Much has changed in the world of cars over the last 10 years. Spurred by large advances in computer and software technology, they got faster and more capable than ever before; even a relatively ordinary hot hatch or sporty sedan now has enough pace to comfortably match almost any 90s to early 2000s sports car. EVs and luxury SUVs alike have proliferated; electronic driver aids have become perhaps more unappealingly intrusive than ever before. Sizes and kerb weights are constantly ballooning, manifesting advantages in some areas but also causing compromises in other aspects.
Yet through it all, the McLaren LT family of supercars has stayed resolute in their absolute focus on lightness, uncompromised driver connection and excellent dynamics above all else. This story actually began further back in 1997 at the height of the F1 GTR racing program; it had already famously won the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans outright and clinched both that year’s and 1996’s team championship titles in the BPR Global GT Series which was the precursor to the FIA GT Championship and ultimately today’s GT World Challenge series’.
By 1997, things had to evolve. Whereas the F1 GTR was a pure road supercar adapted for racing, rival manufacturers were introducing dedicated pure-bred race cars, homologated for road use in extremely limited numbers.“Porsche built a racing car and forced us to do it. But once the new Porsche had been admitted to the BPR races it was plain that the writing was on the wall. Our purebred road-going, production based cars with their long travel, high camber change suspension and limited downforce had been leapfrogged. We had to respond,” said Gordon Murray to John Brooks.
All-new bodywork was designed to improve its aerodynamics, including the longer bewinged tail that reduced drag and gave rise to the ‘Longtail’ LT moniker. BMW Motorsport reduced the V12’s size to just below 6 liters enabling it to run less restrictive intake restrictors (mandated by the dreaded Balance of Performance regulations) and a six-speed sequential gearbox delivered faster gearshifts, while weight was trimmed to 915 kg. McLaren built 10 ‘Longtails’ for racing purposes, plus three F1 GT homologation road cars that have become highly sought after due to their immense rarity.
The improvements were felt immediately. Former McLaren chief test driver Chris Goodwin enthusiastically shared, “The new car was immediately fast. We won first time out in British GT, and the car was just fantastic. I hadn’t driven the ’95 or ’96 cars back then but I have more recently, and the ‘Longtail’ is a massive evolution. While you have to drive within the limit of the earlier GTRs and be more delicate, the Longtail encourages you to be more aggressive, so you can brake deeper and overdrive it immediately. Naturally, that leads to a faster lap time.” The first LT would ultimately go on to win five races of the ’97 FIA GT championship, and finish one-two in that year’s Le Mans GT class.
Snapping back to March 2015 a decade ago now, building on McLaren Automotive’s successful 21st century rebirth, the 675LT’s debut marked a shift in company philosophy towards more extreme performance dynamics and sharper driver engagement. Director of Product Strategy Jamie Corstorphine helped define the 675LT’s mission brief, and shared, “When we launched the 12C back in 2011, we were building supercars that were already fast and capable. We wanted to give the LT more edge and immediacy, as well as an addictive character that drivers would connect to more emotionally.” Vehicle Dynamics Head Antonio Gonzalez added, “We’d learnt so much from [the P1 and 650S] and knew there was space for something visceral and exciting in the middle.”
The 675LT came with a power increase to 675 PS and a new titanium exhaust with a richer soundtrack. Weight was reduced by 100 kg, while aerodynamic refinements included the active ‘Longtail’ airbrake that cuts an absolutely striking, unmistakable figure especially when fully deployed during maximum braking. Quicker gearshifts, increased spring rates, new hydraulic suspension damper valves and stiffer engine mounts transformed its driving experience. Most significantly, Chris Goodwin and the development team prioritized great steering and chassis feel in real world driving conditions over ultimate lap times. Corstophine remembers, “There’s an amazing road running up into the hills near the Idiada test track. We were debating the trade-off between a faster steering ratio and a reduced turning circle, but one run up that road and it was a slam dunk – the steering was so direct and feelsome, we had to have it!”
Following on from the 675LT’s acclaimed success, McLaren next brought the LT philosophy to a broader audience in 2018 with the Sports Series 600LT. Regarding it as particularly close to his heart, Gonzalez remembers, “We kept the whole team together from 570S, so we already knew where we could push for more, and the management really trusted us after the success of 675LT.” With the 600LT not having active aerodynamics or hydraulic Proactive Chassis Control suspension, this meant that Gonzales’s team had to implement more hardware changes with a greater performance focus, yet this gave it more of a direct single mindedness that instantly appealed to serious drivers.
Gonzalez explained, “We developed a new rear diffuser and fixed rear wing and balanced that with a new front splitter. We also went stiffer on the anti-roll bars and spring rates and added bespoke damper valves. The chassis was comparable to a 675LT between Sport and Race modes.” A new double-wishbone front suspension also provided a wider track, and gave it that crucial extra bite.
Most memorably, a new Inconel exhaust with top exiting tailpipes added a more characterful V8 soundtrack, accounted for 12 kg of the overall 100 kg weight saving, and introduced a simply unforgettable visual signature as Gonzalez joyfully recalls. “I was doing donuts on ice at night – officially calibrating the traction control, of course – and one-metre-long flames started shooting up in the mirror! “That car was just mega on a Formula 1 track [the Hungaroring where its press launch took place] – sharp, responsive, natural and so much fun to drive.”
Not that much later in 2020, the 765LT combined the edgy, raw spirit of its predecessors with the newest technical advancements from the 720S and Senna. The now proven LT formula meant firmer springs, a 6mm wider front track, 15% shorter gearing, quicker steering, better brakes and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres with a bespoke compound – all of which added up to give it a much sharper attitude.
There was also a greater push to decrease weight while increasing power. Corstorphine recalled, “The 720S was already a light car at around 1400kg, so our target was to save 65kg, but ultimately we managed 80kg. We exceeded our initial power targets too, so combined with the shorter gearing, the 765LT became our most focused Longtail yet.”
More so than the cars themselves, the McLaren LT lineage is also defined by those few thousand passionate customers who have proven to be the global McLaren family’s most ardent, engaged and enthusiastic members. From driving experiences and track days, to extensive MSO personalisation and strong presences at official retailer events, LT owners have no qualms about fully immersing themselves with the brand.
One example who ideally personifies the LT owner mindset is Qais Sedki, an author and toy shop owner based in Dubai. Making full use of McLaren Special Operations’ capabilities, he commissioned his 765LT Spider with extensive MSO bespoke elements including a unique Ghalya Yellow colour, full visual carbon fibre bonnet, and asymmetric contrasting wheels that are black one side & silver on the other.
“If I’m honest, it’s an intimidating car. The LT always reminds me of my modest capabilities on the track and challenges me to try and improve. It would be wasted on someone who wasn’t looking to up their game, as it’s far more capable than I will ever be. I’m now seriously considering a home racing simulator, to make progress in my skills and extract even more out of it. I also like to be in the passenger seat with more capable drivers, to see how they extract the most out of my car. It helps me learn,” he remarked while recalling his 765LT’s ferocious spirit.
Most LT customers are also no stranger to enjoying their cars regularly on the road, with few of them indeed being parked up as static garage queens despite their limited production. “The 765LT is also surprisingly useable away from the track and I drive it quite frequently in a wide range of different settings. I recently came back from a tour of Oman with my wife, and we managed to pack a lot of luggage in. We were very comfortable, despite having Senna bucket seats!” Qais shared.
He then concluded of its rewarding ownership experience, “The LT cars are quite rightly McLaren’s most sought-after models. The only thing they don’t tell you is that such a vehicle tends to take on a personality of its own – beyond my ownership. Recently, with my car club we displayed the cars at the Dubai Opera House for an event and there was a kid telling me in great detail about the car: he knew nearly as much as I did! I guess that’s the hallmark of great engineering – timeless machines that continue to thrill and surprise you, day after day.”
