McLaren introduced the 720S-based 765LT Spider nearly two years ago, and while the 750S is now officially out, the British sports car brand is not done delivering the track-focused convertible. The latest customer to grab the keys of a long-tailed spider is none other than Formula 1 driver Lando Norris. It's one of the just 765 units to be produced and has a few unique touches from McLaren Special Operations (MSO) along with plenty of carbon fiber.
A new video published by McLaren Automotive on YouTube shows the 23-year-old racing driver traveling to Woking to pick up his prized possession finished in carbon blue. By now, you're probably wondering why the 765LT Spider was ordered in a left-hand-drive specification considering Lando is British. However, he doesn't live in the UK anymore as he moved to Monaco a few years ago.
2022 McLaren 765LT Spider First Drive
Those contrasting yellow accents found on the brake calipers and body are a nod to his helmet, while the four stripes bridge a connection with his racing number. Just so everyone knows whose car this is, there are "LN" logos embroidered into the headrests. In addition, there's a special plaque denoting the 765LT was "exclusively commissioned for Lando Norris by MSO," without revealing the build number.
Rounding off the special touches are the signatures of several people involved in the process of bringing the car to life, including McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. While Lando opted for a convertible, fellow F1 driver Carlos Sainz got a coupe at the beginning of the year. Although both are supercars, they're quite different as the 765LT has a twin-turbo V8 whereas the 812 Competizione uses a naturally aspirated V12.
That 4.0-liter engine is good for 755 horsepower and 590 pound-feet (800 Newton-meters) of torque delivered to the wheels via a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission. It helps the McLaren 765LT reach 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 2.8 seconds and 124 mph (200 km/h) in 7.2 seconds en route to 205 mph (330 km/h).
Although McLaren now has an electrified V6, it won't be letting go of eight-cylinder power anytime soon. It has inked a deal with engine manufacturer Ricardo for a new hybrid V8 that will go into future supercars, and hopefully, a hypercar as well.
