The five best supercars for summer

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Summer has officially arrived in the UK and it looks like the perfect weather for a spin in a drop-top supercar.

Luckily there are a host of new cars that have just reached the market. These offer buyers supercar levels of performance with the added allure of no roof.

These are some of the fastest and most luxurious cars in the supercar market, all of which come with powerful engines and lashings of leather and carbon fibre.

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Here they are – the five best drop-top supercars for summer driving;

Audi R8 Spyder V10 Plus

Audi has only just launched the faster Plus variant of its R8 Spyder V10, making it the newest car on this list.

It's powered by a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine that has been upgraded from the base model's 533bhp to 602bhp in the Plus. Power is sent to all-four wheels, although drivers can send up to 100 per cent of it to the rear axle using a switch in the cabin.

The drop-top supercar has a sportier look than the base car. Evo says the R8 Spyder V10 Plus has a "liberal use of carbon fibre" that includes a subtle wing at the rear. The Plus also comes with the range-topping coupe's multi-spoke wheels.

Orders are due to open later this month, with prices starting at £147,470.

Ferrari 488 Spider

Ferrari's drop-top supercar offering comes in the form of its new 488 Spider, the Italian firm's first turbocharged car since the iconic F40.

The company's entry-level mid-engined supercar has a 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 motor that sends power to its rear wheels. Zero to 62mph comes around in 3.0secs, making it one of the fastest drop-top supercars available.

One of the car's standout features is its handling and ride quality, says Top Gear. The 488 Spider is fitted with magnetic dampers, which helps it "keep everything tied down while filtering out rough surfaces".

It's among the most expensive cars on this list at £203,000, although that figure could rise substantially after optional extras are added.

Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 Spyder

Those who want Audi R8 V10 levels of performance but with a more striking design may want to consider the Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 Spyder.

The R8 and Huracan are both products of the Volkswagen group, so they have components such as drivetrains and aluminium underpinnings.

Behind the driver sits the same 602bhp 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 engine as the R8. It boasts a zero to 62mph time of 3.6secs. Lamborghini has also fitted a fast roof – the Spyder's fabric top can be lowered in just 17secs.

The Huracan LP610-4 Spyder is available to order now at £205,000.

McLaren 570S Spider

McLaren's 570S coupe launched last year to critical acclaim. The British carmaker has now revealed a drop-top version in time for summer.

What makes the 570S Spider stand out is that it has "no performance compromises" over the coupe version. This is because the Spider is built on a carbon fibre structure, which is strong enough to maintain the car's rigidity without a roof.

A 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine sits in the middle of the car. It boasts a power output of 562bhp and 443lb-ft of torque, according to AutoExpress. This helps launch the Spider from zero to 62mph in 3.2secs and on to a top speed of 204mph "with the roof in place".

McLaren is already accepting orders for the 570S Spider. Its asking prices starts at £164,750.

Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet

Porsche's 911 Turbo S Cabriolet may not be a conventional mid-engined supercar like the other cars on this list, but it's among the fastest supercars on the market.

The Turbo S Cabriolet features a twin-turbo flat-six engine that sits over the rear axle in the same position as the majority of 911 road cars. The motor's 572bhp and 553lb-ft of torque is sent to all-four wheels, says Evo, allowing it to go from zero to 62mph in 2.9secs.

While the power levels and accretion times may seem "scary" to some, the magazine says the car's handling will be "predictable and controllable" for most drivers.

The Turbo S Cabriolet is also the cheapest car on the list at £145,773, but there will be plenty of optional extras to choose from.