Born in the gaming world

THE McLaren Solus GT was born in the virtual gaming world of Gran Turismo Sport. Now, the carmaker will make it a reality that can be driven on racetracks.

Only 25 will be built and all of them have already been sold before the official unveiling in California early this week. The pricing of the hypercar has not been revealed although it can be expected to be many, many millions of ringgit.

The striking futuristic exterior design is remarkably faithful to its virtual inspiration. While machines in simulator games have total technical freedom because the designers are not constrained by cost or regulations, the Solus GT is based on proven aerodynamic principles and McLaren’s “everything for a reason” design ethos.

This is further supported by CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and wind-tunnel aerodynamic research.

Among the numerous external features are the sliding canopy above the single central (like a jet fighter) and wheels are shrouded in aerodynamic pods and located by suspension arms.

A large front splitter feeds air into ground-effect tunnels before it exits the car via a full diffuser.

A motorsport-inspired intake above the cockpit integrated into the design of the roll-over hoop cover feeds cold air into the engine.

The sidepods which house the Solus GT’s radiators are inspired by racing car design.

The powertrain is a naturally-aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine with a bespoke 7-speed sequential shift gearbox. It can rev to more than 10,000rpm and will produce over 829bhp/650Nm.

McLaren says the Solus GT will be capable of the fastest lap times of any McLaren outside of single-seater racing and delivers a driving experience close to the engagement and sensation of driving a Formula 1 racing car. Acceleration from 0-100kph has a target time of 2.5 seconds and the top speed will be more than 320kph.

In the cockpit, the steering wheel (with a unique design among McLaren production cars) takes its inspiration from Formula 1, with instrument panel display and essential controls integrated to suit the tight confines of a single-seater track car.

To further enhance the driving experience for Solus GT owners, McLaren is offering a full “racing driver experience”. This includes a driving seat molded to the driver’s individual body shape; an FIA-homologated race suit, helmet and HANS device bespoke to each owner, and radio-enabled ear inserts.

All owners will get a flight case to allow them to support their own track activities. This includes a comprehensive set of tools, vehicle jacks, stands, radio sets and a coolant pre-heater.

After the cars are delivered next year, Solus GT track events are planned and a full driver-development coaching program will also be available to help owners fully exploit the potential of their new hypercar.