Sky sports
In a supercar real roads often feel like a constrained dawdle A dropped roof is a remedy intensifying the passing of the scenery and the voice of the engine at whatever speed The Cielo’s is a hardtop that retracts under a cover to lie horizontally above the engine It doesn’t leave an ugly hump or take up bootspace Mind you that’s just as well because the boot is tiny to begin with a huge shame given this is a car that invites long journeys
Retraction or erection of the fully electric mechanism takes a snappy seconds It can get a bit breezy mind There’s no compulsion to raise the roof even on a motorway but to quell the turbulence I find myself lifting the side windows at lower speeds The roof panel itself is made of electrochromic glass instantly switchable between clear and nearopaque Fancy As with the coupe the doors open more upwards than outwards That’s good for drama and makes it a surprisingly easy car to get into and out of You don’t want to be flopping gawkily onto the pavement from a car that gathers a crowd around it
A carbon tub strategically reinforced for the Cielo and compact nonhybrid V keep the weight down so the bhp really does hit home As does the edgy growl of the V The MC corners like you want a midengined car to pivoting effortlessly around tight bends finding lots of traction on the way out It’s a bit playful and engaging even when you’re well on the prudent side of the limit Which on the road is pretty well always And yet the ride is remarkably supple almost McLarenlike
The MC coupe or Cielo has a rather apt place in the sports/supercar landscape It can be relaxed comfortable and genial when you’re not driving like your pants are on fire Yet it’s also ready and able when you do give it the chance to open its lungs and tense its muscles This doubleheaded version widens that scope even more