McLaren 600LT Breaks Cover At Goodwood FOS

McLaren showcased the latest addition in its ‘Longtail’ family, the monstrous 2019 600LT, at ongoing Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK on Thursday. And although it may look like a 570S at first glance, the 600LT features a lot of new parts, adds 30 more horses and sheds over 90kg.

What's with the name?

The word 'Longtail' came into existence with the iconic McLaren F1 GTR, which made its first appearance in 1997. As you can guess by now, it featured an elongated bodywork, helping it earn the now-iconic name. This unique design helped reduce drag and increase downforce. Further developments were made to accomodate a fully adjustable suspension system and a sequential transmission.

Thanks to extensive weight saving measures, the GTR F1 'Longtail' was 100kg lighter than the Le Mans-winning F1 GTR . So it comes as no surprise that the F1 GTR LT won five out of 11 rounds at the 1997 FIA GT Championship. It also finished first and second in the GT1 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. For perspective, the closest opposition was almost 30 laps behind.

Easy On The Eye...

The 600LT packs all the hallmarks of a true Longtail. This includes the iconic elongated silhouette, an extended front splitter, lengthened rear diffuser and a fixed rear wing. Not to forget, it also gets unique top-exit exhausts that help give it a distinctive appeal.

The minimalistic approach to the design is aided by the extensive use of carbon-fibre. McLaren claims more than 23 per cent of the parts are different when compared to the standard McLaren 570S Coupe.

...Not On The Wallet

The iconic-status, the over abundance of power and the total automotive geekfest that it is does come at a price, though. The 600LT will set you back by $240,000 (Rs 1.65 crore approx. before taxes). So what do you get for that kind of money? Well, let’s start with its 3.8-litre turbocharged V8 engine first.

Get latest updates on
the automobile community

Login Now

This motor churns out a bonkers 600PS of power, propelling the LT from standstill to 100kmph in just 2.9 seconds (claimed), which makes it faster than the Ferrari 488 GTB! Keep flooring the throttle and you won't even notice the Ferrari in your rearview mirror. Don't believe us? McLaren claims the LT can touch 200kmph in 8.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 328kmph.

You Can’t Be Serious

Yes, we are. For starters, the LT features forged aluminium double-wishbone suspension and lightweight braking system taken from the second generation of McLaren’s Super Series sports cars. The 600LT also gets a set of bespoke Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tyres that help it attain higher cornering speeds than even the 675LT .

McLaren has even used copious amounts of carbon fibre for making the monocoque chassis. Take a look inside and you'll notice the carbon fibre racing seats borrowed from Mclaren P1 hypercar. For further weight reduction, British supercar manufacturer says it will also offer the super-lightweight carbon fibre seats developed originally for the McLaren Senna. With every lightweight option ticked, the McLaren weighs just over a tonne at 1,247kg.

Wait, Is It Road Legal?

Yes, it is road legal. But with 600PS of power on tap and weighing just over a tonne, it should ideally come with ejector seats with parachutes! The McLaren 600 LT will go into production in October. There's no word on how many units will be manufactured. However, it’s safe to say that, like the 675LT, the latest Longtail will have a limited production run of not more than 12 months.