12 WHAT’S NEW
VehicleDynamicsInternational.com •May/June 2020
Performance
0 -97km/h (0-60mph): 2.7 seconds
0-100km/h (0-62mph): 2.8 seconds
0-200km/h (0-124mph): 7.2 seconds
0-400m (0.25 mile): <10 seconds
Maximum speed: 330km/h (205mph)
200-0km/h (124mph-0) braking: <110m
100-0km/h (62mph-0) braking: 29.5 m
turbo V8 engine, is acceleration from
0-200km/h (124mph) in just 7.2 seconds
– 0.6 seconds quicker than the 720S.
As Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren
Automotive, stated, “Vehicle mass is the
enemy of performance, whether a car
has a conventional internal combustion
engine or a fully electrifi ed powertrain,
so winning the weight race is an
absolute priority for us”.
The chassis dynamics from the 720S
have also been enhanced for the 765LT,
with the linked-hydraulic Proactive
Chassis Control II suspension featuring
updates to both software and hardware.
Advances made during the development
of the Senna and Speedtail models have
also been implemented, such as revised
suspension system algorithms for greater
precision and control. New lightweight
main springs have been selected that
maintain load in the suspension on full
rebound, and the use of motorsportderived
‘helper’ springs saves 1.5kg as
they negate the need for a heavier,
dual-rate sprint arrangement. Vehicle
stability is enhanced through increased
roll stiffness.
The ultra-lightweight wheels are also
impressive, which complete with bespoke
Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres and titanium
wheel bolts, add up to a 22kg reduction
in unsprung mass.
Grip and balance is also superior to
the 720S, due to a 5mm reduction in
front ride height (the rear is unchanged)
and a widening of the front track by
6mm. The electro-hydraulic steering
system has also been further honed
from the 720S setup, with a quicker
ratio and a stiffer torsion bar for purer
driver feedback.
This drive for weight reduction does
not just benefi t the 765LT: it is also
a key part of McLaren’s strategy to
introduce powertrain advances such
as hybridisation and electrifi cation.
As Flewitt explains, “Reducing vehicle
weight is at the centre of our strategy
for the next generations of McLaren
supercars. We are already class-leading
and committed to further driving down
weight in order to be in the best possible
position to maximise the effi ciency and
performance of hybridised models to
be introduced by 2025.
The dynamic setup
of the 765LT offers
impressive handling
characteristics,
enhanced by the
purity of driver
feedback
Brake upgrades
Buyers planning extensive circuit
driving with their 765LT can specify
a track brake upgrade that
comprises the carbon ceramic discs
fitted to the McLaren Senna, and
bespoke LT brake pads. According
to McLaren these special discs are
60% stronger than conventional
carbon ceramic versions, with fourtimes
the thermal conductivity and
therefore heat management, for
reduced brake fade and wear rates.
/VehicleDynamicsInternational.com