Last year, Lanzante unveiled the McLaren P1 Spider at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Although the company plans to build 5 examples of the P1 Spider, currently, this is the only one in existence. So, when Henry Catchpole got invited to drive it, he couldn’t say no.
According to Dean Lanzante, it was not as simple as just chopping the roof off of a standard McLaren P1. Perfecting the engineering turned out to be more complicated than expected. The car features fewer door hinges, integrated roll hoops, and a reinforced windscreen surround. The upper portion of the carbon tub needed modification, and the fuel filler and charging port had to be repositioned as well.
Lanzante has also designed a roof for the P1 Spider, which can be temporarily installed when the weather gets rough and then stored in the front compartment.
McLaren P1 Spider driving experience:
Removing the roof from the P1 has certainly affected its driving experience. As Henry reports, it feels different but somewhat similar. The absence of the roof creates a more open feel in the cabin, and the sound of the twin-turbo V8 engine is more pronounced than before. Nevertheless, the P1 still drives and feels as quick as it did 10 years ago.
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