McLaren 765LT Review: What Makes a Long Tail Stand Out Among Supercars

      Andrew P. Collins

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      A sled dog is a type of dog, yet it is not really a pet. A hypersonic missile soars, but it is not a plane. Similarly, a McLaren Longtail has wheels, seats, and a cupholder, yet it’s not truly a car. Driving it feels like wearing an engine. It is both astonishingly futuristic and intensely primal. As a means of transportation, it can be tiring and frustrating. However, when you are driving for the sake of driving, it is nothing short of exhilarating.

      Getting into the driver’s seat of the 765LT requires a degree of athleticism. When I assess cars for dog-friendliness, I typically measure the distance from the door sill to the seat bottom. This is the only vehicle I’ve encountered where your bottom lands beneath the level of the door. It’s quite a significant drop from standing height, and you have to bend a bit to slide around the upward-swept door.

      As the door shuts, the car encases you. Forward visibility is excellent, but the rearview mirror is overshadowed by the intimidating intake of air for the twin-turbo V8.

      Unique, tactical-looking controls are positioned in the center console. There are two separate three-position toggles for on-the-fly tuning of the vehicle—one for the powertrain and another for handling characteristics—allowing you to adjust the driving experience from hardcore to extremely intense to downright terrifying. This Active Dynamics Panel is a hallmark of McLaren; the official designations for its modes are Comfort, Sport, and Track. Yet, there’s nothing comfortable about a Long Tail. It’s loud, rigid, the climate control leaves much to be desired, and it’s difficult to hear the stereo or carry on a conversation over the engine’s relentless roar.

      The sole concession the 765LT provides is a nose-lift function that helps its front lip navigate steeper driveways and certain curbs. Additionally, it boasts an impressively designed cupholder that uses four sturdy yet flexible fingers to hold a steel coffee cup securely in place—tight enough to allow for proper driving without the risk of spilling.

      Even the steering wheel, typically one of the most recognizable elements of human-machine interaction, is distinct. While most wheels have a cylindrical shape for a firm grip, McLaren’s is more of a sharp oval. It looks and feels quite thin from the driver’s view, yet it is surprisingly deep. This design enhances accessibility to the paddle shifters, which are large, impressive carbon blades that engage with a satisfying spring-loaded response not found in lesser cars.

      My test drive was likely similar to what a typical owner of such an expensive car might experience: navigating through NYC traffic and potholes for about an hour, picking up my wife from a shopping center in the suburbs, climbing into the mountains, and then spending a few days tearing through the tight and hilly roads of the Hudson Valley.

      What I couldn’t experience was what the 765LT was fundamentally built for: track driving.

      However, much has been written about how astonishingly fast the car is when it’s given free rein. I was pleased to find that it remains engaging even at speeds deemed socially acceptable.

      This quality can be attributed to factors that casual observers often mention. The 765LT is both lightweight and extremely powerful—that's the core philosophy of the Long Tail series. This means the car has rattles, gets jarring, and, objectively speaking, can be quite uncomfortable for someone not truly passionate about cars.

      While many supercars claim to be “racecars for the street,” a McLaren Long Tail uniquely fulfills that promise. It’s not solely about speed; it’s about the experience. Feeling the car, sensing the road surface—it’s not just the gauges and displays; it’s the sensations of motion, weight transfer, and power delivery that you perceive through your hands on the steering wheel, your feet on the pedals, and of course, your seat.

      While I wouldn’t advise closing your eyes while driving any vehicle, it’s remarkable how much sensory feedback this car provides purely through tactile sensations. But seriously, don’t close your eyes while driving—just try to imagine it.

      Many cars in this price range require track-level speeds to truly feel their capabilities. The 765LT communicates with you even when simply cruising along the roads of the Adirondacks, avoiding deer and tar snakes.

      A McLaren Long Tail serves as a love letter, not just to speed but to the craft of driving. The 765LT, which can exceed half a million dollars, may not even come with floor mats—it’s not about being a vehicle you can drive every day, everywhere.

      If you have the substantial funds needed to experience it, an LT truly is the closest thing to a race car that