It’s only just been revealed… but the new McLaren has already blown its top! The Surrey-based company is planning to produce a Spyder version of its MP4-12C supercar. And here is an exclusive look at how the stunning drop-top will look.

Going head-to-head with the Ferrari 458 Italia Spyder, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and forthcoming Mercedes SLS AMG Cabriolet, the McLaren will boast a retractable hard-top, potentially the work of convertible expert Webasto. Layouts released of the firm’s new Woking factory show that an area of the facility has been devoted to ‘RHT [retractable hard-top] Sub Assembly’.

The tiny hood is likely to be made from lightweight aluminium or even carbon fibre, and will fold away behind the occupants’ heads ahead of the engine, slotting neatly beneath a pair of sporty buttresses. The Spyder is unlikely to weigh much more than its fixed-roof brother.

It will be powered by the same 447 kW 3,8-litre twin-turbo V8, and should reach 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and accelerate on to 320 km/h – with the roof on, of course. But the model won’t come cheap – buyers will have to pay a significant premium over the GBP150 000 coupé version, with prices likely to start at around GBP175 000.

Adapted from AutoExpress

It’s been a long time coming, but today we can finally bring you the first official photographs and news of the new McLaren MP4-12C. It’s the supercar known until now by its P11 codename, but make no mistake: the MP4-12C is the first bespoke McLaren road car since the seminal F1.

The two-seater MP4-12C doesn’t go on sale until early 2011, when it’ll wade into what McLaren Automotive calls the ‘core sports car market’ spanning from GBP125 000 – GBP175 000. Expect a pricetag of around GBP160 000, pitching it a notch above Ferrari’s new 458 Italia.

Why so expensive? Blame the extensive – and expensive – use of carbon fibre, a technology McLaren first introduced to roadcarkind in 1993’s F1. McLaren calls the skeleton of the MP4-12C the Carbon MonoCell, an unusually light one-piece structure where most supercars normally use assembled composite architectures. Although pricey, it’s developed using a much quicker, cheaper production method than the McMerc SLR’s tub, and it’s clothed in aluminium and SMC plastic body panels. The tub pictured in our gallery weighs just 80kg.

No kerbweight has yet been issued, but it’ll be in the region of 1 300 kg’s, helped by conventional brakes whose forged aluminium hubs save 8kg and – incredibly – weigh less than ceramic stoppers.

The new McLaren is powered by a 3,8-litre 90-degree V8 mid-mounted engine producing ‘around 447 kW and 600 N.m’. “It delivers the highest horsepower to CO2 ratio of any car on the market today with an internal combustion engine – and that includes petrol and diesel hybrids,” boasts Antony Sheriff, MD of McLaren Automotive. Expect a CO2 output somewhere just south of 300g/km.

Contrary to earlier speculation, this is McLaren’s own V8, dubbed M838T. FThe twin-turbo motor drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox (no manual is available). The V8 has a dry sump and a flat-plane crank like a race engine, to lower the centre of gravity and allow a higher rev limit of 8 500 rpm.

Every single component of the MP4-12C is unique, vows McLaren. Not a single switch or part is pilfered from a rival’s parts bin.

McLaren claims that 80% of the MP4-12C’s torque is available below 2 000 rpm, so it’ll be damned quick. Actual performance figures aren’t available yet, but we hear the 0 – 100 km/h time will be in the low 3 second bracket and it seems certain that the MP4-12C will top 320 km/h with ease.

McLaren is making use of a few electronic nannies to help keep the car pointed in the right direction. Brake Steer uses the stability control to dial out understeer by braking the inside rear wheel, but McLaren claims there are remarkably few microchips at play; instead, they prefer an aerodynamically sound body to help keep the MP4-12C planted. There are no protruding spoilers or air dams, the underfloor is flat and those kiwi tick air vents on the flanks are 100% functional. (Check out the tick motif repeated on the LED day running lights).

There’s also a new gadget on the twin-clutch Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG – another acronym like DSG!). It has two wet clutches and something called Pre-Cog. Rather than guessing which ratio you’ll pick next – like most dual-clutch ‘boxes – you half press or pull the paddle to warn the car, like on an auto-focus camera. That ratio is then selected and – bang – you’re into the desired cog almost instantly.

If you’re wondering where the name comes from, the MP4 bit is the chassis designation of all McLaren Formula 1 cars since 1981 – harking back to the merger from Ron Dennis’ Project 4 organisation. The twelve refers to McLaren’s internal benchmarking system for rating its own cars and rivals, ranking power, weight, efficiency and so forth. The C apparently refers to carbon, although we wonder if it shouldn’t stand for coupé as there will be a roadster MP4-12 too.

At the rear, the MP4-12C’s rump is dominated by the V8’s cooling needs; the diffuser aids rear downforce, twin exhausts exit high and central, and most of the back end is left open to extract hot air, while the rear lamps are cleverly hidden in the top two horizontal black bars. An air brake pops up at speed to improve stopping ability. Cleverly, it’s raised by passing air flow once triggered, rather than relying on heavy mechanicals.

Inside the MP4-12C, the upright 7-inch multimedia screen dominates the centre console, and the view ahead is clear and unencumbered compared with many supercars. There are some gizmos in the cabin: launch control primes the car for take-off at velocity, while drivers can pick Normal, Sport and High Performance settings for throttle response, gearshift speed and damper settings.

Adapted from CarMagazine

The International Motor Show, or Frankfurt Motor Show, is the world’s largest motor show. It is held every two years in Frankfurt, Germany and this year, from 17 – 27 of September, the 63rd exhibition takes place.

The 2010 Volkswagen R20 Golf, Mini Coupe Concept, Fiat Punto Evo, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and brand new Bugatti Bordeaux car are just a few of the top cars making up Frankfurt’s stellar line-up. But are any of them good enough to make it into our Top 10 cars hitting the showroom floor?

Join us as we run through ten cars you should take note of at the 2009 International Motor Show.

(Click to reveal...)

Adapted from Orange