McLaren To Focus On Weight Reduction With Future Supercars

According to McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt, winning the so-called “weight race” is a priority for his company, as the British carmaker is set to move towards a new generation of hybrid supercars.

Using weight reduction as an engineering philosophy has already paid off for McLaren, the most recent example being the new 765LT supercar, which weighs 80 kg (176 lbs) less than the 720S and has been described as “the most advanced and most rewarding McLaren LT yet.”

“Reducing vehicle weight is at the center of our strategy for the next generations of McLaren supercars,” said Flewitt. “We are already class-leading and committed to further driving down weight in order to be in the best possible position to maximize the efficiency and performance of hybridized models to be introduced by 2025.”

Read Also: Limited-Run 2021 McLaren 765LT Coming To America Priced From $358,000

The 765LT uses carbon fiber for its exterior body panels, aerodynamic components, as well as inside for the seats and center tunnel. Several of these are fabricated at the McLaren Composites Technology Center in Yorkshire, UK, marking the first time this new facility has created body components for a McLaren road car.

Other weight-saving measures on the 765LT include the lightweight side windows and motorsport-style polycarbonate glazing at the rear, with F1-grade materials used in the transmission. Meanwhile, the titanium exhaust system delivers a 40% weight saving over a comparable steel system.

“Vehicle mass is the enemy of performance whether a car has a conventional internal combustion engine or a fully electrified powertrain, so winning the weight race is an absolute priority for us – and one of the reasons McLaren Automotive has invested heavily in the McLaren Composites Technology Center, our own UK composite materials innovation and production facility,” added Flewitt.

The limited run McLaren 765LT (limited to 765 units), produces 45 HP and 22 lb-ft (30 Nm) more than the 720S, for a total of 755 HP (765 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. Prices in the United States start from $358,000.