The recently discontinued McLaren 720S will remain an icon in supercar history with its unmatched speed and precision. It was excellently refined to shape performance standards, and there's no doubt that most owners don't consider the 720S' replacement, the McLaren 750S, as that big of a deal. However, the McLaren 720S Spider, a car named the best supercar of the year at the prestigious Coyote Automobile Awards, is more painful to see go away. Uncompromising in every aspect, the McLaren 720S Spider retains the synthesis of style, agility, and performance but with the added 360-degree sensory immersion when the top is down. The unfiltered connection to the car's surroundings, feeling the wind gushing over your head while listening to engine sounds, makes every drive in the McLaren 720S adventurous and thrilling, no matter how many times you drive it.
Hidden in the McLaren 720S Spider's breathtaking architecture is a 4.0-liter V8 that kickstarted McLaren's current generation of supercars and hypercars. A newer engine means more power, and the McLaren 720S Spider is built to utilize every bit of 710 horsepower that it makes. Before we get deeper into its specifications, how much is a McLaren 720S Spider? The recommended MSRP for a 2023 McLaren 720S Spider was $326,500, slightly less for older models. Prices are still holding up strong, with the cheapest you can expect to pay for a used, clean McLaren 720S Spider being around $270,000. However, we've also noticed prices going as high as $450,000.
The McLaren 720S Spider was designed and built to be a convertible without compromise. Unlike most convertible tops that add much extra weight to the car, the retractable hard top in the 720S Spider only adds 108 pounds more than the 720S Coupe's weight. This doesn't affect the 720S Spider's capabilities as it has a 0-60 time as the 720S Coupe, and both cars have a similar top speed. Lightweight architecture is what makes the roof on the McLaren 720S Spider weigh less, being made of lightweight carbon fiber and frosted glass. You wouldn't even imagine that eight near-silent electric motors operate the roof mechanisms! McLaren describes the 720S Spider as embodying ingenuity, drama, and efficiency, the hallmarks of natural evolution, shaping stunning and elegant solutions. The car's design exhibits power and poise like a fierce predator waiting to pounce, sculpted in the profile of nature's fastest shape, the teardrop. This design does more than display the McLaren 720S Spider's power, performance, and handling abilities. It makes a statement anywhere you go, tempting anyone with a camera-abled device to scramble for a photo. Out with the 3.8-liter V8 and in came the 4.0-liter V8, the birth of a new generation of McLaren engine technology first used in the 720S Coupe. The 4.0-liter V8 in the McLaren 720S Spider has 41% newer components, so it's still majorly rooted in the older 3.8-liter V8. But it greatly benefits from a longer stroke and new turbochargers, enabling it to be a commanding powerhouse that will have your head stuck on the headrest at full throttle.
The McLaren 720S dominates the road with its head-turning appearance and incredible performance, enough to shame anyone daring to accept a straight line or track challenge. But when not trying to break speed barriers and set new track lap time records, it's delightful to sit back in the luxury-appointed interior and enjoy the rumbling hum of the 710 British Ponies resting behind you. You can have all that with the McLaren 720S Spider, but it's better with the roof down. Driving a 720S Spider with the top down is almost like riding a bicycle downhill with air gushing over your skin and the perforations on your helmet, but better. The feeling of air gushing over the top of the car makes you appreciate the liberation of open-air driving, and the engine getting louder with every gear shift makes the whole experience a lot better. Also, since the roof is made of glass, you still get the same feeling when it's down, but the passenger will mostly enjoy this when they steal that unavoidable glance upwards.
To most, the engine in the McLaren 720S Spider is rear-mounted. But from an engineering perspective, its rear-mid-mounted for better weight distribution helping the car achieve balanced handling. However, the engine is not there just to balance the McLaren 720S Spider's weight. With twin-turbo precision, the 4.0-liter V8 makes 710 horsepower, sending it to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Acceleration to 60mph in the McLaren 720S Spider takes 2.8 seconds. Top speed is limited to 212 mph with the roof up and 202 mph with the roof down, making it one of the hardest-accelerating convertible supercars. On a drag strip, the McLaren 720S spider will do a quarter-mile standing time of 10.4 seconds, a figure unattainable for some highly tuned cars that will bash you for spending all that money on a car. In the handling department, McLaren's Proactive Chassis Control II hydraulic suspension gives the 720S Spider an almost unachievable combination of precise body control and a compliant ride that varies depending on the driving surface and can also be adjusted depending on the driver-selected mode. The suspension is complemented by an electro-hydraulic steering system that offers improved steering comfort and lightness at low speeds and firmness, as well as excellent feedback and precision at high speeds.
The McLaren 720S Coupe and 720S Spider took on a new design from McLaren but still retained the basis of airflow management and aerodynamics like older McLaren models. As breathtaking as it might be, the futuristic design of the 720S Spider maximizes downforce, minimizes drag, enhances powertrain cooling, and helps the car achieve an aerodynamic balance, which all aid in optimizing its performance and handling. All body panels are made of carbon fiber, making the McLaren 720S Spider one of the few convertible supercars that have a full carbon chassis and body. Yet, this does not affect the strength and rigidity of the car, as it still has world-class safety and stability. As an option, buyers could also get the convertible top with a lightweight glass panel instead of a carbon fiber one without any significant weight increase, giving the car a luxurious appeal from the inside. You don't really see glass roofs on supercars that often, do you? The front, rear, and side profiles on the 720S Spider speak volumes of its capabilities, displaying sharp lines directing airflow into the air intakes and over the car. You'll also notice a level of aggressiveness, especially from the front and the side, that McLaren prefers to refer to as refined aggression, and we wouldn't have it any other way. The McLaren 720S Spider is aggressive but not too aggressive like it eats other supercars and sportscars for breakfast. Or does it?
The interior of the McLaren 720S Spider has the same level of detail as the exterior styling, giving that race car feel but with refinement and luxury you'd find in a Grand Tourer. Stepping in and out of the cabin is easy thanks to the McLaren-specific dihedral doors and low door sills, and when you're seated, the carbon fiber racing seats soak you in comfort and will hold you even in the tightest fast corners. Some buyers opted for the comfort seats which are more comfort-oriented and good if you prefer dailying your supercar. Also, don't be surprised to find a McLaren 720S Spider with super lightweight full carbon seats, as they were also optional. These are excellent for track days but not for long-distance or frequent driving. The carbon seats only come with Alcantara, so you'll have to find a 720S Spider with the comfort seats if you prefer leather seats. Also, Interior trims are well-laden with refined materials such as carbon fiber and aluminum, and buyers got a choice between leather and Alcantara for the dashboard, center console, door cards, and handles. All controls in the McLaren 720S Spider are centrally and ergonomically placed on the center console, which keeps the dashboard and steering wheel as driver-focused as possible. At the same time, the controls on the center console are easily accessible to the driver and passenger.
McLaren has always pioneered some of the best tech features in their sports cars and supercars, and the McLaren 720S Spider is no exception, from the basic features, such as the roof operating mechanism, to advanced mechanisms, such as the active rear wing. The roof on the McLaren 720S Spider is powered by eight near-silent electric motors that can open or close the top in 11 seconds, and the motors can work at speeds of up to 31 mph. When first produced, the McLaren 720S Spider had the fastest operating roof, and it still ranks high, considering the fastest operating roof is the Ford Mustang Convertible roof at 7 seconds. In the McLaren 720S Spider, the active rear wing was re-mapped to respond to airflow and enhance aerodynamics automatically depending on whether the roof is open or closed, a technology not often found in cars of its caliber. The mechanisms further allow the wing to automatically activate to decrease drag or increase downforce and act as an airbrake, which was McLaren's intention when they first used the wing in the McLaren 12C. Essential comfort, safety, and vehicle safety features in the McLaren 720S Spider include but are not limited to air conditioning, climate control, traction control, four-wheel ABS, electronic stability control, remote locking, and an engine immobilizer.
Designed to be a convertible without compromise, the McLaren 720S Spider offers the same level of performance as the 720S coupe, thus making it the perfect all-weather supercar. The top open during those summer sunny afternoons will give you a more than thrilling driving experience as the wind gushes over the top and the engine screams, begging you to give it more with every gear shift. The added driving thrill comes at a hefty cost, with most McLaren 720S Spiders being priced at around $270,000, which is completely justifiable for what the car offers and its capabilities. Rumor even says the 720S and 720S Spider are faster than the McLaren P1! You can buy a McLaren 720S Spider through Exotic Car Trader today, and if you can't find a spec that suits you, we guarantee daily listing updates, so ensure you watch out for our McLaren 720S Spider listings. Also, if you have a taste for McLarens, check out our McLaren listings.
The McLaren 720S Spider exceeds any supercar driver's expectations, offering beyond what is expected from supercars in its class with the added thrill of driving an open-roof car at full throttle. Its crafted perfection is evident in every aspect: exterior, interior, driving dynamics, performance, and handling, confirming McLaren's statement that the 720S Spider is designed without compromise. Is there any reason why you shouldn't buy one?
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