McLaren 650S Spider Convertible (2014-2016) running costs and reliability

Item: McLaren 650S Spider (2014 - 2016)
Rating: 3.8
Author: Adam Binnie

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Running costs rating: 3.8 out of 53.8

Mclaren 650S Spider, blue, side, roof fold

Mclaren 650S Spider, orange, rear exhaust

Written by Adam Binnie Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 24 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

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Fuel consumption enough to be considered reasonable
Cheaper to run cars in the McLaren line up
Option carbonfibre won’t be cheap to replace

Put it this way, there’s no eco special in the 650S model line-up, but cars that cost this much money are likely to attract buyers that can more than afford supercar running costs.

It’s not terrible though – McLaren reckons 24.2 mpg is possible (expect lower figures if you regularly give it the beans though) although a CO2 output of 275g/km means you’ll pay the top-rate of VED tax, which stands at £515 at 2016/17 rates.

Carbon ceramic brakes will last the lifetime of the car (Says McLaren) but you can expect to go through tyres reasonably regularly, especially if you take it on a track.

It’s easy to get carried away with the optional carbonfibre but it might be worth restraining yourself from putting it in areas that are likely to get knocked or scraped in car parks.

The headline figure – 275g/km of CO2 – doesn’t exactly paint the McLaren 650S as a particularly green car but taken in context, it’s not too bad at all.

Consider that this is a 650hp supercar that can squash 100mph from a standstill in the time it takes someone in a hot hatch to reach 62mph and the numbers don’t seem so bad.

Hard to tell considering McLaren’s short history
Cars are hand-build in near-laboratory conditions
Low productions numbers means plenty of scrutiny

There isn’t a lot of anecdotal evidence around McLaren Automotive’s reliability because, in short, the company hasn’t been building cars for very long.

That comes with its advantages though. The 650S Spider is built within an ultra-modern factory that is more like a laboratory than a place where cars are screwed together.

The twin-turbo V8 is used in all McLaren cars (albeit with some different components) which suggests this maker has great faith in its powerplant.

Your car will also be rigorously checked over before it leaves the factory and McLaren’s low production numbers means it can spend a good deal of time making sure everything is up to spec.