two-tenths quicker than the SRT. Here’s where the debates start. That specific Z06 was optioned up over $100,000, and there’s the small matter of it now being out of production, so you can’t buy a new one like you can the SRT Viper. On the other hand, a base Z06 was $76,595 and with just the Z07 package and related performance gear, you could get one out the door for just under $83,000.  Then there’s the matter of the performance. The Z06 was slightly slower to 60 mph (3.8 seconds) and through the quarter mile (11.9 seconds at 122.5 mph), but it pulled 1.13 g average on the skidpad, lapped the figure eight in 22.8 seconds at 0.98 g average, and stopped from 60 mph in just 94 feet. But to get the faster lap time out of the Viper, you need the $3500 Track Package, which puts you well over $100,000. Of course, you’re technically over $100,000 with the gas guzzler tax anyway. So which was the highest-performing car for under $100,000? A month or two ago, when both cars were technically on sale, that would be a tough call depending on how you weighted your performance criteria, but since the Z06 is gone now, the SRT wins by default. Barely.

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The good news, then, is that the base SRT is a very good car. As noted, Randy found it to be a better track car than the GTS, thanks to its softer rear suspension (softer by race car driver standards, that is), which translated to more grip from the rear tires. Taking a hot lap with Randy at the wheel, I found it stunning how hard he was able to push the SRT even on the base tires without the famously volatile car trying to bite him. I tried it myself, and never experienced any real under- or oversteer at don’t-stuff-it-into-a-tire-wall speeds. I’ve spun older Vipers and was understandably concerned about doing the same in this new car, but the performance greatly exceeded my expectations. That said, Randy did have some reservations. “There’s a very narrow envelope you can drive the Viper in,” he said. “If you get into the throttle too quickly, it’ll come out on you quick and the only way to fix it is to back out of the throttle. There’s rotation, but you can’t use it. Other cars, you can use the rotation to point you out of the corner. Not this car. “I had to slow my hands down. Slow, smooth inputs, because it’s got great grip in the front and it turns in quickly. Slow hands, except when it comes loose. Then you have to be real quick or you’re gonna lose it.”

 

“You remember the 911 from Best Driver’s Car?” Randy asked me. “That car was so consistent. I could get every corner perfect. The Viper’s not like that. Each corner I’m going, ‘Am I gonna get it right, am I gonna get it right, OK, I got it right, what about the next corner, am I gonna get it right, no, I didn’t get it right.’ I can’t get a perfect lap with the Viper.”
But, I asked, are these Vipers better than the one we tested against the ZR1? “Absolutely!” Randy said. “They’re much better. It’s way more hooked-up. I just think there’s a little more there they could get and really nail this thing down.” In other words, it’s still a Viper underneath it all. For the faithful, that’s good news, but there’s good news for the rest of us, too. The new Viper is as good at $99,000 as it is at $140,000; it’s more rewarding for a driver new to the car; it’s a higher-quality car than it used to be in every regard; and it’s even easier to drive on the street. (It has a better ride and a lighter clutch than old models.) The highest-performing car under $100,000? Close enough.

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	2013 SRT Viper	2013 SRT Viper GTS
BASE PRICE	$101,990	$124,990
PRICE AS TESTED	$102,490	$143,090
VEHICLE LAYOUT	Front-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe	Front-engine, RWD, 2-pass, 2-door coupe
ENGINE	8.4L/640-hp/600-lb-ft OHV 20-valve V-10	8.4L/640-hp/600-lb-ft OHV 20-valve V-10
TRANSMISSION	6-speed manual	6-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST)	3343 lb (50/50%)	3362 lb (50/50%)
WHEELBASE	98.8 in	98.8 in
LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT	175.7 x 76.4 x 49.1 in	175.7 x 76.4 x 49.1 in
0-60 MPH	3.5 sec	3.4 sec
QUARTER MILE	11.5 sec @ 128.7 mph	11.4 sec @ 128.6 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH	99 ft	104 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION	1.04 g (avg)	1.05 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT	23.4 sec @ 0.93 g (avg)	23.3 sec @ 0.91 g (avg)
2.2-MI ROAD COURSE LAP	1:35.37 (Pzero); 1:34.63 (Pzero Corsa)	1:35.78 (Pzero); 1:34.23 (Pzero Corsa)
EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON	12/19 mpg	12/19 mpg
ENERGY CONS., CITY/HWY	281/177 kW-hrs/100 miles	281/177 kW-hrs/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS	1.35 lb/mile	1.35 lb/mile

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2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

 

With the MP4-12C Spider, McLaren adds infinite headroom and takes away nothing.
Full disclosure: I blew off my wedding anniversary to drive this thing. And it was totally, 100 percent, without a doubt, worth it.
I realize how this makes me sound. What kind of guy flees the country over his anniversary to drive a supercar? One with a heavy right foot and a love of speed, for starters. But also a guy who reads an assignment email from his editor, temporarily blanks on the fact that his anniversary is the same day as the press launch of the McLaren MP4-12C Spider, and immediately accepts the gig. Hey, I'm only human.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

Here's the takeaway: Against strong odds, I'm still married. The 12C Spider is one hell of a car. And if you ask my wife for any other details, you're on your own.

If you can't tell by looking at it, the Spider is a convertible version of McLaren's Ferrari-fighting MP4-12C coupe. I have friends who bought 12Cs last year, and they shared their ownership impressions. Based on that—real people who actually used the car—I expected a machine that would produce world-class numbers but ultimately not be as developed as its competition.

There's also the roofless aspect. From a certain angle, convertible exotics just don't make much sense—they don't line up with the chief reason for owning a supercar in the first place. Why would you make a car as light and fast as possible only to chop its top off, adding weight and losing aerodynamic efficiency—and, thanks to a lack of a fixed roof, the ability to attend many track events—in the process?

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

So what did a few days with the 12C Spider, in the south of Spain, on public roads and at the Ascari Race Resort, teach me? That you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Or by a few reviews.
Supercars are all about numbers, and these are the important ones: For 2013, the 12C's 3.8-liter, twin-turbo V-8 gets a 24-hp bump, for a total of 616 hp. This was accomplished entirely through software tuning; the car's seven-speed, dual-clutch SSG transaxle remains unchanged, though it also benefits from the software update. (All 2012 12Cs will receive the same programming through a dealer service action, which means that roughly 1,700 cars worldwide will be upgraded at no cost to their owners.)
The 12C's carbon-fiber chassis, which McLaren calls a Mono-Cell, was designed from the outset with a convertible version in mind, so no additional strengthening or hardware changes were needed in order to go roofless. That's a very important distinction—amazingly, the Spider's spring rate and shock valving are identical to those of the coupe. The Spider also weighs just 88 pounds more than the coupe, mainly due to its retractable roof panels (constructed from the same lightweight composite as the body) and a new exhaust system. Chiefly, the 12C remains track-day ready, as the chassis incorporates fixed rollover protection behind both driver and passenger.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

We weren't able to perform instrumented testing, but McLaren claims that the 12C Spider produces numbers nearly identical to those of the coupe. Sixty-two miles per hour should come up in 3.1 seconds, and the quarter-mile is claimed to pass in 10.8 seconds at 134 mph. Keep your foot in it until there is no more, and you'll be going 204 mph—196 mph with the top down— before they send you to jail. Drive like a respectable citizen, and McLaren says you'll see roughly 24 mpg.

Other new bits include an optional adjustable-ride-height suspension for steep driveways or loading the car onto a trailer, and a modification to the electronically dampened intake resonance tube—McLaren calls it an Intake Sound Generator— that channels the engine's glorious honk into the cabin. The tube offers three levels of growl and is now adjustable through the 12C's electronic driver interface; it was previously variable only by selecting one of the car's three powertrain modes. In other words, you no longer have to put your 12C in track configuration to properly rattle your eardrums.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

But if you've read this far, you want to know how the car drives. In a word, brilliantly. Buried behind the numbers, facts, and marketing-speak features is an incredible piece of technology. On the road, with suspension and powertrain left in their least aggressive settings, the ride is supple, the shifts positive yet smooth. For lack of a better term, the McLaren just feels like a car. As with most twin-turbo, small-displacement V-8s, power delivery is a little flat off-boost, but you can easily drive around it. To get the full experience, you click down a few gears, toe-in half throttle to spool up the hair dryers, and then whack it wide open. The car pulls like a train.
There's also launch control, which is both brainless and highly enjoyable: push a few buttons, hold the brake, mash the throttle. Once the instrument-cluster display changes from "building boost" to "release brake," you do just that. Off you go, with tires perfectly hazing themselves and a stupid grin on your face.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

Above all, the Spider feels like—and benefits from being—a clean-sheet design. Unlike in a lot of exotics, your feet aren't offset to the right to clear a wheel well. The steering column is centered on your torso, and everything seems intuitive. There is virtually zero cowl shake—this is the first open car I've driven that passes the finger-on-the-door-gap test, where you don't feel panel alignment change as the car moves down the road. In retrospect, it'd probably be a surprise if a McLaren didn't feel like this; the company knows carbon. It used the first carbon chassis in Formula 1, in 1981, and in 1992, it made the first carbon-bodywork, carbon-chassis road car, the legendary F1.
My road time in the 12C Spider took advantage of a few key features, namely the ability to lower the rear window with the top raised, intake sound set to maximum, the suspension in sport mode, and the powertrain in track mode for the most aggressive upshifts and power delivery. It was nothing short of nirvana. At idle you can hear fuel injectors ticking away and faint sounds of machinery at work right behind your head—the air-conditioning compressor cycling, say—but the symphony hits when you mat the throttle. Exhaust, wastegates, pop-off valves, spinning cam chains—at 8,500 rpm, you hear all of it, everything you want. Downshifts are just as fantastic, with revmatching blips and substantial engine braking. There were a few tunnels on the test route. I was juvenile. It was great.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

As good as the Spider is on the road, it's best appreciated on a track. The true test of a track car is a driver's comfort level—if you don't feel in control, you simply can't go quickly. With the 12C, this isn't an issue. In full-on track mode, the steering gives impeccable feedback, the optional carbon brakes simply do not fade, and the chassis communicates like a dedicated track car. If you come in too fast and throw too many inputs at the car, it'll wiggle around a little, gently suggesting you calm down. At no point does the Spider become unruly or try to bite you; a quick flick of the wheel or a slight throttle modulation is all you ever need to remain composed at the limit.
Criticisms? Sure, a few. The stock Pirelli P Zero road tires work decently on the track, but the optional Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber offers a noticeable improvement at 10/10ths. While both tires are a bespoke design developed with Pirelli, the Corsa's more aggressive compound and reduced tread depth are really more suited to the car. The 12C's electronic throttle also suffers from rubbery tip-in and odd, muted modulation. (These days, this is a common problem. I know we can't go back to your foot pushing a mechanical linkage that moves a throttle blade, but you have to hope the industry will eventually sort this out.) And while the McLaren's transaxle works extremely well in its automatic modes, it isn't always intuitive—shifts don't always occur when you expect or want them to, and every so often, the software seems to get confused. The solution in both cases is to just shift it yourself, which is what you really want to do anyway.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

One last nit to pick: the active aerodynamics provided by the Spider's airbrake, a rear wing that deploys under hard braking. The car needs the downforce at speed, and the wing works beautifully, but there's a downside. Let's say you notice a vehicle whose government-employed occupant may want to talk to you about the 12C's speed. If you brake hard and try to avoid this conversation, then boom, instant admission of guilt. (It could also be an issue at track events, when you're slowing into a corner; cars behind just disappear.)
If the Lexus LFA was once heralded as the bargain carbon-fiber exotic—in spite of its generally disjointed feel and lackluster-for-a-supercar performance—then the 12C, at more than $100,000 less, must now surely wear that crown. Ferrari's 458 Italia is priced similarly to the McLaren, but it lacks the carbon-fiber-chassis quotient, though many would argue its styling and heritage are bigger draws. Lamborghini's current flagship, the Aventador, offers a 690-hp V-12, but it's far more expensive. It's also half a ton heavier and feels raw in all the wrong ways.
McLaren says its customers drive their cars extensively (one has over 14,000 miles on his so far) and that a large percentage of 12Cs are used on the track. Given how modern supercar buyers seem to be using their cars for more than just running to Anytime Fitness—and how spectacular the 12C is on the track, right out of the box—I'm not surprised. Is this the rebirth of the gentleman racer and the true dual-purpose supercar, a la the Ferrari 250 SWB? You have to hope so.

2013 McLaren MP4-12C Spider

All else being equal, I see the 12C Spider outselling the coupe simply because there is no downside. The two cars are equally fast and use the same hardware, and the Spider sacrifices no comfort or convenience. Like the fixed-roof 12C, it makes a good driver feel like a great one; more important, it keeps him out of trouble.

Italy has traditionally been the home of the world's best supercars. Between the Spider and the upcoming McLaren P1—unveiled at the 2012 Paris auto show and due later this year—you're left with one thought: The British aren't just coming for the Italians, they're already there.

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Porsche 911 Carrera 4S

If you mentioned Porsche to the average Indian, you could forgive them for thinking of the Cayenne. The big SUV is, after all, the best-selling Porsche in the country by a huge margin, and the one you are most likely to see on our roads. But Porsche, at its core, is a sportscar maker, and its illustrious history revolves around one car – the 911. This latest model – codenamed 991 – may be the sixth generation of 911 worldwide, but it’s only the second generation to go on sale here in India. But, as they say, it’s never too late and we now have with us what is arguably the most technically advanced iteration of the 911 and crucially in all-weather, all-wheel-drive form. With proper aftersales backup from Porsche. Let’s see how this legendary sportscar gets along in India.

Design

No less than 90 percent of the new 911’s mechanical ingredients are either all new or significantly improved. It has completely new dimensions, a new electromechanical power steering system and a construction richer in aluminium than ever before. It retains the classic rear-engine layout of every 911 since the original from way back in 1963, albeit with modifications to the engine mounting points, which have been optimised for improved weight distribution. As with the previous 911 (997), the front-end structure, complete with its MacPherson strut suspension, is more or less shared with the smaller Boxster and, at the rear, this 911 gets reworked multi-link suspension.The 911 continues with a predominantly steel structure and a body constructed from a combination of steel, aluminium and plastic composites.
A series of weight-optimisation measures has pared the kerb weight by around 45kg, bringing the new base 911 Carrera down to around 1380kg. This being the all-wheel-drive version, the rear track is wider, and it weighs in at a heavier 1465kg thanks to the extra set of axles. Speaking of which, the 4S is predominantly rear-wheel drive until provoked. Once the system detects the need for more traction, it’ll shuffle power (you can see it working on a display in the instrument cluster) to the front axles until it is satisfied that things are under control.


Interior

The latest 911 adopts Porsche’s new cabin design theme that made its debut in the Panamera. However, given that it’s a sportscar, the 911’s cabin layout is more driver-focussed than the Panamera and the Cayenne, with a narrower centre console and less of a button overload. The ancillary buttons are positioned neatly behind the gearlever rather than to its side, an arrangement allowed by the adoption of an electrically operated parking brake and a novel new location for the cupholders on the passenger side of the dashboard.The fit and finish and perceived quality of materials are hard to fault. The 911’s cabin ambience now passes muster not just among anything else in its class, it can easily rival what you would see in a proper German luxury saloon.

Our test car came with loads of kit, but disappointingly, most of the stuff, like the Sports Chrono pack, powered sports seats, electric steering adjustment, navigation, Bose sound system, Bluetooth, auto dimming and folding mirrors, and the sunroof, are optional extras. The 911’s low roof necessitates some amount of bending on ingress, but once past the wide-opening pillarless doors, what you find is a very cosy cabin. There is decent space for front occupants, and the thin A pillars allow for a fantastic view out the front. The nicely crafted seats are snug and well bolstered, and keep you in place even when you drive hard. While the Carrera 4S can seat four, it is best to use it as two-seater. Accessing the back seat is not the most elegant of procedures, and once you get in, the seat is cramped and the knees-up seating position is not very comfy. The front boot, at 125 litres, is quite generous for a sportscar and there’s an additional 260 litres of storage area behind the rear seats.

Performance

The Carrera 4S is powered by a 3.8-litre, direct-injection six-cylinder motor. Producing 395bhp, this naturally aspirated motor sends its power to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (there is the option of a seven-speed manual too). This potent engine delivers brilliant performance from anywhere in its powerband and the four-wheel-drive system is quick to channel power optimally to the wheels. This motor’s mid-range and top end are nothing short of explosive too. Tap the throttle and the 4S vaults off the blocks; thrust is immediate and very strong, power delivery is linear, and even short bursts of acceleration are addictive. Configure the onboard computer and set the gearbox, dampers and engine to Sport Plus mode, and things get even more insane.
Performance is now in proper supercar territory, and the car changes the way it responds to throttle inputs. The seven-speed, twin-clutch gearbox is lightning quick with its shifts and, as ever, you can use it in manual mode, where the gears shift up only when you pull the right paddle. Flat-out performance is rapid, with 100kph taking 5.09 seconds, 150kph 9.54 seconds and 200kph just 16.86 seconds! In-gear acceleration is very strong too, despite the car having tall gearing. You won’t need a long stretch of road to hit its claimed top speed of 298kph. The only fly in the ointment is the big gap between first and second gears, which you will use frequently if you’re driving up a ghat road. First is too short and second a bit too tall and this can lead to irritating moments while attacking a series of hairpin bends.Drive it a few notches down and the 911 is still impressive. On our ever-crowded streets, it’s quickly apparent that, with the gearbox in D, this car is almost as civilised as most family cars – its direct steering, linear throttle response and smooth shifts making it no harder to drive than a Corolla.


Ride & Handling

The Porsche 911 remains unequivocally one of the most involving cars to drive and, at the limit, can be one of the most demanding as well. It doesn’t flatter the faint-hearted with its rearward weight bias, but once you understand the physics of its rear-biased weight distribution, it can be hugely rewarding. This is a car in which you need to build up speed progressively through corners. It’s best to finish braking before you turn in and then feed in the throttle gently upto the apex before flooring it as you exit. Under hard acceleration, you will feel the front go light before the 911 sits down on its wide haunches. The grip is simply astonishing and this can actually be measured by the ‘G-force’ meter displayed in the instrument cluster. Lifting off or braking mid-corner unsettles the 911, but the all-wheel-drive system and sophisticated stability programme will ensure that you don’t swap ends. The ride is pretty impressive for a sports car and Porsche’s PASM adaptive damping system (standard on the S models) must get credit here.

With four new vertical chassis sensors, the PASM is capable of making the 911 as supple as a family saloon whilst cruising, and instantly stiffening the dampers the moment you barrel into a fast bend. Also remarkable is the suspension’s ability to absorb bumps and maintain composure over broken tarmac. In Sport mode, you can feel jolts more prominently and body movements are sharper but never to the point of being unduly harsh. Even the ground clearance is generous enough to tackle most speedbreakers.


Fuel Efficiency

The 911 has a fuel tank capacity of just 65 litres and, when you consider its low overall 6.3kpl figure, it gives it a range of just 400km. What’s more, when you drive it hard, you shouldn’t expect much more than 4kpl, and that means you have to constantly keep an eye on the fuel needle while travelling long distances.


Verdict

The new 911 is an immense engineering achievement. It's got everything that you would expect of a sportscar; towering performance, engaging handling and a properly comfortable cabin. Even more incredible is this 395bhp monster's usability; it's armed with a comfortable chassis setup and a well-mannered gearbox. There are a few shortfalls, though. Although billed a four-seater, it's only really good for two, most of the features are optional, and though the engine is more efficient than before, it's easy to empty the small fuel tank quickly. And, at Rs 1.46 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi), the Carrera 4S is expensive. But, for this price, there's little else that can match its blend of driver thrills, everyday usability and quality.

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