Say hello to the newest Super Series model from McLaren which, if you wish to, can carry you topless. The British luxury sportscar maker calls it the 720S Spider, and it is the second new model under the 1.2 billion GBP McLaren Automotive Track25 plan, the first being the petrol-electric Speedtail. The McLaren 720S Spider is essentially a convertible version of the 720S Coupé. The Brits have been quite busy to ensure that even after boasting a retractable hardtop (RHT), the Spider can match the Coupé’s performance.

Naturally, we’ll start this one with the RHT. The mechanism to operate the roof is electrically rather than hydraulically driven. That helps the McLaren 720S Spider to lose or gain its roof in just 11 seconds. To put things in perspective, that’s six seconds quicker than the 650S Spider can manage. What’s more, the new convertible can run the operation of losing or gaining its roof at speeds of up to 50kmph. Compared to the 650S Spider, the operation window has widened by 20kmph.

Apart from making the roof panel clever, faster and stronger, McLaren has also spent time making it quieter. The carmaker says:

“The new RHT is twice as quiet in operation as the first-generation Super Series convertible (650S Spider), with occupants experiencing additional sound on par with background noise in a quiet library when the roof is operating.”

Bold claims! McLaren even claims that with the roof raised, the noise inside the cabin of the 720S Spider is actually less than that experienced in a 650S Coupé. Though, that is all to do with how the air is channelled around the cabin and with the quality of sound insulation. Pay a little bit extra, and McLaren will install a glazed RHT to the 720S Spider. It features a carbon fibre frame which allows more light through the roof when it is up. The glass is electrochromic, and that means it can turn from transparent to tinted at the touch of a button.

With thorough engineering practices, McLaren has ensured that the 720S Spider weighs 1,332kg, which is 88 kilograms lighter than its rival from Maranello, Italy. Specifically, the Ferrari 488 Spider. However, due to the RHT and the tonneau system, the 720S Spider is 49 kilograms heavier than the 720S Coupé.

Underneath, the McLaren 720S Spider gets the same engine-transmission combination that does duty in the 720S Coupé. A 4.0-litre, twin-turbo, V8 engine which produces 720PS/770Nm. It comes mated to a 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission which feeds the oomph to the rear wheels only.

The Spider can sprint from 0-100kmph in 2.9 seconds – just a tenth slower than its fixed-top sibling. The 720S Spider can hit 200kmph from a standstill in 7.9 seconds and reach a top speed of 341kmph (the same as the 720S Coupé) with the roof up, or 325kmph with the roof down. The braking power is equally impressive. The convertible will come to a halt from 100kmph and 200kmph in 2.8 seconds/30.3 metres and 4.6 seconds/118 metres respectively.

The McLaren 720S Spider has a starting price of 237,000 GBP (approximately Rs 2.14 crore at current exchange rates). Deliveries will commence from March next year.