Topless 205mph McLaren 765LT Spider revealed

MCLAREN has revealed the 765LT Spider, a convertible version of one of the supercar manufacturer’s most extreme machines boasting blistering acceleration and a 205mph top speed.

Since the revival of the LT moniker with the 675LT of 2005, which recalled the “long tail” versions of the McLaren F1 GTR that raced at Le Mans in the 1990s, it has become the signature for McLaren’s ultimate road-going performance cars and the 765LT rightly sits atop the British brand’s “Super Series”.

As with the hardtop McLaren 765LT that we drove last year, the new 765LT Spider does have a fractionally longer body than the 720S convertible on which it is based, but it’s nothing you’re going to notice without a tape measure.

The rear wing sticks up and out a bit more, and there’s a more aggressive aero design at the front, but you’d have to be a McLaren nerd to notice the difference. The LT does look more punchy than the standard 720S though, with more holes in the bodywork to let air in and out.

It’s also lighter — by some 80kg than the 720S Spider — and tips the scales at just 1,388kg without a driver on board. Some of that weight saving comes from a lighter, titanium exhaust system, some from thinner windscreen glass. The whole roof mechanism, which folds away in just 11secs, weighs a mere 49kg and, like almost everything else on the car, is made of carbon fibre.

The Longtail appellation also means that the 765LT gets suspension upgrades, with bespoke springs and dampers, increased front track (the width between the wheels), lower front ride height and unique software programming for the linked-hydraulic Proactive Chassis Control II suspension.

The 765LT’s power output is profound. Its 765-metric horsepower translates to 754bhp, while 0-62mph acceleration takes just 2.8secs. In fact, from a standing start, the 765LT will hit 124mph in just 7.5secs, or about the time it takes a VW Golf GTD to reach 62mph. Top speed? About 205mph if you happen to have an Autobahn to hand.

That Longtail design does help a little with the power — the clever rear wing scoops more hot air out of the engine bay, which improves overall efficiency. It also flips forward to act as an airbrake, helping stabilise the car when you have to mash the left pedal hard.

The ten-spoke ultralight alloy wheels are wrapped in the thinnest scrape of Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo tyre you can imagine. The tyres were specially designed for the 765LT, so good luck finding a replacement set in KwikFit.

Inside, anything that is not made of carbon fibre is covered in Alcantara, and you can personalise and customise the cabin pretty much as much as you like. However, you’ll have to ask for air conditioning and a stereo if you want them (at no extra cost), as McLaren has stripped those out to save weight.

Want one? We’re sorry to report that you’ve missed the boat — all 765 due to be built have already been sold.

Mike Flewitt, McLaren Automotive’s CEO, said: “As we continue to build the LT sub-brand with the introduction of the new 765LT Spider, it’s clear that our customers are increasingly attracted to the Longtail supercar proposition of exhilarating, extreme performance and limited availability.

“With all 765 examples of the 765LT coupe sold, it’s no surprise that as we publicly announce our new LT Spider, production capacity for 2021 is already filled.”

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• After reading about the new McLaren 765LT Spider, you might like to check out Aston Martin’s new Valhalla supercar
• Find out more about McLaren’s new high-performance hybrid, called the Artura
• Read Driving.co.uk’s review of the McLaren 765LT, which Will Dron reckons probably “has amphetamines licked” when it comes to thrills