McLaren 570S Spider Drops Its Top With No Loss Of Performance

McLaren rips the roof off its Sport Series lineup by introducing the 570S Spider into the British brand's lineup. The retractable hardtop gives owners the ability to enjoy the sports car for the whole year.

The two-piece retractable roof uses tech originally for the Spider variants of the 650S and 675LT. McLaren reports that the mechanism adds 101 pounds (46 kilograms) over the 570S Coupe, and this is the only extra weight for the droptop. Plus, there's no loss in structural rigidity over the variant with the fixed top, and the convertible's chassis doesn't require any extra components for stiffening.

When it's time to enjoy the fresh air, drivers can drop the top in just 15 seconds at speeds up to 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour). The roof closes just as quickly. The piece hides underneath a tonneau cover for a sleek appearance when cruising while the top is open.

Drivers can also raise or lower an electronically operated glazed wind deflector while the roof is down. When in place, the piece reduces buffeting in the cabin. A press of a button lowers it for allowing more sound into the interior. For an even better noise, an optional sports exhaust adds a control for routing more of the engine note into the cockpit.

Folding the roof into the rear adjusts the 570S' aerodynamics. McLaren offsets the change by fitting a rear spoiler that's a half-inch (12.7 millimeters) taller than on the 570S, which increases downforce. The piece comes stock in Dark Palladium gray, and McLaren Special Operations offers an optional version with a visible carbon finish.

The 570S Spider has the same performance as its fixed-roof counterpart. The 3.8-liter biturbo V8 makes 562 horsepower (419 kilowatts) and 443 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters). A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox shuffles power to the rear wheels. It gets the roadster to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers) in 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 204 miles per hour (328 kilometers per hour). With the roof down, the model can reach 196 mph (315 kph). In the U.S., McLaren rates the Spider at 16 miles per gallon city, 23 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined – same as the coupe.

McLaren offers 570S Spider in a total of 20 colors, including three new additions: Cuarcao Blue, Vega Blue, Sicilian Yellow. Customers can further dress up the look by picking an optional styling package that paints the roof, windshield pillars, and rear buttresses in Dark Palladium gray. There're also new redesigned 10-spoke forged wheels that have a 19-inch diameter in front and 20-inch in the back. Another new option is a Liquid Black finish for the brake calipers.

The 570S Spider will make its public debut during the Goodwood Festival of Speed from June 29 to July 2. Customer deliveries will start in September, and the roadster will cost $208,000 in the U.S.