The McLaren 765LT Spider: extreme performance and new heights of driver engagement from McLaren's most powerful-ever convertible supercar

MANAMA, Bahrain, July 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

• Limited-volume 765LT Spider revealed; available to order now
• Exclusive and highly collectible: just 765 will be built to customer order – the same individually numbered total as the sold-out coupe
• New convertible LT delivers another dimension of 'Longtail' driver engagement
• Electrically operated, one-piece carbon fibre Retractable Hard Top (RHT) lowers or raises in just 11 seconds, at speeds of up to 50km/h (31mph), to enhance driving experience
• Powered rear window allows searing 'LT soundtrack' from quad-exit, full titanium exhaust system to be enjoyed to the full, even with the roof in place
• 765PS and 800Nm from 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged McLaren V8 enables 0-60mph in 2.7 seconds, 0-100km/h (62mph) in 2.8 seconds and 0-200km/h (124mph) in 7.2 seconds
• The fastest accelerating LT Spider ever – 15% quicker in-gear acceleration than 720S – with transmission gearing optimised for driver engagement
• Even greater focus on minimising weight – 80kg lighter than 720S Spider at 1,388kg (DIN weight) and just 49kg heavier than 765LT coupe
• Convertible class-leading power-to-weight ratio of 598PS-per-tonne at lightest dry weight
• High-performance lightweight materials feature throughout, with advanced carbon fibre technologies used for body components
• Specific weight-saving components include titanium exhaust system (saving 40% over steel equivalent), Formula 1-grade transmission materials and thinner glass
• Same carbon fibre aerodynamic package as the coupe – front splitter and front floor, side skirts, front and rear bumper and rear diffuser – but with active rear wing calibrated for roof up/roof down positions
• Class-leading aerodynamic downforce – 25% more than 720S Spider
• Enhanced chassis dynamics, with bespoke LT springs and dampers, increased front track width, lower front ride height and unique software programming for linked-hydraulic Proactive Chassis Control II suspension
• Standard-fit 10-spoke Ultra-Lightweight forged alloy wheels and bespoke P Zero™ Trofeo R tyres developed by McLaren technical partner, Pirelli
• Motorsport-inspired interior with carbon fibre racing seats, carbon fibre centre tunnel, exposed carbon fibre floor and lightweight Alcantara® throughout
• Air-conditioning and audio system not included as standard to save weight, but can be specified at no additional cost
• MSO Clubsport Pack and MSO LT Black Pack available, plus multiple individual MSO options

Renowned worldwide for the exclusive, luxury, high-performance supercars on which it has built its reputation over the past decade, McLaren Automotive today reveals another landmark model: the 765LT Spider.

Complementing the 765LT 'Longtail' coupe unveiled last year – all of which are sold – the new Spider is McLaren's most powerful-ever convertible supercar and brings highest-ever levels of driver engagement to the McLaren LT experience. Engineered in addition with the other core attributes intrinsic to any McLaren Longtail – minimised weight, track-focused dynamics and optimised aerodynamics – the 765LT Spider has all of the class-leading abilities of the coupe and also meets the LT demand for exclusivity: just 765 cars will be available globally for customer order.

Carrying over the coupe's dynamic and aerodynamic DNA with no structural compromise and only a minimal 49kg weight increase – primarily from the retractable hard top and accompanying operating mechanism – the 765LT Spider weighs in at just 1,388kg (DIN weight), which is 80kg lighter than a 720S Spider and circa 100kg lighter than its closest comparable competitor.

The electrically operated, one-piece carbon fibre Retractable Hard Top (RHT) enables open-top motoring in just 11 seconds and operates at speeds of up to 50km/h, bringing the dramatic soundtrack of the quad-exit titanium exhaust system into the cabin to take driver engagement into another dimension.

"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."
Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive

The immense performance and dynamic prowess of the new Spider – already proven in the 765LT coupe – are enhanced by three compelling factors: the stability of its MonoCage II-S structure, the game-changing design of its one-piece Retractable Hard Top roof, and the ongoing determination of McLaren engineers to pursue the company's philosophy of super-lightweight engineering.

The Spider version of the carbon fibre MonoCage II – designated MonoCage II-S – was developed alongside the coupe monocoque and shares most of its structural elements, including the windscreen surround. Such is the strength and stiffness of the structure that no additional bracing is required over the coupe – another weight-optimising factor. At the rear of the car, carbon fibre structural supports are fully bonded into the chassis to provide rollover protection.

The convertible roof design plays an integral role in the structure, featuring a carbon fibre frame within the Retractable Hard Top panel and creating a full carbon fibre shell when closed. There are also additional comfort benefits for occupants – because it is a single-piece panel with no central seal, headroom is improved, while the extended length of the roof panel allows the tops of the A-pillars to be further forward, enhancing the sense of space and easing ingress and egress.

Like every LT, the new Spider is designed to excel on track, however the extra dimension of theatre and drama offered by the convertible roof also makes it an even more immersive and compelling car to drive on the road. With the same highly evolved 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 outstanding aero performance in every respect, with class-leading downforce 25% greater than that of a 720S Spider.

Performance is ferocious, the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 765PS – giving the 765LT Spider a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 598PS-per-tonne at lightest dry weight – and 800Nm of torque. Transmission gear ratios have been revised for even greater engagement and performance; in-gear acceleration is 15% quicker than a 720S Spider, helping the new Longtail to achieve the fastest lap times ever posted by a convertible LT model.

The 0-100km/h time often seen as a benchmark figure is 2.8 seconds (0-60mph is 2.7 seconds), with 0-200km/h (124mph) taking 7.2 seconds. The new LT Spider takes 10.0 seconds to cover 400m (¼ mile) from standstill and the car's maximum speed is 330km/h (205mph).

"A McLaren 'Longtail' is engineered to deliver not only incredible performance but also the highest levels of driver engagement. The 765LT coupe set new benchmarks in maximising a driver's connection with the car and the Spider builds on this, adding the additional engagement factor of open-air driving to give direct access to the scintillating sound of the titanium exhaust – a pleasure that thanks to the electrically operated rear window can also be enjoyed with the retractable roof in place."
Jamie Corstorphine, Director of Product Strategy, McLaren Automotive

The most powerful McLaren convertible ever and the latest and most engaging addition to the brand's Longtail lineage can be ordered now from McLaren retailers. Pricing is from £310, 500* and availability is limited to just 765 cars for customer order worldwide, with 2021 production already all sold.

Notes to editors:

A selection of high resolution images accompanying this release is available to download from the McLaren Automotive media site – cars.mclaren.press.

About McLaren Automotive:

McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance supercars.

Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England.

Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.

The company's product portfolio of GT, supercar, Motorsport and Ultimate models are retailed through over 85 retailers in 40 markets around the world.

McLaren is a pioneer that continuously pushes the boundaries. In 1981, it introduced lightweight and strong carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1.

Then in 1993 it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car - the company has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™. In 2016, it announced a new hybrid hyper-GT and confirmed in 2018 that the next Ultimate car would be the Speedtail.

2019 saw McLaren launch the 600LT Spider, the new GT and the track-only McLaren Senna GTR. It also unveiled the 620R and McLaren Elva before launching the 765LT the following year.

Most recently, the company unveiled its all-new high-performance hybrid supercar, the McLaren Artura.

The Artura is the first McLaren to benefit from the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). The MCLA is designed, developed and manufactured at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield region of England using world-first processes and will spearhead the brand's electrified future.

McLaren Automotive also chooses to partner with like-minded, world-leading companies and organisations who push the boundaries in their respective fields. These include AkzoNobel, Ashurst, Dell Technologies, Gulf, Pirelli, Richard Mille, Plan International and Tumi.

McLaren Group:

The McLaren Group is a global leader in luxury automotive and technology and comprises three businesses: Automotive, Racing and Applied.

Media website: cars.mclaren.press
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mclarenautomotive
Twitter: www.twitter.com/McLarenAuto
YouTube: www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv

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SOURCE McLaren Automotive