McLaren picks Pirelli track tire for limited-edition 765LT

WOKING, England—British performance car producer McLaren Automotive Ltd. has designated Pirelli & C. S.p.A. the exclusive OE tire supplier for its latest supercar, the limited-edition and race-inspired 765LT.

Billed as the Woking-based car maker's "most powerful and engaging" model to date, the lightweight McLaren 765LT (LT for "long tail") is powered by a 4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 McLaren engine rated at 765 horsepower, which propels the two-seat mid-engine supercar to 60 mph from a standstill in under 3 seconds and a top speed of 205mph.

Helping the $350,000-plus car to those performance number are the Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R "track-day" tires that Pirelli fine-tuned to the McLaren's distinctive handling and performance.

To meet McLaren's specs for a tire suitable for the 765LT, Pirelli said its engineers worked on the structure and profile of the tires, increasing the contact patch to generate more mechanical grip and improve traction. The company also tweaked the Trofeo R's tread compound and design for reduced braking distances and maximized lateral grip.

McLaren is limiting production of the new model to 765 individually numbered units. All are already on order.

Customers who are "less inclined" to use their cars on track can opt for Pirelli P Zero tires, Pirelli said.

The new P Zero Trofeo R developed for the McLaren 765LT represents the latest tire born out of the long collaboration between Pirelli and McLaren, which also draws on the extensive lessons learned from motorsport by both companies.

Every vehicle leaves the McLaren Production Centre in Woking with its own specific Pirelli tire, tailor-made for that particular car and distinguished by a distinctive "MC" marking on the sidewall, Pirelli said.