New £165k McLaren 570S Spider 30 | 06 | 2017

McLAREN HAS LIFTED the wraps from its new 570S Spider. Making its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, the new 570S Spider is available to order now from McLaren Glasgow, priced from £164,750.

The fourth car to in McLaren’s Sports Series range, the newcomer joins the less powerful 540C, as well as the 570S coupe and 570GT, in the firm’s ‘entry-level’ supercar line-up. (Related: Roadtest — McLaren 570GT)

According to McLaren, the new Spider matches its coupe-bodied counterpart in terms of performance, despite a 46kg weight penalty due to the folding hard-top. Powered by McLaren’s 562bhp twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8, and mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox, the 570S Spider will hit 62mph from standstill in 3.2 seconds.

With the roof in place, it’ll top-out at 204mph … but it’s restricted to 196mph with the top removed.

The clever folding roof design is made up of two panels constructed from lightweight composite materials, while the mechanism powering it is lifted from the convertible versions of the 650S and 675LT. Capable of being operated at speeds up to 25mph, it can be opened or shut in 15secs. And at the push of a button, you can raise a snazzy wind deflector.

McLaren stresses the Spider is just as rigid as the coupe, as it shares the same sturdy carbon fibre monocoque.

There are a number of subtle styling tweaks, all necessary due to the slightly different profile at the rear. The eagle-eyed amongst you will have spotted the spoiler sits 12mm taller than it does on the coupe. This ensures a similar aerodynamic balance between the front and rear.

And if the natural roar of the 3.8-litre V8 isn’t enough with the roof down, McLaren has added a new ‘Exhaust Sound Generator’ — which channels exhaust noise towards the cabin via an area under the tonneau cover — on to the options list.

Inside the classy cabin, it’s the same as the coupe, with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster and seven-inch touchscreen.

Externally, buyers can choose from three new paint colours, plus a new 10-spoke alloy wheel design. And, available only on the 570S Spider, there’s the option of unique black paint finish for the brake calipers.

Related: McLaren 720S debuts in Scotland

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Jim McGill