McLaren have confirmed the finer details of the McLaren 650S GT3.
This track focused racer will contest in the GT3 championships across the globe starting from the 2015 season. Building on the successful 12C GT3, which helped McLaren reacquire their position at the helm of the championship in the past three seasons, the new 650S GT3 was unveiled in front of fans and the global motorsport media at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The 650S GT3 looks menacing and purposeful and is based on the recently launched McLaren 650S.The large rear-wing adds to the aggressive stance of the car. The 650S GT3 uses the same lightweight carbon-fibre MonoCell chassis as the road going car. The 650S GT3 features McLaren’s award-winning ‘M838T’ 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine prepped for racing. It includes a McLaren-developed ECU that offers increased functionality to incorporate turbo boost and transmission shift control. The engine is mated to a six-speed sequential transmission. The 650S GT3 produces around 500 PS – the same as the 12C GT3. The 650S GT3 features a newly developed braking system with monobloc six-piston calipers biting into 380 mm rotors up front, and four-piston 355 mm calipers at the rear.
Like the 12C GT3, the 650S GT3 is fitted with a custom-made digital dash display which sits behind the unique steering wheel, taking inspiration from the steering wheel design seen in the McLaren-Mercedes Formula 1 car. It also carries a new McLaren GT-developed race seat, with a six-point race harness as standard.
The 650S GT3 will continue to be tested throughout the summer with the customer car production commencing in autumn. The price has been confirmed at £330,000 (Rs 3.3 crore approx) plus taxes.
Story: Pranjal Bhatnagar
