Today, McLaren stand will be busy fielding the eyeballs that will play ping-pong between two stunning models. The McLaren P1™ GTR and the McLaren 675LT.
McLAREN P1™ GTR LIMITED
The P1 GTR could be among the most gigantic figures on paper among the supercars of interest, with a whole 1000 PS (986 hp), and minor modifications from its concept presented six months ago. The most noticeable change is the livery that the Geneva show car will be sporting. The remarkable thing about the show car is the ‘show-off’ garb it wears. Owners joining the McLaren P1™ GTR Driver Programme that flags off at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain later this year will have the privilege of those stunning colours.
The story behind the yellow and green colours is that it commemorates the McLaren F1 GTR, chassis #06R – one of the five F1 GTRs that dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the historic debut by McLaren 20 years ago. (Long and short of it, the livery looks really good!)
The front track is 80mm wider than the road-going McLaren P1™ and sits 50mm lower to the ground on centre-locking 19-inch motorsport alloy wheels. The lightweight windscreen from the McLaren P1™ road car, measuring just 3.2mm in thickness, has been retained. The carbon fibre panels give the cabin a more cocooned environment.
The McLaren P1™ GTR is distinguished by a fixed-height wing, which sits more than 400mm above the sculpted rear bodywork. The wing on the road car sits 100mm lower and is adjustable. Together with the aerodynamic flaps ahead of the front wheels, the rear wing helps to increase downforce levels by more than 10 percent – meaning up to 660kg at 150 mph (240 kmph). The track car weighs 50kg less than the road-going model. Its Inconel and titanium alloy dual exhaust saves in excess of 6.5kg over the already light road-going system.
The McLaren P1™ GTR seamlessly integrates the 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine with an enhanced lightweight electric motor. Combined, these powerplants generate 1,000PS; 800PS (789bhp) is produced by the petrol engine, coupled to 200PS (197bhp) available immediately from the electric motor.
McLaren model line-up and naming structure
The three tier naming structure of Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series is demystified here. The Sports Series is the entry point to McLaren and will make its global debut at the 2015 New York International Auto Show in April. The core McLaren Super Series sits just above, consisting of the 650S, the Asia-only 625C and the new 675LT, which will also premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. The McLaren P1™ GTR joins the road-going McLaren P1™ in the Ultimate Series.
McLAREN 675LT aerodynamics stay true to longtailed predecessor
LT stands for ‘Longtail’. (That should disambiguate the letters from that seen behind the modern Chevies.) The 675LT is the first McLaren to wear the LT – or ‘Longtail’ – name in nearly two decades. What does it do? Through a dramatically enhanced styling, the car achieves 40 percent more downforce than the 650S.
The naming figure comes from its total power output of 675PS (666bhp), while torque is a massive 700 Nm (516 lb ft) from the heavily revised 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 featuring lightweight components and new turbos. The torque output is optimised at 600Nm (443 lb ft) for ideal acceleration and traction in first gear, rising to the full 700Nm available from 5,500-6,500 rpm in each of the other gears.
The 675LT continues McLaren’s weight-saving pursuits to finish with a dry weight of 1230 kg, making it the lightest in the Super Series by over 100 kg. Another interesting thing about the new model is the newly developed ‘Ignition Cut’ technology, lifted from Formula 1™ which cuts off the fuel spark momentarily upon gearshift. This quickens the change while making for a dramatic ‘cracking’ sound each time it shifts up or down.
Available as a coupé only, the 675LT will be a more track focused alternative to the 650S Coupé and Spider. Only 500 of the McLaren 675LT will be produced and will be priced at £259,500 (1.45 million dirhams). Deliveries will commence in July. The featured model showcases the Club Sport, which costs around AED 28000 extra and is painted the new Chicane Grey.
