765LT

Make
McLaren
Segment
Coupe
  • Elongated bodywork sans wing reduces drag
  • Retains the 1,250-horsepower hybrid V8 from standard 21C
  • Part of the 80-unit production run
  • Hyper GT is a four-seater with gull-wing doors

Czinger hasn't been part of the automotive scene for long, but it has built up a solid reputation for two things: Building an insanely fast $2 million hybrid hypercar capable of destroying the Laguna Seca lap record, and thinking out of the box.

We spoke to Lukas Czinger, son of Czinger's founder and CEO, Kevin Czinger, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year, and back then, he revealed to us that the company was working on a longtail version of the Czinger 21C we'd already been introduced to as well as a new four-seat model, both of which would debut at Pebble beach. Czinger obviously couldn't call it that for obvious reasons as McLaren and the 765LT might have something to say about that. Instead, the new car - or rather a new variant - is called the 21C V Max, and it's the long-tail, low-drag, high-speed version of the already manic 21C.

Among the changes visible on the car, which debuted today at the Monterey Car Week festivities, you'll notice that the obnoxious rear wing from the regular car is gone, giving the car an elongated appearance and, more importantly, making it slipperier. According to Kevin Czinger, it has been designed with the lowest coefficient of drag possible without compromising its stability at speed, and it has lofty performance ambitions.

The standard 21C already has impressive performance figures, dashing from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds and completing the quarter-mile in 8.1 seconds. The 21C V Max is slightly quicker to 60 mph still, managing that sprint in 1.88 seconds and handling the standing quarter mile in eight seconds flat.

Thanks to the low-drag setup, it will hit a claimed top speed of 253 mph. That's just 14 mph less than the top speed achieved by the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. Not bad for a small company that's only just starting out.

In addition to removing the prominent rear wing, the car has also lost the front splitter. Another nifty trick element is the carbon fiber aero discs on each wheel, minimizing the turbulence of air rushing past the wheels and tires as they spin to incredible speeds. They look particularly slick in contrast to the Red My Mind paintwork showcased on the show car.

The power source of the 21C V Max remains the same 2.88-liter twin-turbo flat-plane V8 engine augmented by two electric motors on the front axle with a resulting output of 1,250 horsepower generated somewhere near the 11,000-rpm redline.

The 21C V Max retains the back-to-back seating position inspired by the SR-71 fighter jet, but the cabin now features even more carbon fiber than before, fully trimmed with the woven version of the element and offset by leather and Alcantara.

Despite its odd seating layout and impressive performance, it has a unique storage compartment capable of housing a custom-made luggage set that can be tailored to the owners' tastes. As for how many owners there might be, only 80 21Cs will be built - of all body styles - at a cost of around $2 million, although Czinger says most buyers are speccing theirs to closer to $2.5 million. The first 21Cs are slated for delivery in late 2023.

"This is an exciting journey for us as we shatter the boundaries of design and performance," said Kevin Czinger. "The V Max is a new chapter in the 21C story, delivering high top speeds, unrivaled road and track performance and timeless elegance. This is a historic moment in time and one that will fundamentally change automotive manufacturing for generations to come. The future isn't 10, 20 or 30 years away. The future is now."

The brand also showcased a new model entirely in the form of the Hyper GT, which also uses Czinger's Human-AI design, sustainable manufacturing, and automated assembly systems. The Hyper GT is a representation of the company's future design language and a vastly more practical vehicle than the 21C, seating four occupants in more comfort.

Czinger says it redefines the coupe experience, providing luxury at speed without sacrificing performance. The Hyper GT features gullwing doors like the DeLorean Alpha5, the front end is powerful in its design, and the rear takes influence from the 21C V Max.

While no figures were provided, Czinger claims it boasts "ultimate GT power to weight," while utilizing a hybrid powertrain developed in-house. It's unknown whether this is the same as the powertrain from the 21C.