What's the news?
After strong rumours of a successor of sorts to the famous McLaren F1 did the rounds earlier this year, McLaren Special Operations (MSO) has announced that it is in fact developing a new three-seater 'Hyper-GT'. Codenamed BP23 (short for Bespoke Project 2 with 3 seats), only 106 units will be made, which just so happens to be the exact number of F1s produced back in the day.
So what's a 'Hyper-GT' then? McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt explains: "We are calling BP23 a 'Hyper-GT' because it's a car designed for longer journeys, but with the high levels of performance and driver engagement expected of any McLaren. A hybrid powertrain will make it one of the most powerful McLarens yet created but the car will also deliver the highest levels of refinement, enabling significant journeys to be undertaken with up to three people aboard."
That hybrid powertrain will be housed within a carbon fibre body, although there's no details on engine type or power figure as yet. Delivery of the first cars will occur in early 2019, and the allocation is already fully pre-sold. The 106 lucky owners will get to work alongside MSO in customising their own cars in terms of colour and trim among other options, and MSO has stated that all of the switchgear will be unique to the BP23. F1-style dihedral doors make an appearance, although what F1 designer and famed lightness enthusiast Gordon Murray will make of the fact that they will be powered on the BP23 isn't known just yet...