McLaren MP4-12C goes to next level

That's the day the top comes off the MP4-12C coupe and McLaren unleashes its first convertible.

The 12C Spider will be the second model in a range that will eventually span at least three families of car, with the 12C sitting in the middle of a smaller and cheaper starter and the big-bang re-birth of the McLaren F1 supercar.

McLaren is not releasing any teaser details of its Spider, but the car is known to have a folding carbon fibre roof and to be designed as more of a targa-roof coupe than an all-out open-air convertible.

But McLaren has just gone public with plans for the 2013 upgrade of the 12C coupe, including good news for Australian owners who will receive most of the tweaks for their existing cars.

The biggest change is an extra 18 kiloWatts of power and a more exciting engine note, but there are little things like changes to the door locks, air-conditioning and even the sound system.

"A substantial majority of it can be done to the existing cars," the head of McLaren in Australia, Greg Duncan, reveals to Carsguide. "Most of it we are going to fit and instal on the existing cars. That program starts in July. All the technology can be updated, and they get the extra horsepower as well."

McLaren has been criticised for some of the early teething problems on the 12C, but Duncan says the company has listened and is supplying fixes. "They've had some hiccups . . . but the car is terrific. They've obviously been disappointed but they can be updated," Duncan says.

"That's one of the things Ron Dennis (McLaren boss) is saying, that the platform allows for upgrades. It's a bit like upgrading Apps on your iPod." The heart of the 2013 upgrade is tweaking of the 12C's engine for more power and better throttle response, which is done together with sharper tuning of the car's seven-speed SSG gearbox.

The 'sound generator' that pipes noise from the engine to the cabin is also tweaked, "allowing the driver to select the amount of aural drama he or she wants to enjoy, whatever the road", McLaren says.

Visually, there are new colours and wheels, there is also a 'high lift' suspension system to make speed humps and car-park access easier, improved seat settings and even a tweak that turns the lights on when it is raining.

Duncan says Australia is already tapped into the changes and will be doing all it can for existing owners, although there is no news on any price changes. "I think by the end of June there will be 12 cars with customers in Australia. There were nine to the end of May," he says. "I think there are another six on the way for customers. Then it's a matter of taking more orders."

"We've got the Model 13 updates and they should apply to the cars going into production in the next month or two. But they won't get to Australia until early next year." He also promises a customer-first approach for the upgrade work.

"We've got cars in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Townsville. Where the cars are in Sydney or Melbourne we'll do them in our workshops, and where they're not we'll be sending a technician to the car."