The McLaren 765LT’s official media note looks like a 16-page physics paper
McLaren Automotive has finally unveiled the new 765LT, the track-focused version of the 720S and the true successor to the 675LT. Limited to just 765 units, the 2021 McLaren 765LT is the new bomb in the lightweight supercar game. A large active ‘LT’ wing, ‘Proactive’ suspension, full-titanium exhaust (that roars and spit flames) and a staggering power-to-weight ratio of 614bhp/ton are just a few mentions on a long list of highlights.
The M840T 4.0-litre twin-turbo flat-plane V8 churns out 755bhp and 800Nm of torque. All this grunt is transferred to the rear wheels via a 7-speed dual-clutch Sequential Shift Gearbox which promises 15% faster shifting than the 720S. The power plant started its journey as the M838T 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 — derived from a Nissan VRH Indycar-spec engine by Tom Walkinshaw Racing— in the McLaren MP4-12C. Over the years, the engine served duty in multiple McLarens including the P1; one among the modern-day Holy Trinity.
Put together, the new McLaren 765LT can hit 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds and 200km/h in 7.2 seconds. The engineers at McLaren Automotive have done some serious witchcraft to pull these numbers off in a rear-wheel-drive supercar. Go pedal-to-the-carbon-fibre and the car will hit a limited top speed of 330km/h.
The ‘LT’ moniker is special for the English supercar marque. Expanding to ‘Longtail’, it pays homage to the iconic track-only 1997 McLaren F1 GTR. To give ample justice to the tag, the 765LT ticks many boxes in terms of outright performance, lightness and looks (some find this questionable). The winning formula is definitely lightweighting. Carbon-fibre this and carbon-fibre that, the 765LT has become 80kg lighter than the 720S.
While the dashboard remains mostly the same as its lesser sibling, the seats have been borrowed from the McLaren Senna. Perhaps the coolest bit on the inside is the lookout into the engine compartment, which showcases the V8 powertrain illuminated in red.
The forged 10-spoke wheels (19-inch at the front and 20-inch at the back) are shod with Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo R rubber as standard. Brake callipers come from the Senna as well. Additionally, the McLaren Senna’s full carbon-ceramic braking system is available as an optional extra at a price tag greater than an average hatchback. The extent to which the engineers have gone to save weight is so impressive that even the number plate holder is carbon-fibre. Audio and air-conditioning are no-cost extras.
McLaren introduced the well-rounded and surprisingly practical 720S back at 2017 Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS). At the time, ‘experts’ were in the opinion that it was a dull supercar and “not as awesome as the 675LT”. This had happened when McLaren itself referred to the 720S as a successor to the 650S and not the 675LT.
Now, the rightful successor to the McLaren 675LT has arrived with bonkers performance. All we have to do now is sit back with a pack of pistas and enjoy watching naysayers get corrected.
