What's the news?
McLaren has chosen the aptly-named Goodwood Festival of Speed to whip the covers off its second-generation GT3 car, the 650S GT3. As the outgoing 12C GT3 has taken three championship titles, 51 race victories and 71 podiums in its three-year competition life, the 650S has big shoes to fill.
Exterior
The usual wings and body flares proliferate, resulting in one mean-looking motor - especially the dead-on rear view, which is very purposeful. The GT3 has been designed with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) on the same carbon fibre MonoCell chassis of the road-going 650S, with all the addenda going to improve aerodynamics and cooling. There's all-new carbon fibre bodywork on the flanks with re-profiled air intakes, while the fixed carbon rear wing works with a splitter to manage air flowing over the rear of the 650S.
Interior
An FIA-approved roll cage is fitted but McLaren says the version in the 650S is designed to offer more comfort to the driver, thanks to extra leg- and headroom. This is an important consideration in endurance racing, something the McLaren GT3 should excel at.
Believe it or not, McLaren also talks of refinement being optimised, again to make long stints behind the wheel easier. There's a bespoke digital dash display with a motorsport focus and a new steering wheel unique to the GT3; also, the race seat is a fresh design and is equipped with a six-point harness. McLaren says the whole interior is even more driver-focused than that in the 12C GT3.
Mechanicals
Thanks to FIA Balance of Performance (BOP) regulations, the M838T 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine in the GT3 makes 500hp, considerably less than the road-going car's 650hp figure. Needless to say, it's clear which of the two will be the quicker around a race track...
The engine is race-prepared and is mated to an all-new six-speed sequential transmission, while the gearbox's oil cooler has been incorporated into larger side intakes. Underneath, the 650S has a 52mm wider track than the 12C GT3 and the front suspension allows for the fitment of the latest generation larger diameter racing tyres. Forged aluminium 18-inch alloys (they're a massive 12.5 inches wide at the front and 13 inches at the rear) are fitted with a centre-lock retaining nut, and behind them the braking system features six-piston front, four-piston rear monobloc callipers gripping 380mm x 35mm discs front and 355mm x 32mm items at the rear.
Fifteen examples of the 650S GT3 will be built ahead of the 2015 season and, like the 12C to 650S road car transition, existing 12C GT3 owners can upgrade to the 650S updates and enhancements, so another 15 cars could be converted ahead of next season.
Anything else?
The launch car wears number 59 - anyone who knows Le Mans history will register the fact that was the number worn by the McLaren F1 GTR chassis #01R that won the 24 Hours in 1995... its debut performance. This is a feat never achieved before or since.