With all the attention directed towards the McLaren 720S, it’s easy to forget that Woking’s lineup of exotics also includes the positively spicy McLaren 600LT. It wasn’t that long ago — just last year, in fact — when the 600LT was the darling of McLaren’s lineup. It’s taken a back seat to the 720S since then, but that hasn’t stopped a tuner like Novitec from giving the 600LT the attention it deserves. The German tuner known for its bonkers programs for anything exotic turned to the 600LT and gave it more power. It also added aerodynamic bits to the British supercar, enhancing the 600LT’s performance capabilities to such extent that it can give its big brother a run for its money. The whole kit doesn’t come cheap — nothing Novitec does counts as cheap — but if you’re willing to spend to give your McLaren 600LT an upgrade fit for its status, this new aftermarket program from Novitec is just what the doctor ordered.

2019 McLaren 600LT by Novitec

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2019 McLaren 600LT by Novitec
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

- Novitec N-Largo front hood - Carbon fiber air intakes at the back - New set of 20- and 21-inch wheels - Plenty of color options for the wheels

The McLaren 600LT is already one of the most provocative supercars in the market. Naturally, any aftermarket upgrade to the exterior should be handled carefully so as not to ruin the overall aesthetics of the supercar. While Novitec is known far and wide as a tuner that isn’t afraid to switch things up with its kits, the tuner did the smart and prudent thing by keeping the exterior upgrades in its program for the 600LT tastefully mild. There are enhancements, sure, but the design characteristic of the 600LT remains the same.

A new Novitec hood counts as the only meaningful upgrade. It’s vastly different from the 600LT’s traditional hood, in part due to the flat vertical bar that connects two separate sections of the hood. The 600LT’s front section is a lot more aggressive-looking now simply because of this new design. Move to the rear section of the supercar, and you’ll see a pair of carbon air intakes located near the roof of the supercar. These intakes were put in place to help feed cool air to the supercar’s 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine.

The last meaningful upgrade to the 600LT’s exterior is the set of wheels. A number of choices are available for you to choose which 20-inch or 21-inch wheel suits the front and rear of 600LT, respectively. You can even opt to choose the specific wheel color you prefer. Satin Black, Gloss Silver, and Gloss Gunmetal are the standard choices, but you can get a little creative and choose your own color from a lineup of “Transparent” and “Solid” colors. If you’re looking to score some real attention, colors like Limelight, Deco Teal, and Flamingo Pink from the Transparent lineup and Butterscotch and Ultraviolet from the “Solid” lineup will get the job done.

Turning to Novitec is one way to get your desired exterior upgrades. But as is often the case with supercar brands of McLaren’s ilk, there are other options available beyond the German tuner, specifically McLaren’s own MSO division. In some ways, MSO offers more options to choose from, ranging from exterior paint colors, bespoke wheels, premium carbon fiber materials, and even aerodynamic upgrades like a roof scoop and a top-exiting exhaust system that comes out through the engine hood.

That’s not to say that Novitec’s upgrades aren’t any good, but if you’re looking for a bit more personalization out of your McLaren 600LT, MSO is your one-stop shop to getting your heart’s desires.

Interior

- Fine leather and Alcantara options - Better if MSO's involved - Wealth of choices, trims, and options available with MSO

You’re not getting a whole lot from the tuner in this department. Fortunately, there are other avenues to get your fix in this section of the supercar, namely — you guessed it — MSO. McLaren’s in-house personalization department has a wealth of options to choose from. And by “wealth,” I mean there are so many that you’ll probably end up drowning in all the available options.

To give you an idea on what you can choose from MSO, here are a few options: Alcantara LT interior, Leather & Alcantara LT, ALC BY McLaren Designer, and LTR BY McLaren Designer LT. These options don’t include leather interior design options that come in the forms of a Carmine Red/Jet Black finish, Jet Black/Scoria Grey, and Jet Black/Midnight Blue. Mind you; these are a few of the many available options you can do to the interior of your McLaren 600LT through MSO. If you want to throw in some carbon fiber into the equation, you can do that. If you want an interior that’s awash in wood veneers or aluminum, you can do that, too. There is no shortage of choices when it comes to MSO, and that even extends to the novelty bits. Should you decide to spend on inconsequential items, MSO can offer you items like a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, a warning triangle, an ashtray, and the all-too-important branded floor mats.

You have to appreciate McLaren and MSO for opening up the treasure chest of options for the McLaren 600LT. But unless you want everything to come from McLaren, some of these options are better off getting outside of MSO. I mean, do you really need an MSO-branded ashtray? Heck, do you really need an ashtray, to begin with?

Drivetrain

- Three engine upgrade options - Power increase from 651 horsepower to 688 horsepower - Torque increase from 457 pound-feet of torque to 525 pound-feet of torque - 0 to 60 mph time: 2.8 seconds - Top speed: 207 mph - Aluminum spacers - Sports spring set lowers ride height by 30mm (1.18 inches)

You can knock Novitec all you want for its lack of appreciation for the finer arts of interior comfort, but what you can’t do - what you can never do — is question Novitec’s ability to turn the McLaren 600LT’s engine into a full-blown weapon of mass destruction. The German tuner is known far and wide for its power enhancement kits, and there’s three of them available for the 600LT. Not one, folks. Not even two. Three.

The first of these N-Tronic kits is a processor-controlled software device that can be connected to the 600LT’s 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine. Once connected, a simple activation of the software dials up the output of the 600LT’s V-8 engine to a stout 651 horsepower and 504 pound-feet of torque. Considering that the standard 600LT produces 592 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque, I’d say the increased output of 59 horsepower and 47 pound-feet of torque is well worth the software tweaks on the V-8 engine.

Granted, some of you might look at these gains and wonder if Novitec has anything more extra up its sleeve. An extra 59 ponies and 47 pound-feet of twist is great and all, but it doesn’t quite tickle the funny bones as well as, well, a 77-horsepower and 64-pound-feet-of-torque increase over the 600LT’s standard output. If those are the figures you’re chasing, there’s a way to reach those numbers. All you need to do is double-up on Novitec’s engine upgrade program by getting the power-optimized, stainless steel exhaust system and the catalyst-replacement pipe to go along with the more potent Tectronic software kit. Doing so will see the output of that twin-turbo V-8 engine rise to 669 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque. Pretty sweet, right?

Without having to answer my own rhetorical question, I’d say that a 669-horsepower McLaren 600LT is tough enough to beat in a race track or a drag strip. Racing, after all, isn’t just about having the finest-looking car, but it’s also about having the fastest and most powerful car to go along with it. Becoming one is largely a numbers game, and as impressive as 669 horsepower and 521 pound-feet of torque are, it’s not better than 688 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque. It just isn’t.

McLaren 600LT - standard vs Novitec

Engine configuration

3.8-litre twin-turbo V-8

3.8-litre twin-turbo V-8

Power bhp/kW @ rpm

592 hp @ 7,500 rpm

688 hp

Torque lb ft @ rpm

457 @ 5,500-6,500rpm

525 lb-ft

0-60mph

2.8 seconds

2.8 seconds

Top Speed

201 mph

207 mph


The results show, too, particularly when it comes to the 600LT's top speed. The supercar's 0-to-60-mph time remains largely the same at 2.8 seconds, but top speed has increased to 207 mph from the 600LT's standard top speed of 201 mph.

For your McLaren 600LT to achieve that figure, you’re going to have to go all-in on Novitec’s engine upgrade program for the supercar. That means eschewing the catalyst-replacement pipe and getting sport metal catalysts instead. Doing so increase the output of the V-8 engine to the 688-horsepower and 525-pound-feet-of-torque marks that you’re going to need if you want to lay the smackdown on the unsuspecting fool who dares challenge your Novitec-tuned 600 LT.

Obviously, an engine upgrade program and the benefits that come out of it will only show up if there are complimentary upgrades made to a car’s suspension. Give credit to Novitec for understanding what’s needed in terms of modifications to the supercar’s chassis and suspension. The upgrades themselves aren’t that significant, but they’re no less important in the grand scheme of things. Their main feature, though, is that they’re lighter and more corrosion-resistant than plain carbon steel spacers. The other significant addition is the sport spring set that helps a car like the 600LT lower its ride height by 30mm or 1.18 inches depending on what’s needed in a particular situation. This could range from aerodynamic reasons when the 600LT is going full tilt or from simple tasks like driving over a speed bump. Most people don’t pay mind to these types of upgrades, but when you have a car like the McLaren 600LT, they play essential roles in keeping the exotic in tip-top condition.

Pricing

Novitec rarely publishes the price of its performance programs, and it’s no different with the kit for the McLaren 600LT. That said, Novitec is one of the most established tuners in the business, so don’t expect this kit to cost the equivalent of chump change. You’re going to need somewhere in the vicinity of around $20,000 to get what you want out of it. Throw in the actual cost of a McLaren 600LT — base price is $256,500 — and you’re looking at one expensive supercar. The good news is that if you already own a 600LT, you already covered a significant part of your potential expenses.

Final Thoughts

For as long as I’ve been fascinated with cars, Novitec has been around to provide some of the most impressive aftermarket tuning programs for a wide range of performance cars. The tuner cut its bones builder kits for Ferraris and Lamborghinis, but it has since expanded to work on other performance car brands like Maserati and McLaren. It’s nice to see that even with all these years under its belt, the quality of Novitec’s work remains top-class. This particular program for the 600LT isn’t as extensive or as mind-blowing as some of its past programs, but it addresses certain needs that owners of the model might have. In the end, that’s what matters the most. Beyond the numbers and the promises of world domination, a tuning program is only as good as the customer needs it answers and addresses. This program for the 600LT does that in spades. Some of you might prefer more boisterous engine upgrades. That’s all up to you. But if you want one that addresses your concerns and one that comes from a reliable and trustworthy company, it’s hard to go wrong with Novitec and its aftermarket kit for the McLaren 600LT.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 McLaren 600LT.

Read our full review on the 2019 McLaren 600LT Spider.