McLaren 600LT Spider Unveiled With 201 MPH Top Speed, Priced From $256,500

The 600LT Spider becomes McLaren’s fifth car to carry the Longtail name, boasting a 600 PS (592 HP) and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, and a power-to-weight ratio of 463 PS (457 HP) per tonne.

It needs just 2.8 seconds to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) from a standstill (like the Coupe), 2.9 seconds for the full 100 km/h (62 mph), and if you let it go, it will max out at 201 mph (324 km/h). As for its 0-124 mph (0-200 km/h) sprint time, it’s just 0.2 seconds slower than the Coupe’s, at 8.4 seconds.

Pricing in the U.S. starts at $256,500, while UK customers will spend upwards of £201,500, including taxes. As for what it will cost you in other markets, here are the official prices: €250,000 in Germany and Austria, €256,500 in Italy, €255,000 in Belgium and 278,500 CHF in Switzerland.

“The McLaren 600LT Spider adds a new dimension of excitement to the most extreme model in the Sports Series family, while losing none of the Longtail focus,” stated McLaren CEO, Mike Flewitt. “Taking full advantage of the strength of the carbon fibre MonoCell II chassis has ensured that the new Spider has dynamic abilities and performance on par with the 600LT Coupé, for a weight premium of just 50kg and with no additional structural strengthening required. In addition to our weight advantage over competitors, we have also retained the top-exit exhausts that debuted on the Coupé – and I’m pleased to report that they sound and look even better with the roof or rear window of the Spider lowered!”

Better than the 570S Spider

Much like its 600LT Coupe sibling, the Spider version is also lighter than the model on which it’s based, weighing roughly 220 lbs (100 kg) less than a stock 570S Spider. Yet, thanks to its strong carbon fiber MonoCell II chassis, the 600LT Spider retains the same structural rigidity as the Coupe, without requiring any additional strengthening. In the end, it weighs only 110.2 lbs (50 kg) more than the 600LT Coupe.

Overall, the car weighs just 2,859 lbs (1,297 kg), which makes it at least 176 lbs (80 kg) lighter than any direct competitor according to the British supercar-maker.

Once you’re ready to feel the wind in your hair, you can lower the powered retractable roof at speeds of up to 25 mph (40 km/h). That’s when you can begin to enjoy the top-exit exhausts at their fullest. Meanwhile, an electrically-operated, glazed wind deflector can be activated independently of the hardtop – resulting in reduced buffeting or increased ventilation, and inevitably, a better soundtrack.

Of course, this is a car that focuses on performance, and McLaren even revised the electronic control systems of the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 unit in order to “liberate more power”. The engine is good for 600 PS (592 HP) and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) of torque, and with the help of a dual-clutch, Seamless Shift 7-speed gearbox, the 600LT Spider can reach 60 mph (96 km/h) from a dead stop in 2.8 seconds, 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.9 seconds, 124 mph (200 km/h) in 8.4 seconds and a top speed of 201 mph (324 km/h) with the roof raised, or 196 mph (315 km/h) with it lowered.

As for its Longtail silhouette, it’s created by the fixed rear wing, which generates the same 220 lbs (100 kg) of downforce at 155 mph (250 km/h) as it does for the Coupe version.

Track-focused cabin

The 600LT Spider’s performance-oriented interior features lightweight Alcantara trim and Carbon Fiber Racing Seats from the McLaren P1 as standard, although the Super-Lightweight Carbon Fiber Racing Seats from the McLaren Senna are available either as a standalone option, or within the MSO Clubsport Pack.

If buyers want even more weight to drop, they can opt to remove the audio and climate control systems, which makes sense if one of your goals is to set fast lap times on racing circuits.

The 600LT Spider can now be ordered from official McLaren retailers, although keep in mind that availability will be limited, with build slots scheduled around other Sports and Super Series models.