McLaren 720S Spider revealed with £237k price tag
McLaren has launched the convertible version of the 720S supercar with a folding carbonfibre roof and 710bhp
The McLaren 720S Spider supercar has arrived with the first customers due to get their cars in March 2019 having stumped up the £237k asking price.
The 720S Spider carries over the 710bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine from the coupe but swaps the fixed roof for a striking folding hardtop canopy fashioned from carbon fibre that can retract in 11 seconds to open the cockpit to the elements. McLaren claims this is the fastest operating convertible roof in the supercar class and the operation can be performed on the move at speeds of up to 31mph.
The advanced carbon fibre construction of the roof means that only 49kg is added to the kerb weight of the 720S Spider compared to the coupe with its 1,332kg dry weight the lightest in the class - some 88kg less than the 1,420kg Ferrari 488 Spider. The folding hard top can be ordered with an electrochromic glass panel in place of the standard carbon one and this can rapidly switch between tinted and transparent states to control light levels in the cabin when the roof is raised.
The small weight gain compared to the coupe means that the 720S Spider delivers identical 0-62mph performance figures to fixed roof car with the sprint achieved in 2.9s. Top speed is rated at 212mph with the roof raised or 202mph with it down and the active rear spoiler adjusts to deliver optimum aerodynamics depending on the canopy’s position.
Also aiding the car's aerodynamics are the dstinctive glazed flying buttresses that rise out of the rear deck creating a coupe-like roof line. They've been designed with glazed sections to enhance over-the-shoulder visibility and boost the amount of light entering the cabin as well as optimising airflow around the car's rear end.
Do you think the new McLaren 720S Spider will be as good as the 570S Spider? Let us know in the comments below...
