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McLaren 650S Spider review: Too fast for rude words

Just how good is the McLaren 650S Spider? Rory Reid headed to Llandow Circuit in Wales with the Recombu Cars team to find out in his video review.

Driving the McLaren MP4-12C is a strange experience. Strange because it’s so fast your surroundings melt into a blur the moment you go near the accelerator and it’s remarkably comfortable, yet there’s no fanfare. Just a quiet rumble. All pace and little excitement.

So when we got our hands on its successor, the 650S Spider, we were somewhat worried it might be similarly quick, desirable and stylish but about as exciting as reading the back of a box of Kellogs cereal.

Let’s just say McLaren was listening intently because the 650S is the car equivalent of that bloke at parties who decides to set himself on fire because he’s bored. Where the Audi R8 V10 Plus feels safe and usable all of the time, the 650S Spider incites fear.

That’s not to say it’s too fast to enjoy, far from it, but just sitting in it makes you feel like you are anything but worthy, that your driving skills should be better. This is a car that everyone can appreciate but only the brave will ever know just how capable it is.

As Rory says in the video, “swearing isn’t big and it isn’t clever” (like a dyslexic midget, as the inappropriate joke goes), but the car is too fast for any of the English language’s existing swear words. Its 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine and rear-wheel drive makes for a dangerously fun drive.

Meanwhile the handling is sublime, with the front wheels communicating what the road is doing far better than some of its rivals, including the aforementioned Audi R8. Plus it looks much less subdued than the 12C.

Perhaps best of all, it’s only 40kg heavier than its coupe counterpart and was designed from the ground up as a convertible, so it’s just as good in every other way. Open-top cruising without the drawbacks? Well, except the lack of storage. Take our money already, McLaren.

Keep on scrolling down for Rory Reid’s review and, as usual, be sure to subscribe to Recombu Cars for more videos, including reviews of the BMW M2 and the Audi R8 V10 Plus. Thank you for watching.

McLaren 650S Spider review: Too fast for rude words

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