The McLaren 765LT Spider is here to rock your world with its top down
Go roofless in McLaren's latest longtail model in 11 seconds.
If you wanted a McLaren 765LT coupe, too bad. They're sold out. Rejoice for a second shot at the longtail life, though, because McLaren revealed the 765LT Spider on Tuesday with nearly identical performance all without a roof. Yes, that means you can have this supercar's twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with an even better soundtrack.
Really, there aren't many downsides to nabbing the Spider. The car's weight is only 108 pounds heavier than the coupe and the carmaker said the carbon fiber monocoques are nearly identical for ultra rigidity. The only major differences are a carbon fiber upper structure for the engine bay, and two additional carbon fiber supports bonded to the chassis for rollover protection. These changes give way to the convertible top -- a hard top -- made of carbon fiber that drivers can power up or down in 11 seconds. Further, it works at speeds up to 31 mph. You know, just in case the weather decides to rain on your supercar parade suddenly. As mentioned, the modifications for the 765LT Spider only result in 108 more pounds, but compared to a 720S Spider, this car is actually 176 pounds lighter.
A blast minus the roof.
McLaren looked to other materials, including titanium for the exhaust, to shave weight. It developed unique forged alloy wheels and engineers revised various engine components in the name of weight loss. Some comforts are gone, while ultra-lightweight seats sit in place. A thinner windshield, a new lithium-ion battery and nickel chrome for the pinion and crown wheel inside the transmission final drive all help further. All the while, a lighter weight lets additional power shine. There's 755 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque onboard, just like the 765LT coupe. That's up from only 710 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque in the 720S. McLaren promises 0 to 60 mph happens in just 2.7 seconds, thanks in part to quicker gear ratios that boost acceleration by 15% over the 720S.
A quicker steering rack with the company's electro-hydraulic steering system, identical aerodynamic gear to the 765LT coupe and giant carbon-ceramic brakes round out the supercar's impressive performance package. As for the driver's comforts, there aren't many for this hardcore vehicle. The cockpit features plenty of Alcantara, the McLaren Track Telemetry system, and storage nets are all standard. Customers can option a four-speaker audio system and actual cargo storage at no cost. A bird's-eye camera system and Bowers & Wilkins audio system are also on the menu. But overall, this is a no-frills experience.
And that experience comes at a cost. Prices for the latest longtail McLaren start at $382,500 before a delivery charge. Plus, McLaren's only making 765 of them for the entire world. About one-third of them will come to North America, so move quickly if you want one -- and have the means.
