Massive Depreciation Makes This McLaren 650S Spider A Surprising 570S Spider Alternative

For just a couple of hundred pounds more than the brand new pre-options price of a McLaren 570S Spider, you could have an absolutely epic 650S Spider that's crammed with upgrades. What would you do?

Matt Kimberley

25 Jul 2017

Massive Depreciation Makes This McLaren 650S Spider A Surprising 570S Spider Alternative

You might have noticed that the other Matt reviewed the new McLaren 570S Spider earlier this week (curse his bones, etc). The basic price of that car is a fairly chunky £164,750, and we wondered what your second-hand McLaren options are at that price point. In your dreams where you’ve just won the Lotto, could you get better value?

In a word: yes. And how. Check out this gorgeously understated 650S Spider, a model I’ve driven myself (screw you, Robinson) that’s every bit as vicious as a supercar truly should be. Docile when you’re relaxing and as angry as a trapped bear when you attempt to find its limits, driving the 650S Spider is an experience you remember; perhaps even more so than the friendlier Sports Series cars like the 570S – the hard-top version of which I’ve also driven in anger.

This one, for sale at Romans International in Surrey (an expensive part of England), is bedecked in Storm Grey over a Carbon Black Alcantara interior. It’s a 2014 model with just 12,000 miles under its Pirelli P Zero Corsas, which measure 19 inches at the front and 20 at the back. The wheels within them are light-alloy and diamond-cut five-twin-spoke designs and they’re perfectly failing to hide yellow-painted brake calipers the size of small moons. Priced at £164,950, it’s just £200 more expensive than the 570S Spider.

It’s chock-full of options, from the bits mentioned above to a nose lifter, carbonfibre interior and exterior upgrade packages, a Meridian surround sound audio system, contrasting yellow seat piping, McLaren floor mats (ooooh) and electric, heated seats. If the Stealth Pack, including dubious ‘stealth’ McLaren badge, doesn’t completely hide it from criminals (/sarcasm), there’s an upgraded alarm and a tracking device.

Brand new this car was listed for £249,700, making the current price an outrageous bargain if your pockets are overflowing with £50 notes you don’t know what to do with. There’s also no waiting time for this, whereas you’ll have to be patient for a 570S Spider delivery, even if they actually let you buy one without adding some options first.

What would you do, if you had the money? Get the brand-spanker and know that your buttocks are the first to caress the seats outside of the delivery process, or go for the used car and get more bang for your buck?

Comments

Honda: VTEC kicked in yo
McLaren: Depreciation kicked in yo
McLaren-Honda: DNF kicked in yo

VTEC and depreciation together…
just gonna ignore the DNF part

Id still rather have a 12c, I think the 12c looks a lot better

Why would you want a 650S over 570S?
More power and higher initial price? So what?

Would you be able to use the extra 80PS? Probably not. The higher initial price only means that you’ll have higher maintenance costs and the second hand nature of the car possesses reliability risks (particularly with an older McLaren).

The only benefit I see is that you will loose less in depreciation. That aside, 570S is newer and you can configure it to your own taste. 570 PS is plentiful and arguably you’ll have more fun on real world roads.

I second this

650S chassis is better

The 650S has the hydraulic suspension so it’s more comfortable when you want it to be. But if you wanted comfort, the 570GT exists. Personally, I’d prefer the 570.

Also, it is rumoured that the difference is actually less than 80PS. Some dyno tests of the 570S have indicated that McLaren have deliberately understated its power and that it is closer to 600PS.

I’d get the 650S tbh.
It’s faster, more comfortable and way better value at that price. You’ll lose less money in the long run and it might still have the warranty. Colour wise, you could wrap it (uhh) in the color of your choice. It’s a no brainer to choose this car essentially.

650S for me. No question

I would buy a 570GT

I never liked the rear end of mclarens aside from the new models, P1, F1 and 650 LT. Maybe it’s just me but the 12c end and the 650s sort of doesn’t look right in the rear.