Built as a continuation of other Longtail cars of previous years, the vehicle is the first Sports Series Spider to use the Longtail name, and, as the company’s executive director for sales Jolyon Nash says, “is set to be one of the most sought-after McLaren cars in years to come.”
The 600LT Spider is equipped with a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that develops 592 bhp and 620 Nm of torque. Controlled via a dual-clutch seamless shift seven-speed transmission, the engine has more than enough punch (463 PS/ton power-to-weight ratio) to beam the 600LT from zero to 62 mph in 2.9 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 324 km/h (201mph).
Those are the same specs of the coupe variant, of course. What sets the two apart is the three-piece retractable hardtop that when lowered makes absolutely no difference in terms of performance, says the company’s North American president, Tony Joseph.
“The benefit of a McLaren convertible is that because of the strength of the carbon fiber chassis, performance isn’t lost by removing the roof,” he said.
“The McLaren 600LT Spider really is a convertible without compromise, and offers the same thrilling performance capabilities, even with the roof down.”
The launch of the 600LT Spider is part of the £1.2 billion expansion plan the Brits have in place right now. According to this plan, there will be 18 new cars and variants launched by the year 2025, meaning on average one every five months.
