Take one McLaren 720S, add a load of parts from the track-focussed Senna, and the resulting car claims to be the ultimate performance all-rounder whether you want to tackle an Alpine pass or your local Formula 1 track.

The 765LT is the fastest, lightest and most powerful Longtail model yet, a suffix that stands for an increase in driver engagement, optimised aerodynamics, and a drop in kerb weight.

Can it really be all things to all people? McLaren says this car is ‘the most dynamically advanced and engaging LT model ever’ – a tall order from a model series that includes everything from the legendary 675LT to the F1 GTR race car.

How fast is it?

The 765LT takes the twin-turbocharged, 4.0-litre V8 from the 720S and piles on performance upgrades to extract 765hp and 800Nm of torque.

That shaves a tenth off the 0-62mph time compared with the standard model, and nearly a second off the 0-124mph time, putting it nearly on par with the P1 hybrid hypercar.

It’s fast – make no mistake, and delivers its punch with added ferocity thanks to shorter gears and stiffer engine mounts that make the cabin buzz and vibrate like a race car.

Does it handle well?

The 720S was no slouch in this department but a diet of 80kg, a stiffer front end and up to 25% more downforce means the 765LT is the more senior car when it comes to tackling a corner.

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McLaren says it should do this with an enhanced level of engagement whether you’re on the track or the road, and we certainly found the enormous amount of traction at high speed very intoxicating.

Then there’s the brakes, taken from the Senna, that allow the 765LT to come to a stop 25 metres shorter than the 720S from 124mph. In a lot of ways, this is the most extraordinary part of the car’s handling package.

Can you live with one?

The luggage space is unchanged and while things like interior storage, air conditioning and a stereo system have been deleted for optimum weight reduction, you can optionally add these back in.

It’s easy to see out of and with the drive and handling modes turned right down, extremely easy to drive, provided you can resist the allure of dialling everything back up and unlocking all that performance.

In reality a 720S is still going to be the easier companion on a long drive but if you want to have the most fun possible on the way, the 765LT is the one to have.

Read on for the full McLaren 765LT review including its practicality, if its interior measures up, how much it costs to run, what it’s like to drive – and whether we recommend buying one.