600LT Spider - exciting for road use?

[EK993]

I bought a new 570S coupe in 2019. Sold it in December 2021 at the peak of Covid pricing, surprisingly for a profit. The main reason for selling wasn’t purely financial, I never really found it that exciting to drive for normal road use - I just found it to be unexciting at anything other than highly illegal speeds.

I am now looking for a new car, and had been focusing on a 458 spider for the thrill of the naturally aspirated V8. I have however spotted this 600LT Spider which looks gorgeous in Mauvine Blue

https://www.mclarenwashington.com/used-Sterling-20...

Can anyone that has switched from a coupe to a spider confirm if the open top significantly ramps up the fun factor on the sports series?

[RSbandit]

Had a 570s coupe for 3 yrs which I loved and switched to a 600LT Spider in March this yr. I think going for the Spider is a must if you’ve already had a sports series coupe. Being able to drop the back window is a great feature given the exhaust position so much more noise comes through and then you add in the pops and bangs and it’s alot more visceral an experience. Costs a fair bit to change but you’re getting a huge amount of car for the money with the LT Spider …at least in the UK.

[12pack]

Yes a 600lt spider with the rear window dropped (or top down) will sound a lot better than a 458 where it matters - in the car. And dynamically its a league or two above.

[RSbandit]

See you’re in the US the car you linked would be about £200k at current exchange rates …that car would prob be 20% cheaper here in the UK…not a huge amount of them for sale in the UK right now a lot have been snapped up since January.

[Sarnie]

I had a 570s for four years.

I had it for about 6 months at the same time as my 600LT Spider.

It seemed so dull after driving the 600..............

[MannyLon]

Should compare it to the 570 spider tbf.
LT is a different beast, more track focused as opposed to road.

[Nuttbelle]

Standard coupe to a LT Spider is worlds apart.
Open air motoring isnt for all but its a different level of experience in a LT especially spider.
LT's excel on a road its not a 1 trick pony track car like GT3 RS for example

[supersport]

I went to look at 600LT spider last October, never got to drive it, weird McLaren dealer WTF. To be honest I really wanted a 720 and probably still do.

I would never have got on with the buckets, my fat arse felt squished. (I didn't think I had a fat arse until that point).

I bought a 458 Spider instead which I bloody love. It may have cured me of the 720, but we shall see in a year or two.

[Olivera]

600LT wouldn't get a look in for me vs a 458.

[Nuttbelle]

Olivera said:

600LT wouldn't get a look in for me vs a 458.

458 wouldn't see which way a 600LT went.
You pays your money, and you make your choice

[RSbandit]

Olivera said:

600LT wouldn't get a look in for me vs a 458.

458 sounds better from the outside but inside the car and on every other metric the LT wins …but the prancing horse tugs more on the heart strings than the head I suppose.

[Nuttbelle]

No question the 458 is an epic car for its era but the game Moves on continuously.
I just dont see the value in a £160k 10 year old car, that boat has sailed and even more so with speciale.

Meantime there has been a glut of new 600LT owners on here recently

[DRZ]

Gibbo on here has both a 458 and 600LT - I'll see if I can bring this thread to his attention as he has posted numerous times about these two cars and the differences between them and vs other cars...

[EK993]

DRZ said:

Gibbo on here has both a 458 and 600LT - I'll see if I can bring this thread to his attention as he has posted numerous times about these two cars and the differences between them and vs other cars...

Thanks, what is his full username? I can search for his posts.

[EK993]

Nuttbelle said:

458 wouldn't see which way a 600LT went.
You pays your money, and you make your choice

Outright performance isn’t top of my priority list, it doesn’t translate into most fun. The 570S coupe is obviously right up there in terms of speed and dynamics, yet I had more fun driving a Jaguar F Type V8. Which is why my question is more focussed around - does the sports series spider open top experience substantially increase the fun factor for street driving over the coupe.

[Streetbeat]

EK993 said:

I just found it to be unexciting at anything other than highly illegal speeds.

What do you think will make a spider more exciting, dynamically its the same car or there abouts. I understand the more visceral experience because of increase in noise, change of note and roof down, but more exciting?

I still think you are in the territory of highly illegal speeds to be exciting as with any Mclaren or modern supercar to be fair.

[EK993]

Streetbeat said:

What do you think will make a spider more exciting, dynamically its the same car or there abouts. I understand the more visceral experience because of increase in noise, change of note and roof down, but more exciting?

I still think you are in the territory of highly illegal speeds to be exciting as with any Mclaren or modern supercar to be fair.

Yes, exactly that - the increase in noise, change of note, roof down giving a more engaging experience at regular road speeds. That is what I am trying to ascertain from owners who have made the switch.

And I agree on the modern supercar thing - which I why I have been looking at some older stuff like the 458. I had even been considering a 430 Scud.

[12pack]

EK993 said:

Yes, exactly that - the increase in noise, change of note, roof down giving a more engaging experience at regular road speeds. That is what I am trying to ascertain from owners who have made the switch.

And I agree on the modern supercar thing - which I why I have been looking at some older stuff like the 458. I had even been considering a 430 Scud.

OTOH, my 355 was the worst car I ever owned. Like most Italians, looked and sounded great on the outside, but the drive flattered to deceive. Much preferred to get in the FD RX7 those days. Just like a Mac the RX7 was engineered for actual driving and performance, not NVH and twitchy steering! I guess the engineer in me hates to see effort spent on making a car “seem” exciting.

Edited by 12pack on Saturday 3rd June 12:56

[mako111]

Gibbo is on a few of the WhatsApp groups I’m on and got me excited about McLaren at last. I’ve got a 458 spider which I’ve had for a couple of years and done just short of 3k miles in, most of those were in week one with a trip to Scotland for most of the NC500. It lives in the garage and so only gets used on special occasions, I’d love to go and pick a curry up in it but it takes me longer to get it out of the garage/put away than it does to drive to the takeaway, so I never do.

The 458 is more than exciting enough for me on the road (haven’t tracked it so far) and feels incredibly special. The biggest smile it gives me is blasting down some open countryside b-roads with the roof down (or the back window dropped) in race mode (bumpy road suspension). The acceleration is plenty on a UK b-road and then some, you really feel the gearbox kick in race mode and the sound track is spectacular. It really is a musical instrument to be played at high volume.

I’ve just bought a 570S spider which is arguably better handling, the gearbox is faster, it pulls harder (when on full boost). It is also an incredibly special car, I didn’t drive an LT600 as I don’t plan to track the car often, I’m planning to use as a daily when I don’t need more than two seats and it’s not the middle of winter. It sounds very different to the 458 but sounds great in its own way (sports exhaust probably helps). It doesn’t have the amazing top exit exhausts of the LT600 (which I love) but it still pops and bangs plenty in track performance mode when warmed up and b-road blasting. I’ve also had more positive comments from the general public in a week driving the McLaren than I’ve had in 2yrs with the 458. Car people love the 458, everyone seems to love the 570.

Time will tell if they will both stay with me long term or if one will make way for a V12…

[MannyLon]

mako111 said:

Gibbo is on a few of the WhatsApp groups I’m on and got me excited about McLaren at last. I’ve got a 458 spider which I’ve had for a couple of years and done just short of 3k miles in, most of those were in week one with a trip to Scotland for most of the NC500. It lives in the garage and so only gets used on special occasions, I’d love to go and pick a curry up in it but it takes me longer to get it out of the garage/put away than it does to drive to the takeaway, so I never do.

The 458 is more than exciting enough for me on the road (haven’t tracked it so far) and feels incredibly special. The biggest smile it gives me is blasting down some open countryside b-roads with the roof down (or the back window dropped) in race mode (bumpy road suspension). The acceleration is plenty on a UK b-road and then some, you really feel the gearbox kick in race mode and the sound track is spectacular. It really is a musical instrument to be played at high volume.

I’ve just bought a 570S spider which is arguably better handling, the gearbox is faster, it pulls harder (when on full boost). It is also an incredibly special car, I didn’t drive an LT600 as I don’t plan to track the car often, I’m planning to use as a daily when I don’t need more than two seats and it’s not the middle of winter. It sounds very different to the 458 but sounds great in its own way (sports exhaust probably helps). It doesn’t have the amazing top exit exhausts of the LT600 (which I love) but it still pops and bangs plenty in track performance mode when warmed up and b-road blasting. I’ve also had more positive comments from the general public in a week driving the McLaren than I’ve had in 2yrs with the 458. Car people love the 458, everyone seems to love the 570.

Time will tell if they will both stay with me long term or if one will make way for a V12…

Hope to pick up a 570 spider next WE
Moving away from Porsche as had enough of the politics and games so sold my T and Spyder.