330km/h in a convertible? McLaren dares you with the 765LT Spider

McLaren Automotive has revealed yet another landmark model: The 765LT Spider.

The McLaren 765LT Spider carries over the dynamic performance and aerodynamic DNA of the coupe with no structural compromise and only a minimal 49kg weight increase.

This is largely thanks to the carbon fibre retractable hard top and accompanying operating mechanism, which allows the the 765LT Spider to weighs in at just 1,388kg (80kg lighter than a 720S Spider).

Said folding roof top will also bring the dramatic soundtrack of the quad-exit titanium exhaust system into the cabin, taking driver engagement, according to McLaren, into another dimension.

Also aiding to the low weight of the McLaren 765LT Spider are smaller and lighter doors compared to those on the coupe. Those fitted to the Spider have no upper carbon fibre frame, and require only a single hinge (compared to the coupe's double hinge fitment). When opened, the Spider's doors extend further than the coupe's by 120mm each side - the only difference in dimensions between the two models.

The 765LT Spider features the same twin-turbocharged M840T engine as the coupe - a 4.0-litre V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, dry sump lubrication, ultra-low-inertia twin-scroll turbochargers and electronically controlled wastegates. The engine also has LT-specific forged aluminium pistons, the McLaren Senna's three-layer head gasket and ultra-efficient, carbon-coated valve train followers.

Power and torque delivery, at 755bhp at 7,500rpm and 800Nm at 5,500rpm - are controlled by an engine management system with bespoke calibration.

McLaren would rather simply let the benchmark acceleration figures tell their own story: The zero to 100km/h sprint in accomplished in 2.8 seconds. And zero to 200km/h is dispatched in 7.2 seconds.

This extraordinary performance - comparable with that of the coupe - is made even more accessible by gear ratios optimised to deliver acceleration times 15% quicker than those achieved by the 720S, with virtually instant throttle response throughout.

Steering feedback has also been enhanced by a quicker steering rack ratio and stiffer torsion bar being added to McLaren's lauded electro-hydraulic steering system. The 765LT Spider also features the linked-hydraulic Proactive Control II suspension introduced on 720S - but with revised algorithms derived from those developed for the McLaren Senna and Speedtail programmes - and hardware changes including the new lightweight dual springs.

All of these measures optimise precision, control, stability and roll stiffness to deliver an even more track-focused driving experience.