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McLaren 720S Spider; Manufacturer images

Droptop supercar aficionados who want even more exclusivity than McLaren’s 570S Spider affords can find it in the latest convertible variant from the brand’s mid-level Super Series. That series, manifested until now in the 720S coupe — and, earlier, the 650S and 675LT — heralds the newest member of the band: the 720S Spider.

Related: McLaren 720S: If Dropping $100K Extra Is an Option, We Did This for You

Speaking of bands, your average rock ‘n’ roll group would have to sell out quite a few tours for one of its members to afford such wheels. McLaren says the 720S Spider starts at $315,000, which is some $10,000 more than the starting price for the 720S coupe. And given the 100-plus options to customize the 720S coupe, it’s a safe bet that the sky’s the limit on Spider customization — and pricing.

The independent exotic-car brand says the 720S Spider needs no additional bracing versus the 720S coupe. Major changes include no more central structure between the dihedral doors, obviously, with changes to the upper windshield frame to accommodate a latching mechanism. The rear section of the roof accommodates the hardtop, with 2 cubic feet of cargo space in the resulting cavity when the top is up.

Related: 2018 McLaren 570S Spider: An Everyday Supercar?

Atop the coupe’s carbon-fiber structure, it adds a one-piece, power-retractable hardtop (also carbon fiber) that adds just 108 pounds more than the coupe, a weight gain of less than 4 percent. That top also does its thing in just 11 seconds and works at vehicle speeds of up to 31 mph. Mash the gas pedal, and you’ll exceed that in the blink of an eye: The 720S Spider’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 makes 710 horsepower and 568 pounds-feet of torque, the same as the coupe. That’s enough to scoot the droptop to 60 mph in a coupe-equivalent 2.8 seconds, with the quarter-mile flying by in 10.4 seconds — just 0.1 second slower than the coupe.

If you feel the need … the need for even more speed, McLaren says orders for the 720S Spider are open now, with U.S. deliveries beginning in March 2019.

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