McLaren has enhanced the appeal and performance of its Sports Series range with the launch of the Long Tail (LT) version in June 2018.

The 600LT, which comes in both Coupe and Spider guise, is essentially a more track-focused version of the 570S Coupe and Spider, with less weight, improved aerodynamics and more power, and is aimed at those who know a thing or two about driving and would rather exploit them at the track or on a twisty road than do rounds in the city center.

Tipping the scales at 2,859 lbs (1,297 kg), the 600LT Spider is around 220 lbs (100 kg) lighter than the equivalent 570S. It still uses a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8, which has been tuned to deliver 592 HP (600 PS / 441 kW) and 457 lb-ft (620 Nm) of torque. That might not seem like much, considering there are station wagons that are far more powerful, but this is a true blue-blooded machine.

It does have the performance numbers on its side, with the nought to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) sprint taking just 2.8 seconds (2.9 seconds for the 0-62 mph / 0-100 km/h). Moreover, if you can find a straight long enough, you will eventually see 201 mph (324 km/h) on the speedometer with the roof up, or 196 mph (315 km/h) with it opened.

The 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with its violent upshifts, was just one of the many things that won Rory Reid over, alongside the fast and accurate steering and the loud exhaust system. Sure, the 600LT Spider is no GT and therefore it’s not comfortable on long journeys, but then again, that’s the price you have to pay in order to sit behind the wheel of a supercar that feels very much alive.