McLaren 600LT Spider creeps in at $496,000 BOCs

MCLAREN’S 600LT Spider will blast into showrooms with a $496,000 before on-road costs pricetag, $41,000 more expensive than its Coupe sibling and lining it right up against drop-top versions of the Ferrari 488 Lamborghini Huracan.

Slotting between the 570S and 720S Spiders in price and performance, the 600LT convertible employs a 441kW/620Nm 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 that sends drive to the rear wheels.

Stacked up against the aforementioned 492kW/760Nm Ferrari ($526,888) and 449kW/560Nm Lamborghini ($470,800) however, the McLaren might be down on power, but with a 2.9-second zero-to-100km/h acceleration time, the 600LT Spider will surely keep pace in a drag race.

Tipping the scales at just 1297kg, the drop-top 600LT weighs just 50kg more than its fixed-roof sibling and matches the Coupe in the sprint to triple digits.

Weight is kept to a minimum thanks to extensive use of carbon-fibre on the bodywork and seats, as well as a shortened exhaust system.

Top speed with the roof up is 324km/h, while with the hardtop stowed occupants can be treated to a 315km/h blow wave.

The three-piece roof can also be operated at speeds up to 40km/h, while the 600LT also comes equipped with an electronically operated wind deflector.

Mechanically, the drop-top 600LT matches the Coupe, and features a lengthened front splitter, extended rear diffuser and fixed rear spoiler that combine to increase the overall length by 74mm over the 570S Spider upon which it is based.

The 600LT Spider also gains the aluminium double-wishbone suspension and lightweight brake set-up of the 720S, as well as tweaks to sharpen the throttle and steering response.

McLaren Automotive head of Asia Pacific Rob Pritchard said interest in the 600LT Spider has been strong, but did not reveal exact unit availability of the limited-run model in Australia.

“The response to both the 600LT Coupe and Spider globally has been exceptional, with our customers eager to enter into the exclusive McLaren LT family,” he said.

“With availability limited on the 600LT range, we anticipate the Spider variant will be equally sought after in the Australian market, with orders swiftly approaching production capacity.”