10 things you need to know about the McLaren 720S Spider

For many of us, a McLaren is typical poster car with a lucky few turning those posters into reality. I for one have a secret crush on the McLaren 675LT, well that was until Daytona, the official importer of McLaren products for Southern Africa pulled the covers off of the latest McLaren 720S Spider at its new Melrose Arch dealership which also happens to be the biggest McLaren dealership in the world.

I have compiled a list of the key characteristics that you need to know about the new McLaren 720S Spider which should help you when you have conversations around the braai or socialising with your friends at the bar.

The McLaren 720S Spider:

1. The 720S Spider offers drivers extreme performance, ultra-luxury features, increased driver involvement as well as everyday usability at a base price, just shy of R7 million.
2. The car might be 49kgs heavier (around 4%) than its coupe sibling but it remains the lightest spider in its segment at just 1 332kg.
3. The design of the car has been optimised to increase downforce, minimise drag, enhance the powertrain cooling and optimise aerodynamic performance.
4. The car also features a carbon fibre structure known as Monocage II-S at its core which improves the strength, rigidity and aids in keeping it as lightweight as possible.
5. The 720S Spider is powered by a mid-mounted 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged McLaren built V8 engine.
6. The engine develops around 527 kW and 770 N.m combined with its lightweight construction, the car achieves the best power to weight ratio in its class.
7. The 720S Spider will hit 100 km/h in around 2.9 seconds. Zero to 200 km/h happens in 7.9 seconds which is as fast as what most modern hot hatches take to reach 100 km/h.
8. The 720S Spider will complete a 400 m sprint in around 10.4 seconds.
9. The 720S will reach an extraordinary top speed of 325 km/h.
10. And the final point, the 720S will achieve all of the above feats while having its roof down, this makes it one of our favourite McLarens from a performance and visual point of view.