McLaren 765LT gets a US price tag - and it's a surprise

McLaren has priced up its epic 765LT, the latest Longtail in an illustrious series of stretched supercars with an appetite for speed. Only 765 of the cars – based on the McLaren 720S but longer, lighter, and more powerful – will be produced, and each carrying a premium price tag to boot.

Indeed, McLaren says that the 765LT will start at $358,000, though it's also arguing that the coupe represents surprisingly good value. For a start, the standard specification list comes with extras that would typically add around $50k to the $315k starting price of the regular 720S.

So, you get louvered carbon fiber front fenders and a quad-pipe full titanium sports exhaust system as standard. Ultra-lightweight 10-spoke forged alloy wheels – complete with titanium wheel bolts – are also standard. Since you probably won't want to scuff the front spoiler – or indeed any part of the carbon fiber exterior upgrade pack that's installed as standard – McLaren's eminently useful vehicle lift system is thrown in, too.

Inside, Alcantara LT interior trim is there by default. There's the choice of carbon fiber racing seats or alternatively sports seats with power adjustment, memory, and heating. The carbon fiber primary interior components pack and MSO Defined cabin fiber extended shift paddles are standard, as is a power-adjust steering column, McLaren branded mats to cover the otherwise bare carbon floor, and a rear-view camera with parking sensors.

McLaren typically skips the audio system in the Longtail models, to save on weight, and the 765LT is no exception. Still, if you want a McLaren 4-speaker audio system, or the heavier – but sweeter-sounding – Bowes & Wilkins 12-speaker system, they're available at no additional cost.

That's all standard, but if your pockets are deep enough there's plenty of scope for further customization. McLaren has a number of MSO Defined and MSO Bespoke options, for those wanting exclusive colors, trim, and more.

All that's before you get to the power increase. McLaren has fettled the engine of the 720S so that it adds 45 horsepower and 22 lb-ft of torque in the 760LT. Weight, too, is down, with a 176 pound reduction in DIN weight. There's also a 15-percent improvement in in-gear acceleration.

The result is 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds, while 0-124 mph takes just 7.2 seconds. Top speed clocks in at 205 mph.

For those in the US who can't resist, the order books for the McLaren 765LT are open from today. Production is scheduled to begin in September 2020.