McLaren 570S Spider: The perfect summer supercar?

McLaren has finally introduced a Spider version of its 570S supercar that will be the cheapest drop-top in its line-up.

The new supercar is almost exactly the same as the 570S coupe that sits at the top of the firm's Sports range, just above the slightly less powerful 540C. The Spider retains the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine of its coupe sibling, boasting a power output of 562bhp and 443lb-ft of torque.

Power is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic gearbox. This helps the convertible supercar go from zero to 62mph in 3.2secs and on to a top speed of 204mph with the roof up (196mph with the roof down).

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The car looks set to be another hit for the British automaker. Could it be the perfect drop-top supercar for summer driving?

Design

McLaren has transferred most of the 570 coupe's design over to the drop-top version, but there are a few visual tweaks.

Like other convertibles in the company, the 570S Spider gets two fairings behind the seats and a small carbon fibre lip at the rear to improve stability at higher speeds.

McLaren claims there are "no performance compromises" in the decision to drop the roof on the 570S as the Spider version uses the same carbon fibre structure as the coupe model. This helps the car retain its strength and body stiffness, even when the roof is dropped.

Interior

Car says the 570S Spider comes equipped with a 10ins TFT digital instrument panel and McLaren's 7ins IRIS infotainment system. The latter is located in the centre console and "does suffer from sun glare with the roof down", although some functions, such as sat-nav, can also be viewed on the digital instrument cluster.

The sports seats are "nice and low", but they can feel "a bit firm and could offer more under-thigh support for taller drivers", says the magazine. The buttons on the electric seats that come with the optional Luxury Pack can also be "hard to access, because they're squeezed between the side of the seat and the centre console".

Autocar says the cabin is "fabulous" as the "hand-built fit and finish are now almost uniformly immaculate". The drop-top roof "functions blamelessly", it adds. The roof can be lowered or raised at speeds of up to 25mph.

On the road

Unlike the 570S Spider's siblings, the 720S and P1, AutoExpress says the new supercar is aimed at people looking for "fun on the road" rather than to set lap records at race tracks.

Drivers will notice this immediately through the car's steering, says the magazine, which is "a real highlight." The "electro-hydraulically assisted" steering relays the road surface back to the driver well, "wriggling slightly as the front wheels track over bumps and cambers."

While the kerb weight has increased by 46kg (101lbs), the 570S Spider feels no slower than its coupe sibling, says Autocar. Its V8 engine is "spleen-worryingly fast", but it "manages to feel tractable, progressive, massive and yet not in any way outsized".

Only the "industrial" exhaust note lets down what is otherwise an "engaging" drop-top supercar, says Evo. This can, however, be improved with an optional sports exhaust that gives the car "a properly ballsy note when working hard".

The Spider is still "every bit as good as McLaren 570S with the roof up", concludes the magazine. Lowering the roof "delivers more fun and a greater sense of occasion" for summer driving.

Price

Orders for the 570S Spider are now open. According to Evo, prices start at £164,750, making this McLaren's cheapest convertible. Buyers wanting to add an optional sports exhaust should expect to pay an extra £3,370. The Luxury Pack with a Bowers & Wilkins 12-speaker audio system costs £7,280.