It's been about a year since McLaren unveiled a new car, which means it's time to unveil a convertible version of that car, because that is how the supercar game is played.
And so we have the 675LT Spider, a drop-top version of the 675LT coupe, a powered-up, stripped-down, track-focused version of the 650S supercar. Slow iteration of existing models is nothing new. It's how we got more than 10 special editions of the Bugatti Veyron.
Anyway. About the new 675LT. At $372,600, it's about $30k cheaper than the coupe, but packs the packs the same 3.8-liter twin turbo V8 engine that delivers a devilish 666 horsepower (if you can rev it up to 7,100 rpm) and 516 pound-feet of torque. As with most convertibles, it's a bit slower than the hardtop, because it's a bit heavier and not quite so aerodynamic. But in this case, "slower" means topping out at 203 mph and hitting 62 mph in 2.9 seconds.
To offset the 88 pounds added by the top mechanism, McLaren swaddled the car in carbon fiber. The front and rear bumpers, side skirts, intakes, rear fenders, and diffuser are made of the stuff. All told the Spider weighs a spritely 2,800 pounds. That helps it get a surprisingly good 18 mpg, but if you're hitting that number, you're driving it wrong.
New to this car, beyond the option of going topless, are a special "Solis" (yellow) paint job and 20-spoke forged alloy wheels, which look sweet. The LT in the name is for “Longtail,” from the McLaren F1 GTR Long Tail that raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Like with the 675LT coupe, McLaren will build just 500 convertibles, which values performance over driver comfort. The interior's all bare carbon fiber and Alcantara, and the 35-pound air conditioner has been yanked. If you insist and don't mind the weight penalty, you can add it back in at no cost.
