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McLaren 675LT Spider: £285,000 of British supercar muscle

Fancy the McLaren 675LT coupe but have concerns about topping up your tan? Fret not, because the British manufacturer has just unveiled the 675LT Spider.

McLaren originally said it would never build a convertible version of the 675LT (reviewed here) because it would go against the track-focussed nature of the car, but here it is ‘in direct response to significant customer demand’.

The 675 Long Tail Spider, to use its full name, is the fifth McLaren to arrive in 2015 and the second in a year to bear the LT moniker, which had laid dormant for nearly 20 years. It comes under the Super Series banner, which includes its little 650S brother.

Let’s turn our attention to numbers. The 675LT Spider weighs 1,270kg, making it 40kg heavier than its coupe sibling. That means 532PS per tonne, instead of 549PS. 0-62mph remains the same insane 2.9 seconds, while 0-124mph takes 8.1 seconds ─ two-tenths slower than the coupe.

The same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 delivers the same 666bhp (675PS, hence the name), with all of it delivered at 7,100rpm. Full torque of 700Nm (516lb/ft), meanwhile, comes in between 5,000 and 6,500rpm.

To save the transmission and keep the wheels from spinning endlessly, those brave enough to bury the accelerator will only have 600Nm (443lb/ft) at their disposal in first gear. Keep it planted and you will eventually reach a top speed of 203mph or meet your maker ─ whichever comes first, really.

In case you care about the planet more than performance figures, McLaren claims the 675LT Spider can manage 275g/km of CO2 and fuel economy of 24.2mpg, which is impressive for a car of this power.

The three-piece retractable roof can be opened at up to 19mph. It is solely responsible for the Spider’s weight gain because the use of the carbon fibre MonoCell chassis meant there was no need for further strengthening.

19-inch 10-spoke ‘Ultra-Lightweight’ forged alloy wheels and 20-inchers at the rear come wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres so grip shouldn’t be a problem, but if weight is an issue there’s the option of ‘Super-Lightweight’ alternatives with a 20-spoke design.

Inside the cabin are two lightweight carbon fibre-shelled racing seats that take design cues from the P1 hypercar’s offerings. A four-speaker Meridian system provides sound if you tire of the engine (you won’t), while the 16kg air-conditioning system has been removed but can be added back for free.

Buyers can choose between Titanium Silver, Storm Grey, Onyx Black and Chicane Grey for the paintjob and also spec the Club Sport Professional Pack, which adds more carbon fibre and ‘stealth detailing’ for the interior.

Sadly the Club Sport Pack you can have on the coupe is unavailable, so no titanium rollhoop, four-point harnesses or fire extinguisher for you.

Just 500 will be built and we’re guessing most, if not all, will have been sold already, as with the 675LT coupe. Prices start from £285,450 and first deliveries are expected in the summer of 2016.

McLaren 675LT Spider pictures and video

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