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McLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD Prevails

There's always a bigger fish. Well, unless you're driving a Rimac Nevera or something in that range. You may think that you're fast in your brand new BMW M3, but what if a Porsche 911 Turbo S pulls up next to you? And if you're in a 911 Turbo S, what happens if you bump into a McLaren 765LT?
McLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD Prevails 13 photos
Photo: Carwow
McLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD PrevailsMcLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD Prevails
Well, mathematically speaking, the odds would not be in your favor. The 765LT makes use of a 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V8 engine that puts out 755 horsepower and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. Sure, the fact that it sends all that power to the rear wheels isn't ideal for quarter-mile (402 meters) racing, but think of the overall weight. At 2,951 lbs (1,339 kg), it's lighter than a Honda Civic Type R, for instance.

The Porsche 911 Turbo S is a force to be reckoned with, and it does have AWD. The 3.8-liter twin-turbo flat-six will provide a healthy 641 horsepower, while torque figures are identical to the 765LT. But the Turbo S is almost 661 lbs (300 kg) heavier than its opponent. As fast as it may be going off the line, the extra added weight and the disadvantage in terms of horsepower are going to be hard to overcome.

After putting some heat into their tires, the two cars line up for the main event. The Porsche is off to a brilliant start, while the McLaren is struggling with a bit of wheelspin. But it doesn't take long for the inevitable to happen. The 765LT flies past its opponent, winning the race. We also get to see a rerun, but everything plays out the same way it did the first time around.

McLaren 765LT Drag Races Porsche 911 Turbo S, RWD Prevails
Photo: Carwow
The mightly McLaren crosses the quarter-mile finish line 10 seconds after launching from a dig, while the Porsche is 0.2 seconds behind. That's quite impressive, considering that the German-built sportscar costs about half the price of its British counterpart. You don't need to be gifted with prescience like Paul Muad'Dib to be able to figure out that the Porsche isn't going to win.

For the first run, both cars will be engaged in their normal driving modes, starting at 50 mph (80 kph). Surprisingly enough, it's the 911 Turbo S that jumps into the lead. By the time the McLaren gets up to 140 mph (225 kph), it reclaims 1st place, defeating the Porsche once again. The question is, how will things change when the two drivers are going to switch the gearbox to manual mode and the cars to their sportiest settings?

This time, the Porsche is instantly left behind, with no chance of coming back into the race whatsoever. Looking at the speedometer of both cars, it feels like the 765LT is a proper race car. But then again, if you think of it, the 911 Turbo S can probably provide a more pleasant driving experience in day-to-day traffic. It's all over after the half-mile (804 meters) marker, and the McLaren is now in the lead, with a score of 4-0.

The Porsche's only chance of scoring a point in this race is the last test of the day, the braking test. Normally, you'd bet on the McLaren, as it is the lighter car here. But of course, several other factors come into play in a test like this: the brakes themselves, the tires, the driver, and so on. Both cars will be going up to 100 mph (160 kph) before coming to a complete halt. So, who do you think won this last challenge?

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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