MCLAREN 765LT 2021 | Forza Horizon 5 | Logitech G29 Gameplay

MCLAREN 765LT 2021 | Forza Horizon 5 | Logitech G29 Gameplay

The McLaren 765LT is a track-focused exotic sports car that weighs less than 3000 pounds and basically bolts a nuclear reactor behind its passengers. The latter constitutes a 755-hp twin-turbo V-8 that roars like a lion in heat. The letters in its name stand for Longtail, which indicates this McLaren means serious business. It shares a hollow-eyed expression, lightweight construction, and eminently customizable properties with the McLaren 720S. While its interior can be stripped down for further weight reduction, it remains a driver's paradise thanks to fantastic outward visibility and only the most essential controls. The 2021 765LT isn't for the faint of heart, and it's even more expensive than its shorter sibling, but that money help make it move quicker and corner sharper.

McLaren gives the Longtail treatment to the already incredible 720S for 2021, and the result is the slightly longer, considerably lighter, and intentionally more hardcore 765LT. While it shares a lot with the regular 720S, the LT also inherits bits and pieces from the almighty McLaren Senna. The company says it plans to produce 765 cars around the globe, with about 30 to 40 percent of those expected to be earmarked for the U.S. when the 2021 765LT goes on sale at the end of this year.

While McLaren hasn't said how much the 765LT will cost, we think it'll start at about $75,000 more than the base 720S. We'd outfit our LT model with one of the many flamboyant paint colors and stick with the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires for maximum performance. We'd also select the MSO Clubsport Pro package that includes carbon-fiber accents, super-lightweight racing seats with a six-point harness, upgraded brakes, and the McLaren Track Telemetry system that records lap times. While we'd like to keep our 765LT as light as possible, we'd keep the four-speaker stereo and opt for the front-end lift system.

The mid-engined 765LT is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 that is also featured in its 720S sibling. While the LT also feeds the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, its mill has been fortified with parts from the Senna. These upgrades help the Longtail produce 755 horsepower—45 ponies more than the 720S. Its noxious fumes and furious sounds that grow louder the harder its gas pedal is pressed are released through a set of high-mounted exhaust ports. We estimate that the 765LT will hit 60 mph in 2.4 seconds and charge from naught to 100 mph in just 5.0 ticks. The 765LT demonstrates the same preternatural track abilities and communicative feedback that makes the 720S so great. And our experience with that McLaren has proved the company knows how to tune a chassis and immerse drivers every time they get behind the wheel.