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McLaren unveils latest generation 650S GT3
27th June 2014
In the grounds of the famous Goodwood Estate, McLaren GT has today confirmed first details of the McLaren 650S GT3 – the latest generation track-focused racer which will contest GT3 championships across the globe from the 2015 season. Building on the highly successful 12C GT3, which has firmly re-established McLaren at the front of the GT grid over the past three seasons, the 650S GT3 was unveiled in front of fans and the global motorsport media at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
As the 12C GT3 continues claiming trophies around the world, the 650S GT3 has big shoes to fill, but it has been designed to do just that. The menacing and purposeful-looking racer is the second-generation GT3 car from McLaren GT, the GT race car building arm of McLaren, and follows in the slipstream of the 12C GT3, now competing in its third competitive season. To date, the 12C GT3 has secured three championship titles, 51 race victories and 71 further podiums, a number that continues to rise on a weekly basis, and currently leads the highly competitive Blancpain Endurance Series and the GT Asia championship.
Based on the recently unveiled McLaren 650S, and built around the same lightweight carbon fibre MonoCell chassis, the GT3 iteration has been honed using CFD technology and the latest in automotive and motorsport simulation to offer enhanced aerodynamics and improved levels of cooling. At the front, an aggressive splitter and larger air intakes dominate the purposeful new look, incorporating the familiar McLaren ‘face’ – albeit a more aggressive and menacing version, while on the flanks, the all-new lightweight carbon fibre bodywork wraps around reprofiled air intakes, which offer further optimised cooling. The fixed carbon fibre rear wing works in tandem with the large carbon fibre splitter to complete the management of air as it is worked across, through and beneath the sleek lines of the 650S GT3.
The road-going version has been designed and developed to provide ‘the ultimate in driver engagement on the road’, and the 650S GT3 uses this same approach. Revised suspension geometry, wider track and updates to the overall setup provide enhanced levels of drivability, optimising engagement for the wide range of drivers competing in GT racing. In addition, the updates have been made with added emphasis on endurance racing, pulling from the learnings over the past few years, and responding to feedback from the customer teams.
Reduced cost of ownership has been a priority during the design and development of the 650S GT3, and this has been achieved through extended component life, including increased engine and gearbox rebuild intervals, together with re-designed components and systems to reduce parts costs. Body panel design and fit have also been optimised which will not only minimise pit lane repair times but also aids weight distribution through the use of lighter components.