If you’re starting to get confused by all the different models coming out of Woking these days, then you’re not alone. McLaren seems to be turning into the Apple of supercars. The company is constantly churning out new versions of its dream machines that are ever so slightly better and shinier than the previous ones, in the hope that fans of the brand will trade in their old toy for a new one. Take the gleaming new 765LT that has just been revealed to the world, for example. Based on the 720S, it’s lighter (-80kg) and more powerful (765hp versus 720hp) than the car that came before it. Acceleration from rest to 100km/h has been improved by an almost meaningless 0.1 second and now stands at 2.7 seconds, but the top speed has actually dropped from 341km/h to 330km/h.
If you read the press release, however, you could think the British automaker just reinvented the car as we know it. Superabundant with bombastic terms to describe the latest product—something of a style element in every McLaren PR piece—the lengthy text describes all the changes and improvements in such excited detail that you can almost picture it being read out aloud on a stage by a middle-aged man in a black turtleneck jumper. Key points of the latest member of McLaren’s Longtail family include a new LT aerodynamic package that almost naturally consists of carbon-fiber elements and includes the front splitter, the front bumper, the front floor, the side skirts, the rear bumper, the rear diffuser and a larger active rear wing. The transmission gearing has also been tweaked, and now apparently offers 15% quicker in-gear acceleration compared with a 720S.
The above-mentioned weight savings were achieved by fitting a new quad-exit titanium exhaust system, thinner glass and polycarbonate glazing, as well as using F1-grade materials in the transmission, where the pinion and the crown wheel of the final drive are now made of a nickel chrome called 20NiCh. Stopping power is provided by the same carbon-ceramic discs and calipers fitted to the McLaren Senna. The lucky owner can also enjoy an orgy of carbon fiber in the cabin, with the seats, the center tunnel and the floor all being made of the lightweight material. Anyone wanting to show off the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 can order a see-through panel that sits within the rear upper structure. The engine provides the only soundtrack the owner will get, as the 765LT doesn’t come with an audio or air-conditioning system as standard to save weight. Both items can be ordered at no cost, but we imagine McLaren engineers will look at you in a seriously disapproving manner if you actually do so.
Among the reasons this car is slower at the top end than the 720S are the changes to its aero package, with the 765LT creating 25% more downforce than the model it is based on. Even with the active rear wing fully retracted, it creates more drag and therefore more work for the engine, but also enables faster cornering speeds in return. Another thing it creates plenty of is attention: McLaren is offering 17 exterior and eight interior colors as standard, including possible choices such as Nardo Orange and Sicilian Yellow. If you’re an introvert, then this is definitely not your car. As with all McLarens, anyone wanting to have a special color, interior option or other technically possible feature added to the car can simply send a blank check to the company’s MSO department, which will do whatever is humanly possible to fulfill even the most extravagant customer request.
Only 765 (we wonder where they got this number) individually numbered 765LTs will ever be built. And while the price hasn’t been confirmed yet, we can safely expect it to sit quite a bit above the 720S, which means you’ll probably need at least around £250,000 (P16.5 million) to call one your own. For that amount of money, you get a supercar that is marginally better than the supercar before it. Will they sell every single unit in a heartbeat? Absolutely yes, because McLaren not only builds extremely good supercars these days, but it also fully understands how to market them.
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