► A third new parts make 675 LT
► Nods to F1 Longtail
► Hold on tight! 0-62mph in 2.9sec
McLaren today announced the full spec and details of its new roadgoing 675 LT. That’s short for Longtail – this car references the F1 GTR LT that campaigned so successfully on track in the 1990s.
All the key ingredients appear again, promises Woking: 100kg is shaved from the kerbweight, there’s more trick aero and extra power in a thorough re-working which sees a third of all components changed or upgraded. There is not – however – a dramatically longer tail.
What? The McLaren 675 LT has no longer tail?
Not in the sense that the bodywork is extended, as the F1’s was. The new 2015 car measures 4546mm long, 34mm longer than a 650S. That growth spurt comes from revised aero aids: the air brake is 50% bigger than on a 650S, yet actually weighs less. Clever stuff.
There’s no arguing with the LT’s raw numbers:
0-62mph 2.9sec
0-124mph 7.9sec
Top speed 205mph
What is new on the Longtail?
You’ve got to be impressed by the 100kg weight saving here. The regular all-carbon 650S is hardly a tubby tot, but the air-con is junked and more composites used throughout the bodywork in the quest to cap the scales at an impressively lithe 1230kg. Note that’s a dry figure, bereft of fluids.
The M838TL V8 engine that underpins all McLarens is seriously upgraded here, and it’s joyfully visible beneath the new lightweight, louvred perspex cover. Woking claims half of all the components are new, giving the 3799cc twin-turbo V8 a new lease of life. As the name signifies, peak power is stretched to 675hp, or an evil-sounding 666bhp at 7100rpm, while the 516lb ft torque peak lands at 5500rpm.
The turbos are new and the wizards of Woking have massaged the cylinder head design, exhaust manifold, camshafts and conrods to reduce internal friction and encourage higher outputs. No wonder the performance claims are so startling…
A proper track-day weapon
It drives the rear wheels through an upgraded seven-speed twin-clutch transmission and punters will be gripped by P1-style carbon-shelled bucket seats upholstered in thin alcantara.
A power-to-weight ratio of 542bhp per tonne is claimed. And, McLaren is keen to point out, this is the lightest car in its class, in case you hadn’t noticed the crash diet this car’s been on.
How do I spot the 675 LT?
Look for the engorged carbonfibre front splitter on a new bumper assembly, extended door blade, twin titanium centre-exit exhausts and an extra cooling brake. All are designed to cleave the air more cleanly and provide positive downforce at speed for ultimate track-day grip.
McLaren is cleverly reinventing the Super Series on a regular basis, providing its wealthiest customers with multiple reasons to purchase again – as well as sucking in new clients as it reaches into new niches.
The 675 LT is only offered as a coupe; despite being track-focused, it is road-legal. Prices are estimated to start at around £260,000 and buyers can choose from five launch specs with four custom colours never previously offered by McLaren.