765LT

Make
McLaren
Segment
Coupe

The McLaren 765LT has exceeded everyone's expectations. Dyno runs have shown it's a lot more powerful than McLaren claims and tests on the drag strip have shown it's even faster than a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat over a quarter-mile, making it unofficially the fastest production car in the world. We've seen how it compares to the standard 720S, but what happens when the McLaren 765LT meets the P1 hypercar? To find out, DragTimes has pitted both cars head to head in a series of standing and rolling drag races on an open stretch of road.

When it arrived in 2013, the McLaren P1 was a technical wonder, forming part of the famous hypercar holy trinity alongside the Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder.

Despite being nearly ten years old, its performance still holds up today and the aggressive, fighter-jet styling hasn't aged a day. Power is provided by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 and an electric motor generating 903 horsepower, which is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The P1 has more power than the modern 765LT, which utilizes a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 generating 755 hp, but is heavier, tipping the scales at 3,375 pounds. For comparison, the 765LT has a curb weight of 3,030 pounds.

In its first acceleration test, the P1 rockets from 0-60 mph in 3.30 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 10.28 seconds at 143.9 mph. There's still room for improvement, however, as the hypercar suffered some wheelspin on launch.

There were also two people in the car, so it was carrying extra weight. When it's time for some rolling drag races on an open stretch of highway, the P1 launches faster, but the lighter 765LT quickly catches up and takes the lead. From a standing start, the 765T's shorter gear ratio and lighter weight gives it the advantage and it leaves the P1 for dust, although the P1 driver appeared to have a slower reaction time.


We'll have to wait until both cars go head-to-head on a proper drag strip for a more accurate comparison. Still, this video reminds us that the 765LT is a performance bargain. At $299,000, the 765LT costs a fraction of the P1, which retailed for $1.3 million when it was new. Dragtimes promises to pit the P1 and 765LT against the Ferrari SF90 in a future video, which should be well worth the wait.