McLaren Introduces 765LT Spider
Complementing the 765LT ‘Longtail’ coupe unveiled last year, McLaren Automotive has introduced the 765LT Spider, the company’s most powerful-ever convertible supercar.
Engineered with the core attributes intrinsic to any McLaren Longtail – minimized weight, track-focused dynamics and optimized aerodynamics – the 765LT Spider has all of the performance abilities of the coupe.
Carrying over the coupe’s dynamic and aerodynamic DNA with no structural compromise and only a minimal 108-lbs. weight increase – primarily from the retractable hard top and accompanying operating mechanism – the 765LT Spider weighs in at just 3,060 lbs. (DIN weight), which is 176 lbs. lighter than a 720S Spider.
The electrically operated, one-piece carbon fiber Retractable Hard Top (RHT) enables open-top motoring in just 11 seconds and operates at speeds of up to 31 mph.
The Spider version of the carbon fiber MonoCage II – designated MonoCage II-S – was developed alongside the coupe monocoque and shares most of its structural elements, including the windscreen surround. No additional bracing is required over the coupe – another weight-optimizing factor. At the rear of the car, carbon fiber structural supports are fully bonded into the chassis to provide rollover protection.
With the same aerodynamic package as the coupe – although with active rear wing calibration revised to reflect whether the roof is up or down and a recalibration of the dampers to account for the minor increase in weight – the Spider matches the coupe’s aero performance with downforce 25% greater than that of a 720S Spider.
The front splitter, new front bumper, lower door blades and side skirts, wraparound rear bumper and active rear wing are all made of carbon fiber and bespoke to the 765LT. The bonnet, front fenders, outer door panels and rear fenders – which are in lightweight aluminum as standard – are also available in body-color carbon fiber as MSO Defined options. The front fenders reduce weight by a total of 2.6 lbs., the rear fenders and door panels together by 11 lbs.
A full 49 lbs. has been saved in the development of the LT’s bespoke forged alloy wheels, each fitted with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires specially developed for the 765LT. Titanium wheel bolts are also standard fit.
In addition to all this, a significant proportion of the 176 lbs. weight saving over the 720S is achieved inside the cockpit. The carbon fiber-shelled race seats fitted as standard are together 40 lbs. lighter than the 720S sports seats. First seen on the McLaren P1, the seats feature a lightweight Alcantara covering, which also appears on the steering wheel, dashboard and doors.
The 765LT Spider features the same twin-turbocharged M840T engine as the coupe, a 4.0-liter V8 with a flat-plane crankshaft, dry sump lubrication, ultra-low-inertia twin-scroll turbochargers and electronically controlled wastegates. The engine also has LT-specific forged aluminum pistons, the McLaren Senna’s three-layer head gasket and carbon-coated valve train followers.
Power and torque delivery – 755 horsepower at 7,500rpm and 590 lb.-ft of torque at 5,500rpm – are controlled by an engine management system with bespoke calibration. The car is capable of accelerating form 0 to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, and 0-124 mph in 7.2 seconds.
