McLaren’s MP4-12C Spider is not the first car one thinks of when picturing an afternoon of sideways fun in the snow. With 616hp (625PS) now on tap, and peak torque coming in at a lowly 2,000 rpm, it will probably prove a bit of a handful on slippery surfaces, especially with the systems turned off.
Still, it has a unique suspension setup, which should improve grip in all conditions, as it tries to keep the wheels as planted as possible. Another positive side effect of the 12C’s suspension is the fact that it is also supremely comfortable, when compared to its rivals – it rides much better than the Ferrari 458, for instance.
It uses forged aluminum control arms front and rear, and does away with run-of-the-mill anti-roll bars, replacing them with hydraulic pistons, which improve cornering, general grip levels and offer the unusually comfortable ride we mentioned above. They can be made rock-solid at the push of a button, when hard cornering is required, so it really is the best of both worlds, as the saying goes.
These photos also reveal that low-slung orange or dark grey folding-hardtop supercars really look great when power-sliding on snow. Deep blue ones also seem to do the visual trick, as well. Actually, any supercar, any color, with any type of roof will most certainly look great in these conditions, so this last paragraph is stating the obvious. We need to get more creative with our writing, and find new ways of describing these striking dream cars…
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
