McLaren chops top off 570S

MCLAREN has revealed the drop-top Spider version of its 570S Sports Series supercar, returning the same level of performance as its Coupe sibling but priced $56,750 higher at $435,750 plus on-roads.

Due to arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year, the Spider is able to replicate the 3.2 second zero to100km/h sprint time of the Coupe, and features a top speed of 315km/h with the roof down.

The matched performance is partly thanks to the MonoCell II carbon-fibre chassis, which does not suffer any reduction in torsional rigidity or strength without a roof, and therefore does not require any weight-adding structural bolstering as is often the case with convertibles.

McLaren has added only 46kg in the 570S Spider over the Coupe, with the retractable roof mechanism borrowed from the 650S and 675LT Super Series models and can be fully folded in 15 seconds at speeds up to 40km/h.

The Spider also uses the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 as in the 570S, which pumps out 419kW at 7500rpm and 600Nm between 5000 and 6500rpm, teamed to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Fuel economy is rated at 10.7 litres per 100km, while combined cycle CO2 emissions stand at 249 grams per km.

Wind buffeting can be reduced through the use of a glazed wind deflector that is operated at the touch of a button, which can also be lowered when the roof is up to increase aural engine feedback.

An optional exhaust system can be fitted that channels exhaust sound towards the cabin.

The Spider’s suspension set-up consists of double-wishbone suspension all round with steel springs, twin-valve adaptive dampers and anti-roll bars, with the same calibration as in the 570S Coupe.

Dampers can be adjusted through the Active Dynamics panel, which allows the driver to choose between Normal, Sport or Track modes. The electronic stability control system also allows for a dynamic mode to help get the Spider’s tail out around the track.

Exterior flourishes include a rear spoiler that is 12mm taller than the coupe for additional downforce finished in Dark Palladium grey or optioned in carbon-fibre, as well as optional ten-spoke alloy wheels – 19-inch front, 20-inch rear – wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero Corsa rubber.

The Spider also retains the dihedral doors from the Coupe.

20 exterior colour choices are available, including three new hues – Curacao Blue, Vega Blue and Sicilian Yellow.

Inside, the 570S Spider gets a 10.0-inch TFT instrument cluster display to go with a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, and hand-stitched Nappa leather on the six-way adjustable seats, door casings, dashboard and centre console.

Options include eight-way adjustable seats, Alcantara trim and carbon-fibre sports seats borrowed from the P1.

Australia will also be getting an allocation of the Launch Edition version, which is limited worldwide to the first 400 vehicles to roll off the production line in Woking, England.

A drop-top 570S brings the McLaren Sports Series range up to four bodystyles consisting of the 540C, 570S and 570GT, and is consistent with McLaren’s Track22 business plan which stipulates that the British brand will release 15 new models or variants by 2022.

The recently-launched 720S Super Series coupe will also be offered with a Spider variant in the coming years.

Competition for the 570S Spider will come from the likes of the Ferrari California T HS priced from $425,638, the Lamborghini Huracan LP580-2 Spyder ($429,000), the Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet ($411,800) and the Bentley Continental GTC V8 S ($446,000).

McLaren has had a strong start to 2017 sales-wise, recording 51 sales to the end of May, a 143 per cent increase on the 21 sales it recorded over the same period last year, putting it on track to crack the 100 sales barrier for the first time in Australia.

The 570S Spider will have its public debut on 29 June at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, UK.