McLaren introduced its fans with a new prospect of race car called 650S GT3. This little track monster was manufactured to fit FIA GT3 rules and specifications to conquer the planet’s best GT racing leagues. Since news first emerged that there would be a new McLaren, I’ve been waiting for details of this racing car with bated breath. The official reveal was nothing short of amazing; one can only imagine the truth behind that scene.
Looks and Styling
The McLaren 650S GT3 is one of those cars that can make you clearly understand that it is here to race, once you lay your eyes on its exterior. Styling is derived directly from the road going 650S and has flowing curves and dihedral doors a la Formula 1 cars. Still, the GT3 variant appears to be more aggressive. The front splitter and rear wing are much larger, and the aerodynamics of a car are designed to generate as much downforce as physically possible. Large side vents and intakes both cool and supply air to the mid-mounted V8 engine and the equally enormous air brake.
Of course, the GT3 does not look as aesthetic as the 650S coupe, but in fact, I like how devilishly aggressive and prepared for racing it is. In my opinion, the blue and orange McLaren livery displayed in those reveal photos also looks terrific. It underlines a rather aggressive design, with the most expressive features of the 650S revealed.
Engine and Performance
Lifting the rear lid of the car, one can see a 4.0 liter twin-turbo V8 that has been developed for racing by Ricardo, which is McLaren’s affiliate company. While sharing its engines with the road car, the GT3 model is tuned for over 500 horsepower and this is achieved even with the air restrictors.
I’m glad they did not cave into the V6 twin-turbo nonsense that some other manufacturers have gone with. Coupled with a low-weight car and aero-efficient vehicle, the powertrain should provide tremendous acceleration. official performance figures were not given, but 0-60 mph should be well under 3.0 seconds. Likewise, reliability for endurance racing also looks set following this pattern since this motor is both sturdy and responds well at high revolutions, as developed by Ricardo.
Handling and Aerodynamics
As a McLaren, the 650S GT3 brings excellent handling with very quick and direct steering response. As for the body structure, designers and engineers paid much attention to the lighting concept and utilized aluminum and carbon fiber materials. The low profile and broad track width also come into play as critical factors to address stability at high-speed turns. As for the car’s handling, one of the benefits of adjustable suspension is that camber, toe, ride height and roll bars can be fine-tuned depending on the specific racetrack.
Nonetheless, the exterior design of the 650S GT3 is even more special for its superior aerodynamics compared to similar cars. It begins with the gorgeous body work shaping the car such that it guides the air flow around and below it. Yet considerably more downforce is created by the large front spoiler, rear spoiler, and under spoiler. These components maintain the car firmly attached to the track surface while it does not cause drag.
I am eagerly looking forward to getting behind the wheel of the 650S to find out just how fast this car is through high speed corners with the benefit of this aggressive aero-kit. Any rival was going to have to be very careful when looking in their rearview mirror.
Cockpit and Safety
Not surprisingly, the interior is almost professional with a carbon fiber shell and a steel roll cage behind it. A racing seat certified by FIA with 6-point harness holds the driver in place while a flat-bottomed steering wheel interlinked with numerous buttons and rotary switches controls crucial functions.
There is no entertainment option for information processing which is usually incorporated in the modern vehicles. To its credit, there is no analog cluster here, but a colorful digital screen centrally placed on the dashboard displaying all the necessary information such as the engine’s revolutions, water and oil temperatures, fuel, and lap times. Rocker switches, dials and the display may look confusing from afar but for the driver, all will be within arm’s reach.
For instance, while the GT3 variant comes with a carbon structure that incorporates crash structures to conform to the latest FIA standards. Joined with contemporary ABS and traction/stability control, this guarantees that the drivers can tackle the automobile to the maximum limit with reliability. It is always a relief to know that McLaren has got your back when in the world’s best racetracks!
Competition
Nonetheless, when revealed at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the 650S GT3 entered a segment with fierce competition already. They include; the Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 and the Lamborghini Gallardo LP5604 GT3 among others The Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 was very popular especially in the several years before. Porsche also had the 911 GT3 R available – the next iteration of the highly effective Cup car of the 997 generation.
Other factories, in opposition to Aston Martin and Lamborghini, as well as Nissan, presented other GT3 cars on the grids. There are also those McLarens that were developed prior to the McLaren P1 such as the 12C GT3. Thus, despite of the 650S looking like the superior car based on its on-paper speed, McLaren still has to prove that their cars are reliable and that there are people in races who know how to prepare these well.
Thank God McLaren remains very much committed to motorsports and never ceasing to improve, I am confident that the 650S GT3 will be among the best within a couple seasons. He said it definitely has all the tools for a fight – power, handling and aero – in order to duke it out at the front. Now all it needs to do is record the races and turn any raw speed into championships. It brings joy to my heart to see it shake things up on the track!
Conclusion
When the world was introduced to the McLaren 650S GT3 it felt like the journey up until that point had been just the preparation for the team to go out and conquer GT3 racing around the globe. Evolved in parallel with the road car yet designed and tailored exclusively for the racetrack, the GT3 version should pack massive power due to the twin-turbo V8 under its hood, enhanced aerodynamics and a lightweight construction. It looks the business too in my opinion – much more aggressive and race-ready it seems than the sleek 650S coupe.
All the same, McLaren is yet to fully prove its worth in trying to claim its 650S against formidable competitors such as Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini’s GT3 models. However, I believe that with the technical advancements and the provision of patronage from customer teams, the 650S should soon be fighting for podiums and titles. I shall undoubtedly be supporting them! These particular racing circuits are recognized to be highly competitive and intense and judging from the existing GT3 race grids, it appears as if McLaren is well prepared for the challenge.
