The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2021 - Issue 30

bitecars tion of the elongated LongTail active rear wing, the angle of deployment of which is influenced by the need for a different setting for driving with the roof lowered and the Spider’s rear profile that differs from that of the coupé. The low-frequency engine sound is generated through the increased engine mount stiffness to aid dynamic perfor- mance and allow the driver to physically experience the en- gine in the cabin. The titanium exhaust system also helps the soundstage with its four centrally mounted round exit pipes that are meticulously designed, sized, angled and po- sitioned. The pipe diameter increases exhaust volume and the relative position of each pipe to the others delivers the precise harmonic content required. Inside The Cabin  With carbon fibre, the main component in motoring today, the combined race seats fitted as standard are 18 kg lighter than the outgoing model. These feature a lightweight Alcan- tara® covering which is also seen on the steering wheel, dashboard and doors. Whilst the cockpit’s central tunnel at just 0.8 mm thick, window switch surrounds, steering wheel clasp and Active Dynamics Panel surrounds are all made of carbon fibre; changes have been made to the door pockets which are now elasticated nets. When the Aero button is activated, the ‘Driver Downforce’ is engaged which sets the wing angle depending on speed. The angle increases with the roof down to recover the rear downforce lost through the extra disturbance of airflow. Driv- ers can adjust transmission using the Comfort, Sport and Track mode settings on the Active Dynamics Panel while they can further increase control through ‘limit downshift’. This changes the gear once the transmission software has acknowledged the shift request. Key connectivity functions, including McLaren Track Telem- etry (MTT), are displayed on an 8-inch, high-resolution Cen- tral Infotainment Screen. This works in conjunction with the Folding Driver Display located directly in front of the driver. You may notice the absence of a standard audio system. In its place, owners can use a lightweight 4-speaker sys- tem, Bluetooth telephony, iPod/iPhone integration and audio voice prompts, or go for the upgraded audio system devel- oped especially for McLaren by Bowers & Wilkins. The Folding Driver Display and Central Infotainment Screen surrounds are both available in carbon fibre to complement the finish of the window switch surrounds, steering wheel clasp and Active Dynamics Panel surround. Drivers can further make use of carbon fibre through the MSO Defined range which includes satin-finish visual carbon fibre for the air vents and extended sill trims with unique 765LT brand- ing. On the Outside  The electrically operated, one-piece Retractable Hard Top (RHT) enables open-top driving in just 11 seconds. It op- erates at speeds of up to 50 km/h to bring the dramatic soundtrack of the quad-exit titanium exhaust system into the cabin to take driver engagement into another dimension. Carbon fibre is also used in the designated MonoCage II- S, developed alongside the coupé monocoque and shares most of its structural elements. Since the Retractable Hard Top is constructed using a sin- gle carbon fibre frame, it has a high-density, noise-reducing foam core between the panel and internal headlining. This