The best-ever McLaren sports car may be just around the corner

The McLaren 720S is a rolling collection of superlatives. It’s very likely the fastest-accelerating series-production automobile ever sold, at least in a straight line, and although it’s typically supplied with street-spec tires that hasn’t stopped it from turning in remarkably impressive lap times around the globe. There’s just one little problem: it’s not necessarily the driver’s choice in the British automaker’s lineup.

The recently-departed 675LT might not have had the straight-line punch of the 720S, but it rewrote the mid-engined book on control directness and purity of response. Your author has had the privilege of running nearly all of McLaren’s recent releases against the clock. I’d take the 675LT over the rest, no questions asked—and that includes the brilliant Senna. I’m not the only supercar fancier who feels this way, which is why the “longtail” is fetching the same kind of used-car money as its more powerful and sophisticated successor. 

The new 600LT is not a direct 675LT successor, insofar as it is part of McLaren’s Sports Series rather than its Super Series. This hasn’t stopped it from hitting a home run with buyers and reviewers, many of whom have enthused about its ability to simultaneously flatter and challenge drivers. The only thing left for McLaren to do: combine the power and tech appeal of the 720S with the flickability and rawness of the LT cars.

These photos provided to Hagerty appear to show just such a creature. The aero is considerably more aggressive, with a deep spoiler and wicked-looking canards to increase pressure on the nose. Of course, as any racer knows you have to balance downforce front and rear. The photographed car has a Gurney flap on the rear wing. These flaps can be changed quickly to tune a vehicle’s aero balance at which point you fire up the computers and design a “long tail” spoiler with the same characteristics. 

I’m struck by the relatively reasonable ride height shown in these photos, which suggests near-term production intent. The exhaust layout, on the other hand, is less clear. The standard 720S outlets have been blacked-out—is that because they’ll be replaced by top-exit items?

Also unclear: the name of the thing. The Internet seems to like “750LT,” but there’s nothing set in stone. It could just as easily be a 745LT, or even a 720LT. Tuning the engine to Senna spec would make it a 789LT. Would such a car be able to stay within shouting distance of the senior supercar? Not a chance. The longtail won’t have the Senna’s comprehensive aero, nor will it rest as easily on the scales. So if you’ve already bought a Senna, you needn’t worry. Everyone else will need to check their mirrors.