In the wonderful world of McLarenLand, the citizens are eagerly awaiting BP23’s arrival.
In the meantime, like a tornado-flung farmhouse, the Brits dropped a little something to liven up the party: the McLaren 600LT, a new addition to their Sports Series.
If the suffix seems familiar, that’s because “LT” (short for “Longtail”) has been affixed to three of the marque’s previous offerings, beginning with the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR Longtail, and followed by the 2016 675LT and 675LT Spider.
The original is a point of pride for the institution, as it was the culmination of converting the McLaren F1 road car into a racing edition that could vanquish purpose-built race cars. The first F1 GTR notched top spots in Le Mans in 1995 and the BPR Global GT Series in ‘95 and ‘96. Then came the F1 GTR Longtail in 1997 — 25 inches longer and 300 lbs. lighter.
As Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren Automotive, says, the label “Longtail” signifies “optimized aerodynamics, increased power, reduced weight, track-focused dynamics and enhanced driver engagement.”
In the latest 600LT edition, all those boxes are checked. It’s running 211.6 lbs. lighter than the McLaren 570S Coupé thanks to a generous application of carbon fiber. The 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 puts out 592 HP and 457 lb.-ft. of torque. And it’s longer than the other models in the Sports Series by a titanic … 2.9 inches. Hey, it’s something.
But most importantly, as others have noted, are the hater-melting, flame-spitting top-exit exhausts. Apart from the Mad Max aesthetic, McLaren notes they deliver “a substantial weight saving and an incredible aural experience.”
Pay attention at the :33 and :51 second marks in the video below.
McLaren is yet to confirm the price or production volume, but if the most recent Longtail is any indication — 500 of the 675LT Spiders sold out in two weeks — these will be spoken for before that information is made public.
Should you want a piece of this ‘tail, go ahead and register interest here.
Photos © 2018 Copyright McLaren Automotive
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