The McLaren 675LT is sold out, but a topless Spider model could be on its way

By Ronan Glon May 18, 2015

The limited-edition McLaren 675 Longtail that was presented to the public a few months ago at the Geneva Motor Show is already sold out. If you missed your chance to buy one of the 500 examples built, you might still be in luck because a new report claims the British manufacturer will build a topless version of the LT dubbed simply 675LT Spider.

Based on the existing 650S Spider, McLaren’s next convertible will be nearly identical to the 675LT coupe from the rocker panels to the belt line. It will benefit from a long list of track-focused equipment such as a Longtail-specific body kit designed to provide more downforce at high speeds and a huge air brake made out of carbon fiber.

Above the belt line, the lightweight convertible will boast a two-piece hard top that will open and close in a few seconds at the push of a button. Owners will be able to lower the rear window independently in order to let the engine’s prodigious growl into the cabin even if the top is up.

Most of the Spider’s mechanical components will be carried over directly from the 675LT coupe, meaning power will come from a heavily-revised version of McLaren’s ubiquitous twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 engine that will make 666 horsepower and 516 foot-pounds of torque. Bolted to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the eight-cylinder will send the Spider from zero to 62 mph in about three seconds, from zero to 124 mph in roughly eight, and on to a top speed of 205 mph.

Unsurprisingly, McLaren has declined to comment on the rumors. If the reports are accurate, the 675LT Spider will likely be shown to the public either at next fall’s Frankfurt Motor Show or at the Los Angeles Motor Show that will open its doors next November. Like the coupe, the Spider will land in showrooms as a limited-edition model.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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