diff --git a/Arduino.mk b/Arduino.mk
index eaf937f..15e242d 100644
--- a/Arduino.mk
+++ b/Arduino.mk
@@ -392,10 +392,6 @@ ifndef OBJDUMP_NAME
 OBJDUMP_NAME = avr-objdump
 endif
 
-ifndef AR_NAME
-AR_NAME      = avr-ar
-endif
-
 ifndef SIZE_NAME
 SIZE_NAME    = avr-size
 endif
@@ -1031,16 +1027,32 @@ ifneq ($(CATERINA),)
     CPPFLAGS += -DUSB_VID=$(USB_VID) -DUSB_PID=$(USB_PID)
 endif
 
+# avr-gcc version that we can do maths on
+CC_VERNUM = $(shell $(CC) -dumpversion | sed 's/\.//g')
+
+# moved from above so we can find version-dependant ar
+ifndef AR_NAME
+    ifeq ($(shell expr $(CC_VERNUM) '>' 480), 1)
+        AR_NAME      = avr-gcc-ar
+    else
+        AR_NAME      = avr-ar
+    endif
+endif
+
 ifndef CFLAGS_STD
-    CFLAGS_STD        =
+    ifeq ($(shell expr $(CC_VERNUM) '>' 480), 1)
+        CFLAGS_STD      = -std=gnu11 -flto -fno-fat-lto-objects
+    else
+        CFLAGS_STD        =
+    endif
     $(call show_config_variable,CFLAGS_STD,[DEFAULT])
 else
     $(call show_config_variable,CFLAGS_STD,[USER])
 endif
 
 ifndef CXXFLAGS_STD
-    ifeq ($(shell expr $(ARDUINO_VERSION) '>' 150), 1)
-        CXXFLAGS_STD      = -std=gnu++11 -fno-threadsafe-statics
+    ifeq ($(shell expr $(CC_VERNUM) '>' 480), 1)
+        CXXFLAGS_STD      = -std=gnu++11 -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto
     else
         CXXFLAGS_STD      =
     endif
@@ -1050,9 +1062,15 @@ else
 endif
 
 CFLAGS        += $(CFLAGS_STD)
-CXXFLAGS      += -fno-exceptions $(CXXFLAGS_STD)
+CXXFLAGS      += -fpermissive -fno-exceptions $(CXXFLAGS_STD)
 ASFLAGS       += -x assembler-with-cpp
+ifeq ($(shell expr $(CC_VERNUM) '>' 480), 1)
+    ASFLAGS += -flto
+endif
 LDFLAGS       += -$(MCU_FLAG_NAME)=$(MCU) -Wl,--gc-sections -O$(OPTIMIZATION_LEVEL)
+ifeq ($(shell expr $(CC_VERNUM) '>' 480), 1)
+    LDFLAGS += -flto -fuse-linker-plugin
+endif
 SIZEFLAGS     ?= --mcu=$(MCU) -C
 
 # for backwards compatibility, grab ARDUINO_PORT if the user has it set
diff --git a/arduino-mk-vars.md b/arduino-mk-vars.md
index b160d93..5085966 100644
--- a/arduino-mk-vars.md
+++ b/arduino-mk-vars.md
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ OBJDUMP_NAME = pic32-objdump
 
 Archive utility.
 
-Defaults to `avr-ar`
+Defaults to `avr-ar` unless you're using toolchain > 4.8.0 in which case we use avr-gcc-ar.
 
 **Example:**
 
@@ -894,22 +894,22 @@ OPTIMIZATION_LEVEL = 3
 
 Controls, *exclusively*, which C standard is to be used for compilation.
 
-Defaults to `undefined`
+Defaults to `undefined` on 1.0.x or `-std=gnu11 -flto -fno-fat-lto-objects` on 1.5+ or if you install AVR toolchain > 4.8.0
 
 Possible values:
 
-*	With `avr-gcc 4.3`, shipped with the Arduino IDE:
+*	With `avr-gcc 4.3`, shipped with the 1.0 Arduino IDE:
 	*	`undefined`
 	*	`-std=c99`
 	*	`-std=gnu89` - This is the default for C code
 	*	`-std=gnu99`
-*	With `avr-gcc 4.7, 4.8 or 4.9`, installed by you
+*	With `avr-gcc 4.7, 4.8 or 4.9`, installed by you or 1.5+ IDE:
 	*	`undefined`
 	*	`-std=c99`
 	*	`-std=c11`
-	*	`-std=gnu89` - This is the default for C code
+	*	`-std=gnu89`
 	*	`-std=gnu99`
-	*	`-std=gnu11`
+	*	`-std=gnu11 -flto -fno-fat-lto-objects` - This is the default for C code
 
 For more information, please refer to the [Options Controlling C Dialect](https://gcc.gnu.org/onlinedocs/gcc/C-Dialect-Options.html)
 
@@ -929,24 +929,24 @@ CFLAGS_STD = = -std=gnu89
 
 Controls, *exclusively*, which C++ standard is to be used for compilation.
 
-Defaults to `undefined` on 1.0 or `-std=gnu++11 -fno-threadsafe-statics` on 1.5+
+Defaults to `undefined` on 1.0 or `-std=gnu++11 -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto` on AVR toolchain > 4.8.0 (e.g. IDE 1.5+)
 
 Possible values:
 
-*	With `avr-gcc 4.3`, shipped with the Arduino IDE:
+*	With `avr-gcc 4.3`, shipped with the 1.0 Arduino IDE:
 	*	`undefined`
 	*	`-std=c++98`
 	*	`-std=c++0x`
 	*	`-std=gnu++98` - This is the default for C code
 	*	`-std=gnu++0x`
-*	With `avr-gcc 4.7, 4.8 or 4.9`, installed by you
+*	With `avr-gcc 4.7, 4.8 or 4.9`, installed by you or 1.5+ IDE:
 	*	`undefined`
 	*	`-std=c++98`
 	*	`-std=c++11`
 	*	`-std=c++1y`
 	*	`-std=c++14`
-	*	`-std=gnu++98` - This is the default for C++ code
-	*	`-std=gnu++11`
+	*	`-std=gnu++98`
+	*	`-std=gnu++11 -fno-threadsafe-statics -flto` - This is the default for C++ code
 	*	`-std=gnu++1y`
 	*	`-std=gnu++14`
 
@@ -988,7 +988,7 @@ CFLAGS += -my-c-only-flag
 Flags passed to the compiler for files compiled as C++. Add more flags to this
 variable using `+=`.
 
-Defaults to all flags required for a typical build.
+Defaults to `-fpermissive -fno-exceptions`
 
 **Example:**