2021 McLaren 765LT is longer, lighter, and more powerful than the 720S

Supercars are proliferating in England. Built to be equally at home on the road and on the track, the McLaren 765LT picks up where the 675LT left off by giving buyers a lighter and more powerful alternative to the 720S. 

LT stands for Longtail, a name inaugurated in the 1990s by the track-only F1 GTR. McLaren redesigned the front splitter, the front bumper, the side skirts, the rear bumper, and the rear diffuser, but the 765LT’s most impressive party trick is its hydraulically-operated rear wing. It’s bigger than the one fitted to the 720S and it’s positioned a little bit higher even when it’s resting. The spoiler fully deploys when the driver smashes the brake pedal.

McLaren left no avenue unexplored in its quest to remove as much weight as possible. It made the body panels with a lighter, model-specific type of carbon fiber, fitted thinner glass, and removed creature comforts like the stereo as well as the air conditioning system. Fear not, brave commuters: both can be added back at no extra cost. Some of the parts inside the transmission are formed from a high-performance nickel chrome named 20NiCh commonly found in Formula One cars, and McLaren fitted a lithium-ion battery that’s 6.6 pounds lighter than the battery in the 720S. All told, the 2,709-pound 765LT weighs 176 pounds less than the 720S, with one catch: buyers need to order the car with the optional, Senna-sourced carbon fiber bucket seats to achieve that figure.

The heart of the 765LT is a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 engine that makes 755 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 590 pound-feet of torque at 5,500 rpm. It’s bolted to a seven-speed automatic transmission with comfort, sport, and track modes. 60 mph arrives in just 2.7 seconds, while holding the pedal to the floor for 7.2 seconds gets the 765LT to 124 mph. From there, slide your foot from the gas to the brake to decelerate to a complete stop in 361 feet. Or don’t, and the V8 will continue screaming its heart out until the speedometer shows 205 mph.

The steering is much quicker, carbon ceramic brake discs come standard, specific Pirelli tires provide tremendous grip, and engineers applied lessons learned while developing the Senna and the Speedtail to make the suspension algorithm more precise. Enthusiast who regularly drive on a track will also notice the aerodynamic add-ons give the 765LT about 25% more downforce than the 720S. Horsepower, speed, agility, and stability are difficult to argue against, especially when they’re wrapped in such a head-turning, instantly-collectible package.

McLaren will make 765 examples of the 765LT, and it’s encouraging customers who want to add one to their collection to get in touch with their nearest dealer as quickly as possible because demand will certainly exceed supply. Pricing information hasn’t been announced yet. Deliveries will begin in September of 2020.

One of the coolest features on the list of extra-cost options is a double-glazed panel embedded into the rear parcel shelf that gives the occupants a glimpse into the engine bay. Collectors who want to make their car even more unique can work hand-in-hand with McLaren Special Operations to configure a one-of-a-kind 765LT.

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