Car and Driver: McLaren 675LT Spider: A Full Roof Away From the Original Longtail Concept

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Automakers trading on past racing cars’ provenance is nothing new. Ferrari’s F12tdf trades heavily on the original “Tour de France” endurance racers of the 1950s and ’60s; Ford’s Mustang GT350 recalls the timeless ’60s GT350 Mustangs; and McLaren’s 675LT drawn on the “Longtail” name (LT) applied to the epic F1 GTR race cars of the 1990s. In every case, the modern equivalents are more road-friendly machines that happen to share a name with a classic, meaning they’re already stretching a bit from their namesakes. McLaren has now applied the formula to the all-new 675LT Spider convertible.

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To be entirely honest, we have zero problems with a topless McLaren stuffed with the same LT goodies as the hardtop 675LT. A twin-turbocharged V-8 producing a devilish 666 horsepower, aerodynamically tuned bodywork (even if the tail isn’t much longer than that on a McLaren 650S, the car on which the 675LT is based), and a curb weight some 220 pounds lighter than the 650S Spider‘s are all very good things. Good things that can be enjoyed on a sunny day with the wind in your hair.

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• 2016 McLaren 675LT First Drive: Slightly More Exciting than Aerial Combat-
• McLaren 650S Spider Tested: Can We Streak Across Florida Undetected By Cops?-
• 2016 McLaren 570S First Drive: The Starter Supercar-

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Apparently customer reaction to the 675LT coupe was so strong that there was little sense in not building a roofless Spider variant. Also, at £285,450 ($431,935 at current exchange rates), the Spider is quite a bit more expensive than the coupe, which cost £259,500. Performance of the droptop is expected to be quite strong, with McLaren claiming a zero-to-60 time of just 2.9 seconds—0.2 second behind the lighter coupe. Downforce is said to be 40 percent greater here than on the 650S Spider, while the spring rates are 27 percent stiffer up front and 60 percent stiffer in the rear. Only 500 will be produced for global markets, guaranteeing rarity, and if the Spider drives anything like the coupe, those 500 customers will be a lucky bunch. The only thing we’re not certain of? The Spider’s exclusive “Solis” yellow paint option—it may not be for everybody.

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