That a McLaren Sports Series 'Longtail' is on the way should no longer come as a surprise; McLaren has confirmed that the car will make its debut at the Festival of Speed, and revealed a couple of teaser images already.
However this is the first chance we've had to see the car as a whole, albeit in camouflaged form. The fact that this LT is on the Nordschleife is more interesting than usual too, given McLaren's famous aversion to Nordschleife lap times. Could this car target the GT3 RS and AMG GT R for Nurburgring sports car supremacy? Or is the circuit simply being used for general testing?
Whatever the case, there's plenty to discuss, with the LT out in the open for the first time. Certainly there will be no confusing this iteration of 570 with the S or GT, the visual transformation as dramatic here as it was for the 675. See the vicious front grille cut outs that are very reminiscent of that car, plus wheels that appear to have been borrowed from it as well, in addition to a diffuser that wouldn't look out of place on a race car. The mad, Senna-inspired exhaust arrangement that had already been hinted at is plain to see here, blowing hot air over a much more imposing rear spoiler - expect that to function as an airbrake of some kind. Speaking of what's been seen already, note the cut outs at the rear wheels; though they look modest (especially when camo'd), they help create a vastly more aggressive rear end for the LT. They'll contribute significantly to the car's aero performance as well.
Given what's been released already, what's known about the car and what happened with the 675LT, there are probably a few more safe assumptions to make as well. A more aggressive tyre - something like a Pirelli P Zero Trofeo or Michelin Cup 2 - must surely feature, and don't be surprised to find the LT a little lighter than an S or a GT; they're both just under 1,400kg without a driver, so perhaps a more track focused version could bring that nearer 1,300kg.
That's all conjecture for now, of course, but it's hard not to get a little excited and speculate about the next hardcore McLaren given the tremendous success of previous cars. Full details will follow next month at the Goodwood reveal, though if this LT is anything like the last one then a limited allocation may not hang around for long. Best start campaigning for a Spider...
Images: S. Baldauf/S.B. Medien
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