The McLaren 765LT is a Purebred Racecar That’s Incredibly Absorbing and Fun to Drive on the Road

The McLaren 765LT is an intoxicating road car, designed for racing but capable of providing hours of pleasure behind the wheel. We had an opportunity to test drive it on Angeles Crest Highway Finalist loop, and found driving it truly rewarding and thrilling.

Powerful yet precise, its power is truly transformative and its precision amazing. Additionally, thanks to an improved final drive and shorter gear ratios for its seven-speed dual clutch transmission system, this transformative weapon is also surprising usable.

Lightweight

The McLaren 765LT is part of Woking’s LT lineup of cars designed to place greater emphasis on ultra-light weight, increased power and driver engagement. Inspired by its predecessor 720S supercar which already proved itself on track, but with additional weight reduction to optimize powertrain components while stripping away comfort features.

Carbonfibre body panels are lighter than those found on the 720S, while its front floor and rear bulkhead combine into one lightweight panel that saves weight. Furthermore, its titanium exhaust system weighs 24lbs less than steel units and performs more efficiently than Inconel used by the 720S’s system.

A glazed engine ‘window’ reduces weight and improves cooling while still maintaining rear visibility, and the single piece hood features 20NiCHM as an exotic lightweight metal for increased stiffness and lightweightness. A new fuel pump and oil pump optimize flows, while recalibrated engine management system provides responsive throttle response and greater torque delivery.

On the road, the 765LT feels exhilaratingly fast and agile. Its sticky Pirelli tyres demand acceleration; yet their sensitive grip can easily lead to back end slippage out of corners despite having advanced traction control systems in place.

The sparse cabin offers an exciting respite. Gone is the passenger side window; headrests consist of simple fabric pads; audio system, air conditioning and latched door cubbies have been stripped back in favour of lightness – but should they become necessary again, these features can all be reinstated at no additional cost.

Power

McLaren’s Longtail (LT) models, inspired by its F1 racecars from years gone by, aim to reduce weight while increasing track-focused performance on road-legal versions of their regular Super Series models. However, with this latest car, the 765LT, McLaren is taking its aim one step further by creating what could potentially become one of the fastest street-legal McLarens ever built.

The new Longtail is not only faster than its predecessors but it is also more agile thanks to an aggressive aerodynamics package which generates 25% more downforce – creating an enjoyable driving experience on both open road and racetrack alike.

Its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine boasts 755 horsepower, propelling the 765LT from zero to 60 in just 2.8 seconds and reaching top speeds of 205 mph. Breaking is equally impressive thanks to the seven-speed dual clutch transmission’s swift gear shifts upon pressing right pedal.

As with all McLarens, steering is precise and communicative. Pirelli tires designed specifically for the LT were specifically developed to heighten sensations of ultimate grip and steering feedback to the driver’s fingertips. Due to its longer nose and lower ride height, speed bumps become slightly trickier to navigate with our test car’s standard front axle lift installed as standard.

McLaren may not emphasize their new LT’s connection with its Senna namesake, but it’s evident that similarities exist. From the moment you sit in its tight carbon bucket seat and buckle yourself with its five-point harness system – complete with rev-limiter just ahead and its powerful V8 engine revving away inside an acoustic carbon cabin – driving it is like driving on an actual racecar track; ready to meet whatever challenges await them.

Aerodynamics

Longtail design was pioneered by Porsche 917 race cars to increase speed on Le Mans’ legendary six-kilometer Mulsanne Straight. Now applied to road legal two-seaters like McLaren 765LTs with an elongated rear end for maximum downforce for exceptional handling and acceleration, longtail is a design principle pioneered by McLaren 765LT as well.

Carbon fibre technologies combined with custom LT body panels and aerodynamic features help achieve an astounding 80 kg weight reduction versus the class-benchmark 720S, dramatically decreasing inertia and improving response to driver input – such as accelerator pedal, brakes or steering inputs.

The 765LT was designed as the ultimate track-focused sports car, and its sleek profile and lower stance emphasize its purposeful aggression. Every detail exudes McLaren motorsport DNA while offering total performance enhancement. From its front splitter and air intakes to its carbon fiber license plate plinth – every element embodies McLaren motorsport DNA for maximum performance focus.

The 765LT’s uncompromising character is highlighted by its glazed engine ‘window’ and quad-exit titanium exhaust system with four exits – providing an intoxicating combination of intense sound, beautiful aesthetics and weight reduction – with its exhaust pipe layout helping reduce cabin noise threshold.

Active rear wings are longer and feature 20% greater surface area compared to its 720S counterpart, while the new front bumper reveals more of the wheels for improved cooling and front floor is lowered 5mm for more aggressive stance and increased downforce in the nose – all of which combine to produce a vehicle capable of reaching 60mph in just 2.7 seconds and 124mph within 7 minutes – not bad considering it weighs 2988 pounds!

Performance

McLaren makes no secret of their delight with the performance of their 765LT, and it truly is astounding. Zero to 62mph takes just 2.8 seconds while 200km/h can be reached in an impressive 7.0 second sprint – fast enough to put drivers in serious risk of points bans but manageable thanks to the 765LT’s stability and agility.

Ricardo-built 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8. Instead of simply providing more power, this engine was tuned for pure engagement – power was delivered emphatically but with deep reserves of torque; making driving the 765LT an absolute pleasure even in stop-start traffic conditions.

No matter if it’s winding canyon roads or racetracks, Woking’s 765LT delivers an engaging driving experience that has become its trademark since the 1980s. Its chassis dynamics have been refined specifically for this vehicle with communicative feedback to enhance driver/car bonding to an incredible degree.

The responsiveness of the powertrain is enhanced by classic LT elements like stiffer engine mounts and polycarbonate glazing which reveals its new quad-exit full titanium exhaust. This gives the engine its spine-tingling voice which resonates throughout the cabin via electrohydraulic steering which has been further optimized with a quicker rack and stiffer torsion bar to provide the purest of responses – whether driving on public roads or racetrack. You won’t soon forget the feeling of throwing yourself into corners in a 765LT; once experience it will never leave your memory! You won’t forget how alive and immersive driving it feels; once experienced, you won’t want anything else…

Technology

McLaren’s design philosophy revolves around ‘form follows function.’ Even the distinctive elongated silhouette that gave Longtail racecars their name was designed for specific use; specifically to enable faster racing on Le Mans’ six-kilometer Mulsanne Straight in 1997. This same principle drives McLaren’s 765LT racer, featuring an organically honed body with track-oriented technical details that use Visual Carbon Fiber or Dark Palladium components to highlight where air enters or exits to meet performance targets set by its designer.

Longtail features custom carbon-fiber body panels to give it its distinctive and striking silhouette, while its new front floor, expanded front bumper, extended active rear wing, and reworked chassis all work to increase downforce for superior sensory handling on road or track.

Inside, driver attention can be seen clearly in the clean lines and minimal clutter of its minimalist cockpit. Standard equipment includes a high-resolution 8.0-inch touchscreen linked to McLaren Audio Plus’ four-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system for world-class sound quality. If additional entertainment options such as navigation with traffic alerts and weather data are desired, add McLaren Connected app which integrates smartphone functionality directly onto its 7.0-inch touchscreen display.

McLaren offers numerous weight-reducing solutions for drivers looking to further lighten their load, including carbon-fiber steering wheel clasp and window switch surrounds, as well as carbon fiber central tunnel, door sills, and steering wheel trim to limit cabin weight as much as possible.

As the 765LT is designed as a two-seater vehicle, it doesn’t include many practicality features such as small lidded door bins or glovebox. But even small details have been thought about when it comes to saving weight; such as using an ultralight carbon fiber license plate holder instead of more common plastic versions and ditching stereo systems altogether for added weight savings if that is your goal.

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