We drove an exotic $250,000 McLaren convertible that’s taking on Porsche and Audi — here’s what it was like

Exhilarating.

The McLaren 570S Spider is top-down motoring at its zenith. The powerful V8 revs freely and delivers plenty of power, while its sports exhaust barks with joy.

The McLaren’s performance credentials and price tag puts it squarely in the entry-level supercar segment along with the likes of the Audi R8 and Acura NSX.

But the driving experience is decidedly different. Unlike most supercars I’ve driven, the 570S feels light and tossable. The driving dynamics resemble that of a four-cylinder Lotus more than its big brother 720S.

In fact, if Lotus were to build a modern, carbon fiber follow-up to the Esprit supercar, I’d imagine it would look and feel a lot like the 570S.

But there were flaws as well.

Generally speaking, no supercar in the world rided as smoothly as a McLarens.

However, the 570S Coupe and Spider are missing the company’s trick hydraulic suspension found on pricier models like the 720S. As a result, the 570S rides a bit harsh. Something made evident on New Jersey’s bumpy roads.

In addition, the 570S Spider lacks brake pedal feel. While its carbon fiber brakes could stop a heard of stampeding elephants, its pedal feels stiff and difficult to modulate precisely.