The McLaren 675LT makes a comeback, but strictly limited to just 500 units worldwide.

• 675PS and 700Nm provide breathtaking performance, while a retractable roof adds further exhilaration
• 100kg weight saving delivers a dry weight of 1,270kg, delivering a power-to-weight figure of 532PS per tonne
• Second model to wear the 675LT badge in direct response to significant customer demand
• Exclusive Solis paintwork and 20-spoke Super-Lightweight forged alloy wheels offered for the first time
• Priced at £285,450, the most focused, fastest and exhilarating open top McLaren model ever built will be strictly limited to 500 units globally

McLaren Automotive has revealed the latest chapter in the history of the iconic ‘Longtail’ name with confirmation of the 675LT Spider. Strictly limited to only 500 examples worldwide, it is only the second model to wear the LT badge. This latest model comes less than a year since the first model in nearly 20 years resurrected the name, and is in response to significant customer demand. 

The 675LT Coupé focused on light weight, enhanced aerodynamics, increased power and track-focused dynamics, and this limited-run model quickly sold out before the first deliveries commenced. Sharing these key characteristics, McLaren Automotive now presents the most focused, fastest and exhilarating open top model to ever wear a McLaren badge.

The 675LT Spider, priced at £285,450, is the fifth new model debuted by McLaren Automotive in 2015 in what has become a defining year for the British brand. This latest model joins the McLaren P1™ GTR, 570S Coupé and 540C Coupé, and the fixed-head 675LT Coupé as new to the line-up, and further strengthens the Super Series range.

Under the skin of the 675LT Spider sits the heavily revised 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 powertrain from the coupé sibling, ensuring performance figures are worthy of the LT – or ‘Longtail’ – badge. The power output and torque figures remain unchanged, with 675PS (666bhp) delivered at 7,100rpm and 700Nm (516lb ft) available between 5,000-6,500rpm. 

The changes to the powertrain saw more than 50 percent of the components replaced to ensure optimised levels of power, torque and drivability. These include new, more efficient turbos, detail design changes to the cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds, new camshaft and lightweight connecting rods, and a faster-flowing fuel pump and delivery system. 

Acceleration from 0-100kmh (0-62mph) takes just 2.9 seconds, and 200kmh (124mph) is achieved in 8.1 seconds – giving away only 0.2 seconds to the more aerodynamically optimised and lighter coupé. Controlled torque delivery in first gear manages torque to 600Nm (443lb ft) to ensure maximum acceleration, and minimising wheel slip. Top speed is 326km/h (203mph). 

Despite these blistering performance figures, the 675LT Spider returns 24.2mpg on the EU combined cycle, while CO₂ emissions remain at 275g/km – the same as the coupé. 

A three-piece retractable folding hardtop can be opened at speeds up to 30km/h (19mph) to allow for a new level of open-air exhilaration.

Staying true to the ‘Longtail’ ethos, established by the McLaren F1 in the late 1990s, the 675LT Spider has been developed with a focus on light weight and optimised aerodynamic performance. The special nature of the model is supported by the extensive use of carbon fibre for the bodywork. 

As with the 675LT Coupé, the front bumper with larger splitter and end plates, front under body, side skirts, side intakes, lower side intakes, rear bodyside lower, rear fenders, rear deck, rear bumper, diffuser and ‘Longtail’ Airbrake are all carbon fibre. 

Lightweight components are also found throughout the powertrain and chassis, all contributing to a dry weight of just 1,270kg. This weight is a full 100kg lighter than the already lightweight 650S Spider, and gives a power-to-weight figure of 532PS per tonne. 

Due to the inherent strength of the carbon fibre MonoCell chassis, no further strengthening – and associated weight increase – has been added through the removal of the roof, and the 675LT Spider is only 40kg heavier than the Coupé, all due to the retractable roof system.

The dramatic styling and purposeful stance of the 675LT is retained with the Spider variant, with the extended front splitter flanked by front wing end plates, each working the airflow harder and increasing downforce. Sculpted carbon fibre door sills run along the lower edge of the bodywork, flowing in to a smaller air intake ahead of the rear wheels. 

This sits below the more pronounced side intake, with both feeding clean, cool air into the side radiators which are more prominent to offer increased cooling. 

The retractable hard top stows below a colour-coded tonneau cover, and the engine remains visible through a lightweight vented polycarbonate engine cover. At the rear, the lightweight titanium crossover twin exhausts exit below the active ‘Longtail’ Airbrake which is 50 percent larger than other Super Series models. 

This is integrated in to the design of the flowing rear wings and despite the larger size, carbon fibre construction ensures weight is actually reduced.  Exposed bodywork across the rear deck and below the rear wing aids engine cooling, while louvres in the flared rear bumper optimise pressure levels.

The 675LT Spider shares the suspension set up and geometry of the Coupé, with the front end sitting on new lightweight springs and a wider track – increased by 20mm. Spring rates are the most track-focused of the Super Series models, with stiffness increased 27 percent at the front and 63 percent at the rear, providing a more rearward balance and allowing for a 40 percent increase in downforce over the 650S Spider.

As standard, the 675LT Spider is fitted with 10-spoke Ultra-Lightweight forged alloy wheels – 19-inch at the front, 20-inch at the rear – and P Zero™ Trofeo R tyres, developed for the 675LT models in collaboration with technical partner Pirelli. 

These are the lightest wheel and tyre set ever offered by McLaren. Two Super-Lightweight wheel options are optionally available; a new 20-spoke design, offered in liquid metal or diamond cut finishes, and the five-spoke Super-Lightweight design which debuted on the Coupé.

The lightweight theme continues throughout the interior with Alcantara® and bare carbon fibre used extensively. A pair of lightweight carbon fibre-shelled racing seats, modelled on those fitted to the McLaren P1™, save a combined 15kg, and feature ‘675LT’ embossed leather to provide enhanced levels of support and grip. 

As seen in the McLaren P1™ and 675LT, heating and ventilation controls are located within the portrait-orientated, centrally-mounted touchscreen, which also operates the four-speaker Meridian audio system, while air conditioning has been removed. The 16kg system can be specified as a no-cost-option. 

The ‘By McLaren’ interior themes were first introduced on the 675LT Coupé, and are again available for the Spider model. The range is extended for the 675LT Spider, with the addition of exclusive Xenon Yellow contrast stitch.  

Simialrly, the full exterior paint palette offered on the 675LT Coupé is available for the Spider model, which includes the new Silica White, Delta Red, Napier Green and Chicane Grey paint finishes. 

In addition, the newly developed deep golden colour, Solis – which derives its name from the Latin for sun – is a bespoke colour only available on the open-top 675LT Spider.

Further enhancements can be made through the Club Sport Professional Pack, which adds further visual carbon fibre and stealth detailing. 

Available in Titanium Silver, Storm Grey, Onyx Black and Chicane Grey, the Ultra-Lightweight wheels are stealth finished, while a satin carbon fibre finish is applied to the front wing end plates, lower side air intake and the centre of the rear bumper, along with the side intakes, wheelarches, wing mirrors and ‘Longtail’ Airbrake. 

McLaren Orange detailing is then applied both externally and internally, with brake callipers, embossed leather and stitching all in the heritage colour made famous by the Formula 1™ and Can-Am racers of Bruce McLaren,

While retaining much of the track-focus and capability of the Coupé, the Club Sport Pack – comprising titanium rollhoop, four point harnesses and fire extinguisher – is not available as an option for the 675LT Spider.

Another key characteristic of any Longtail is exclusivity, and the 675LT Spider is no exception. As with the Coupé, production of the 675LT Spider will be strictly limited to only 500 examples, with first deliveries in summer 2016. 

THE STORY OF LT

The story of the McLaren F1 is one of the most famous in automotive history, with the all conquering GTR moving the game on further, worthy of a place in the motorsport hall of fame. After a successful season in 1995 and 1996, McLaren set about raising the bar once more in order to stay ahead of the competition. 

While the name and basic architecture remained the same, the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ – or LT  – was completely re-engineered from the ground up, and was the ultimate version of the iconic McLaren F1. 

With enhanced levels of downforce through extended bodywork, and dramatic weight savings, the end result was the most track-focused derivative of all 106 models to wear the McLaren F1 badge. 

The McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ raced successfully during the 1997 sports car racing season, including most prominently in the FIA GT championship against specially developed racing ‘prototypes’, and went within a whisker of winning the world title. Notable achievements included victory in the Silverstone 4 hours, the Hockenheim 4 hours, the Spa 4 hours and a 1-2 class finish – 2-3 overall – at the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans. 

Despite racing against the much quicker LMP cars, only one lap separated the #41 McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ from outright victory. The nearest opposition in the GT1 class finished nearly 30 laps behind.

And so, McLaren has done it again. ‘LT’ is now the ultra high-performance brand, re-establishing the McLaren ‘Longtail’ heritage. With two models now wearing the iconic badge, the 675LT Coupé and 675LT Spider embody the ‘Longtail’ ethos, with a focus on light weight, enhanced aerodynamics, increased power, track-focused dynamics and driver engagement.

McLAREN 675LT SPIDER TECHNICAL STATISTICS

PERFORMANCE
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph)	2.9 seconds
0-200 km/h (0-124 mph)	8.1 seconds
Top speed	326 km/h (203 mph)
Power-to-weight	532PS per tonne
ENGINE & POWERTRAIN
Engine Configuration	V8 Twin Turbo / 3799cc
Power	675PS (666 bhp) @ 7,100 rpm
Torque	700Nm (516 lb ft) @ 5,000-6,500 rpm
Transmission	7 Speed SSG
CO2	275g/km
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT
Dry weight	1,270kg
Weight distribution	42 / 58
Length	4,546 mm
Width	2,095 mm
Height	1,192 mm

GENEVA - McLaren announces 675 will be a limited production run after debut at Geneva.

• 675LT re-establishes the McLaren ‘Longtail’ heritage, focusing on light weight, optimised aerodynamics, increased power, track-focused dynamics and driver engagement
• Priced at £259,500 and production strictly limited to 500 units globally
• Chassis changes confirmed including wider track and stiffer rated springs front and rear
• Optional Club Sport pack adds titanium roll hoop and harness
• The McLaren 675LT was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. 

The McLaren 675LT, which made its global debut today at the 85^th International Geneva Motor Show, will be the lightest, most powerful and fastest model in the McLaren Super Series, and also the most exclusive: production will be strictly limited to just 500 examples worldwide.

The limited production model has a clear focus on light weight, optimised aerodynamics, increased power, track-focused dynamics and driver engagement. At its core is the lightweight carbon fibre MonoCell chassis, shared with each model in the Super Series, but the chassis set up and powertrain are bespoke, with a third of overall parts and components modified.

A more aggressive set up gives the 675LT a unique track-focused feel, while still retaining the adjustable ProActive Chassis Control to ensure drivability and comfort levels are maintained. One of the many updates featured on the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ was a wider track, front and rear. This approach is echoed in the 675LT, with the front and rear track widened by 20mm, ensuring optimised stability and handling performance. 

Lightweight springs front and rear have been stiffened – 27 percent at the front and 63 percent at the rear – to improve body control and allow for the 40 percent increase in downforce generated by the revised bodywork and active aerodynamics. Newly-developed suspension geometry includes lightweight uprights and wishbones based on the learnings from the McLaren P1™. This is coupled with a faster steering rack to give a more extreme driver-focused experience.

The obsession with weight saving sees the 675LT tip the scales at just 1,230kg (dry weight), making it the lightest model in the already lightweight Super Series, with a saving of more than 100kg. This has been achieved with the use of lighter weight components. For example, the changes to the car’s glazing alone save 4.5kg with a thinner windscreen and rear bulkhead glass, and replacing the engine cover with motorsport-style polycarbonate.

The 675LT uses the familiar seven-speed SSG transmission found in the other Super Series models, retaining the Normal, Sport or Track modes. These settings have been recalibrated to produce more eager performance, with optimised throttle response and gearshifts up to twice as fast as previously offered. 

The newly developed ‘Ignition Cut’ technology is a technique adopted from Formula 1™ which sees a momentary cut of the fuel spark on gearshift. This delivers the fastest change possible, and is accompanied by a dramatic aural ‘crack’ on both upshift and downshift.  Also debuting on the 675LT is an all-new Electronic Stability Control (ESC) calibration, giving the driver an even greater level of control over the throttle and brake inputs.

The 675LT unveiled to world’s automotive media gathered in Geneva was finished in the newly launched Chicane Grey, showcasing the McLaren Club Sport pack. This option, priced at £5,090 for the UK market, is designed with an even greater focus on track driving, and includes titanium roll hoop with four point harnesses and a fire extinguisher.

The limited edition McLaren 675LT is available to order from all McLaren Retailers, priced from £259,500. Deliveries will commence from July 2015.

675LT re-establishes the McLaren ‘Longtail’ heritage.

• 675LT re-establishes the McLaren ‘Longtail’ heritage, focusing on light weight, optimised aerodynamics, increased power, track-focused dynamics and driver engagement
• 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds; 0-200 km/h in 7.9 seconds
• 100kg weight saving makes the 675LT the lightest in its class, and gives a power-to-weight ratio of 549PS per tonne
• A third of parts changed compared to the 650S which it sits alongside in the McLaren Super Series
• Significantly enhanced M838TL engine in the 675LT features more than 50 percent new components
• Five unique ‘By McLaren’ hero specifications offered
• Global premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015 on stand 1240, at 12.15 CET (11.15 GMT)

The McLaren 675LT will make its world debut at the 85^th Geneva Motor Show, with a clear focus on performance, light weight and ultimate levels of driver engagement – all key attributes of a McLaren ‘Longtail’. Offered as a Coupé only, the 675LT will be the most track-focused, yet road legal, model in the McLaren Super Series, with a power to weight ratio that eclipses established rivals. 

The sprint from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) takes just 2.9 seconds, with controlled torque delivery ensuring optimised traction off the line. Acceleration continues at relentless pace with the 200 km/h barrier broken in 7.9 seconds, on to a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph).

The first images of the car demonstrate a more aggressive look for the McLaren brand than has been seen before. Styling cues run from the extended carbon fibre front splitter, through an extended door blade and additional cooling intake, to the circular twin titanium exhaust pipes, giving a hint to the performance available for the most powerful and lightest model in the McLaren Super Series. 

The active ‘Longtail’ Airbrake is 50 percent bigger than the one fitted to the 650S yet, due its carbon fibre structure, is actually lighter. This is just one of the enhancements that add up to a dry weight of just 1,230kg.

More than 50 percent of parts have been changed in the 3.8-litre V8 engine to deliver increased levels of power, torque and driveability. Upgrades include new, more efficient turbos, detail design changes to the cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds, new camshaft and lightweight connecting rods, and a faster-flowing fuel pump and delivery system. 

These changes are so significant, that the engine unit receives a new, unique code – M838TL. The low weight, low inertia power unit produces, as the name suggests, a power output of 675PS and a power-to-weight ratio of 549PS per tonne.

The 675LT is as fully track-focused as it is road legal with around a third of parts modified to suit this purpose compared with the 650S Coupé and Spider that continue in production alongside it.  Yet, like its iconic predecessor, the McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’, from which the LT name is derived, this is a car that is as exciting to look at as it is to drive. It also embodies the key attributes of the ‘Longtail’ ethos targeting light weight, optimised aerodynamics, increased power, track-focused dynamics and driver engagement.

THE KEY TO THE ‘LONGTAIL’ SUCCESS: LIGHT WEIGHT AND AERODYNAMIC

Despite the revised, longer bodywork, the 1997 McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’ was over 100kg lighter than its hugely successful predecessors. As it was nearly 20 years ago, weight reduction has been a key focus throughout the development programme for the 675LT and, in a subtle nod to its bigger brother, the result is a saving of over 100kgs over the other models in the Super Series. 

This savings have been achieved through the extensive use of carbon fibre for the body panels, along with lightweight engine, chassis and body structure parts. In the pursuit of minimal weight, and to suit its purposeful intent, even air conditioning has been removed, but can specified as a no cost option.

Below a newly designed front bumper sits a prominent carbon fibre front splitter, which works the air harder, complementing new front wing end plates to increase downforce levels over the front bodywork. 

The turbulent air from the front wheel arches is ‘cleaned’ as it flows towards the rear bodywork by sculpted carbon fibre side sills which run the full length of the lower bodywork. A subtle air intake is incorporated ahead of the leading edge of the rear wheel arch, below a more pronounced side intake behind the door, both of which feed clean cool air into the side-mounted radiators.

The aero balance is optimised by the active ‘Longtail’ Airbrake which, as with the McLaren F1 GTR ‘Longtail’, is larger – 50 percent larger than on other Super Series models. The reprofiled design flows into the lines of the new carbon fibre rear wings. Two circular exhaust pipes, forged from titanium, exit centrally through exposed bodywork below the rear wing. Despite a more complex design, the bespoke crossover system is designed to optimise performance and reduce weight, saving 1.1kg. 

The rear deck and sections flanking the exhaust pipes remain exposed; designed to evacuate hot air from the engine bay as efficiently as possible, while a lightweight polycarbonate rear screen features further louvres. A louvred carbon fibre rear bumper reduces air pressure over the rear wheels, while the rear design is completed with a dramatic integrated carbon fibre diffuser.

FIVE UNIQUE ‘BY McLAREN’ 675LT THEMES

The 675LT is offered in five ‘By McLaren’ hero specifications, which includes four bespoke colours never previously offered: Silica White, Delta Red, Napier Green and Chicane Grey are all newly formulated paint hues for the 675LT. The famous heritage McLaren Orange completes the themes unique to the model. Each of the five ‘By McLaren’ specifications is complemented within the stripped out interior with carefully selected materials and colours.

The purposeful driver-focused cabin of the 675LT gives even further indication of track potential. A pair of ultra lightweight carbon fibre-shelled bucket seats, upholstered in Alcantara® as standard and modelled on those in the McLaren P1™, provide comfort and support with no compromise on overall weight. A subtle 675LT logo features on the headrest of each seat, and is also present on the rev counter. In a change to the other models in the Super Series, the air conditioning controls are now incorporated within the intuitive touchscreen infotainment system.

The McLaren 675LT will make its global debut at the 85^th Geneva Motor Show at 12.15 CET (11.15 GMT) on Tuesday 3 March 2015.

McLAREN 675LT TECHNICAL STATISTICS

PERFORMANCE

0-100 km/h (0-62 mph)	2.9 seconds
0-200 km/h (0-124 mph)	7.9 seconds
Top speed	330 km/h (205 mph)
Power-to-weight	549PS per tonne

ENGINE & POWERTRAIN

Engine Configuration	V8 Twin Turbo / 3799cc
Power	675PS (666 bhp) @ 7,100 rpm
Torque	700Nm (516 lb ft) @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
Transmission	7 Speed SSG
CO2	275g/km

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT

Dry weight	1,230kg
Weight distribution	42.5 / 57.5
Length	4,546 mm
Width	2,095 mm
Height	1,188 mm