Strong local interest in McLaren 600LT
BY NEIL DOWLING | 20th Sep 2018
MCLAREN’S blistering 600LT sportscar will blast into local showrooms by year’s end with a $455,000 before on-roads pricetag, but the no hard production cap has been set on the limited model’s volume.
Speaking to GoAuto at the car’s local unveiling, McLaren Automotive Asia Pacific managing director George Biggs said the 600LT will only be produced over the next year.
“The 600LT is a barely road-legal car and will only be available for 12 months, so it will be incredibly rare,” he said.
“The LT DNA includes being rare, but it also must deliver on McLaren’s five pillars – low weight, optimised aerodynamics, increases in power and torque, track dynamics, and the exclusivity.”
Capable of scorching the bitumen with a zero to 100km/h sprint time of 2.9 seconds – but more importantly in Europe, hitting 0-200km/h in 8.2s – the 600LT outperforms its Lamborghini Huracan Perfomante and Ferrari 488 GTB archrivals.
The 600LT (for long tail) is only the fourth McLaren model to wear the LT tag reserved for its highest performing vehicles.
To create the car, McLaren took the 570S as a basis, and stripped out nearly 100kg of weight to tip the scales at around 1247kg.
Mr Biggs said the weight advantage of the 600LT is noticeable amongst its supercar peers.
“The 570S is the lightest car in its segment by a huge margin,” he said.
“It was not an easy achievement to cut this much weight to create the 600LT and that required us to re-engineer many parts.
“For example, the brakes save four kilos, the glass saves 2.1kg because it’s a few millimetres thinner, quite a few body panels are carbon-fibre to save 7.2kg, the standard seats are from the McLaren F1 that save 21kg, the wheels are the lightest we have ever had and the shorter exhaust system saves 12.1kg.
“It’s an incredible achievement to save 100kg.”
The most obvious change however, is the exterior aerodynamic design thanks to a new splitter at the front.
“The car is also marginally lower and combined that gives us 40kg extra downforce at the front,” Mr Biggs said.
“The side panels are designed to channel air and the rear spoiler and the new diffuser showing the most obvious changes. The rear of the car adds 60kg of downforce, so the 600LT has 100kg extra overall compared with the 570S.”
McLaren increased the output of the brand’s 3.8-litre bi-turbo V8 to 600PS (441kW) and 620Nm to give it its name. This compares with the 570S at 419kW/600Nm.
The short exhaust pipes have decreased back pressure as well as saving weight, and the power to weight ratio is now 354kW per tonne.
“One of the biggest changes is one you can’t see,” said Mr Biggs.
“We have a new suspension set up, with wider track, different geometry, stiffer springs and a reduction in unsprung mass.
“The brakes are from the 720S and together with the Pirelli PZero Trofeo R tyres (225/35R19 front, 285/35R20 rear), makes braking performance quite incredible.”
The car will stop from 100km/h in 31 metres.
Mr Biggs said there are also new engine mounts “to prevent any lateral movement”.
“We have hopefully created the ultimate engaging car,” he said.
Meanwhile, owner of McLaren Melbourne and principal of Zagame Automotive Bobby Zagame told GoAuto that local interest is very strong in the 600LT, and he is holding orders for the car.
