Or maybe that should be down. In total, McLaren cleaved 176 lb from the 720S to create the 765LT, then jacked up the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 for good measure. And then it lowered the final drive by 15 percent for even gooder measure. Next it tossed us the keys and a pass to Silverstone Circuit so we could try it for ourselves.
When the 720S won our 2018 Performance Car of the Year (PCOTY) shootout at the National Corvette Museum track in Bowling Green, we don’t remember feeling disappointed about pretty much anything other than its ability to deliver its ample power to the pavement. But an even lighter harder, faster LT was always in the offing.
That’s LT as in Longtail, a nod to the ’97-spec F1 GTR endurance racers, which received elongated, downforce-generating bodywork, but also—and of more relevance in the case of its modern namesakes—important mechanical upgrades in an attempt to keep ahead of the competition.
McLaren first used the LT badge on the 765’s predecessor, the 675LT, in 2016, followed by the 600LT, based on the 570S, a couple of years later. And it sticks to the same recipe of less weight, more power, extra aero, and a greater focus on track performance again.
McLaren 765LT Specifications:
▪ Length/width/height/wheelbase – 4,600/1,930/1,157/2,670 mm
▪ Kerb weight – 1,339 kg
▪ Cargo volume front/rear – 150/210 litre
▪ Engine – 4.0-litre (3,994 cc), 8-cylinder (V8), twin-turbo petrol
▪ Max output – 765 PS (563 kW) at 7,500 rpm
▪ Max torque – 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) at 5,500 rpm
▪ Transmission – 7-speed dual-clutch, RWD
▪ 0-100 km/h – 2.8 seconds
▪ 0-200 km/h – 7.2 seconds
▪ 0-300 km/h – 18.0 seconds
▪ 0-400 meters (1\4 mile) – 9.9 seconds
▪ Braking 100-0 km/h – 29.5 meters
▪ Braking 200-0 km/h – 108 meters
▪ Top speed – 330 km/h
▪ Fuel consumption – 12.3 l/100km combined
▪ Exterior colour – Smoked White
▪ Footage location – Silverstone, UK
