McLaren 750S Spider review: British drama theatre

When McLaren launched the 750S Spider to replace the 720S, the model became the brand's most powerful series production convertible to date. Interestingly, it was also introduced alongside the 750S Coupe, which is unusual as the convertible variant typically arrives a year or two after the fixed-roof one.

This move, however, is a response to customer demand in the supercar segment. In South Korea for instance, McLaren typically sells more convertibles than coupes. Perhaps buyers still need the extra wow of a roofless variant, even though supercars are flashy by nature.

But the 750S Spider goes beyond being showy, for the engineers at the brand's Woking headquarters have made it even more dramatic and compelling than the 750S Coupe.

Supercars express feelings

If you think supercars and exotic machines are all about horsepower and acceleration figures, then you'd only be half-right. These multi-million-dollar machines can turn heads and leave you gobsmacked with their mind-bogglingly quick performance, but that's just scratching the surface. Their purpose is a much deeper one.

Yes, a 750S Spider can reflect one's wealth/success or be used as a mere tool to impress the fairer sex. But its real power is its ability to stir emotions. That's what supercars are for.

'Intimidating' rather than 'beautiful' is an apt way to describe the 750S Spider's styling. Yes, there's a sleekness in the way the lines flow from front to rear, and I love the fact that the dihedral doors are made up of two panels. The gap between them helps channel air into the engine.

The visage, though, is what dominates the car's appearance. It resembles a shark lurking in the darkness and depths, awaiting its prey. It is eager to feast on sports cars and perhaps, even an exotic machine with lesser performance.

Getting acquainted with the 750S Spider takes just minutes, and you can't help but think that the car is only meant for the track. The steering wheel is devoid of buttons or controls. The instrument panel is a high-definition one, but instead of pretty graphics you have pertinent data such as speed, engine revs and gear position prominently shown.

Simple rocker switches enable you to tailor the suspension and powertrain by toggling between Comfort, Sport, and Track. Buttons on the centre console replace the traditional gear selector. Thus far it's all business. But thumb the start button and the histrionics begin.

British theatrics

Nestled behind the driver is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 that awakens with a gruff bark before settling into a grumbly idle. Just like the 750S Coupe, the powerplant also delivers 740bhp and 800Nm of torque.

McLaren's extensive use of carbon fibre — the body structure is even called Carbon Fibre Monocage II — helps keep kerb weight to 1,438kg. Since the structure is so stiff and makes up for the loss of rigidity due to the missing roof, not much reinforcement was needed. Indeed, the 750S Spider is only 49kg heavier than the 750S Coupe.

That gives the 750S Spider a power to weight ratio of 514.6bhp per tonne versus 532.8bhp per tonne for the 750S Coupe. Both cars rocket from rest to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds. Even if the 750S Spider takes 7.3 seconds to do 0-200km/h instead of 7.2 seconds, will you even notice?

Speed, or more to the point, acceleration, is not what makes the 750S Spider so involving. It's the glorious soundtrack that envelops and titillates, for it is louder and more pronounced than what you'll get in the 750S Coupe.

With the powertrain set to Sport or Track, the V8 emits everything from bassy burbles to angry roars. It punctuates the air with its hoarse exhaust overruns. It can pop and it can bang. And it sounds especially emotive when you're actuating the shifts yourself.

Want to feel like a racecar driver? Just race up the gears as you pile on the speed, with the dual exhausts blaring your intentions for the world to hear. Traffic slowing down? Go hard on the brakes as you pull on the left paddle and you feel your pulse surge in tandem with every blip. It caused me to shamelessly yell in excitement at several points.

Shouts aside, the carbon ceramic brakes, and the meaty pedal feel deserve mention here. The 750S Spider features forged six-piston monobloc aluminium callipers in front and forged four-piston aluminium callipers in the rear.

Normal passenger cars have squishy brakes, but in a McLaren, one must be firm and committed. The benefit of the heavier pedal is that it's easier to modulate, since it responds in a much more linear fashion.

Oh, and we must talk about the helm. McLaren's continued preference for an electrohydraulic setup means the steering is chock full of feel, further enhancing the car's involving nature. A purely electric unit would have lessened the engagement between the car and the driver.

Surprisingly simple

It's amazing how easy the 750S Spider is to drive when you consider the firepower that you can command with your right foot. Throttle modulation is easy, and the car is only as scary-fast as you wish it to be. Even if you suddenly nail the throttle and cause the tail to wiggle, the car easily straightens itself out when you back off.

A racetrack, as opposed to regular roads would have at least given me the chance to try and probe the car's potential. Yet here, on superbly smooth Japanese tarmac, the 750S Spider wows you with its ride quality. Set to 'Comfort', it has the pliancy of a hot hatch, and even in 'Sport', the firmness does not have a hard edge. It's a lot comfier than the 720S, that's for sure.

At the same time, the 750S Spider amazes you with its tight chassis and obedient nose — this is a supercar after all, and it is only right that it feels like it handles on rails, even when you don't need it to. I love its incisiveness, but a 90-minute drive around Yokohama is like making the car go on a jog.

Nevertheless, this city jaunt stirred my emotions and made my heart race. With the roof down and the ambient temperature in the teens, even a sudden shower that required the roof to be closed never dampened my spirits. The ability to lower the rear window to hear the V8's chatter prevented that.

The 750S Coupe isn't a lesser car, but the fact that it's more insulated makes it less intoxicating than its topless sibling, which is clearly the one to have. Now, if the carmaker can launch both the Coupe and Spider simultaneously, perhaps the 750S' successor can be Spider-only. How about it, McLaren?

McLaren 750S Spider 4.0 (A)

• Engine: 3994cc, 32-valves, V8, twin-turbocharged
• Max power: 740bhp at 7500rpm
• Max Torque: 800Nm at 5500rpm
• Power to weight: 514.6bhp per tonne
• Gearbox: 7-speed SSG with manual select
• 0-100KM/H: 2.8 seconds
• Top speed: 332km/h
• Consumption: 8.2km/L (combined)
• Price excl. COE: On application
• Agent: McLaren Singapore

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This article was first published in Torque. Permission required for reproduction.