If you know your Le Mans 24 Hours history, you may remember the time when McLaren won the 1995 race in his F1 GTR. The car itself was amazing and dominated almost every competition it competed in. For most people, however, this wasn’t a big surprise. After all, the F1 GTR was based on the fastest production car currently known to mankind.
However, for all its accomplishments, the F1 would be in the limelight for much longer. The F1 GTR program ended in 1998 after both McLaren and BMW (the engine supplier) decided it was time to move on. Soon after, many of the existing GTRs were modified for road use and then sold to private companies. Nobody really expected McLaren to revive the GTR nameplate.
However, in 2014 McLaren officially announced that they would finally revive the GTR nameplate with their P1 model attached. The reason for this decision would be to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their 24-hour victory at Le Mans. According to the British manufacturer, the P1 GTR would not only be McLaren’s best racetrack car, but apparently a car that was exclusive to the racetrack.
Was McLaren able to deliver on that promise? Well, to be honest, you probably already know the answer to that question. But if you are someone in need of definitive evidence, don’t worry because we have a lot of it.
Let’s take a quick look at some of the attributes that make the McLaren P1 GTR such a great track weapon.
It has enough downforce to make an F1 car blush
One of the most important characteristics of any good racing car today is aerodynamics. As you can imagine, the P1 GTR has a lot to offer in this area. Everything at the front was designed so that the car could cut through the air as efficiently and easily as possible. Even more important, however, is the gigantic fixed wing at the stern. Not only does it push 1,455 lbs of air onto the car, but it even has a fully functional Formula 1-style air resistance reduction system (DRS).
Without a proper racing suspension, of course, aero upgrades are no longer worth it. Knowing this, McLaren decided to keep the car at a fixed height of 4.4 inches and put the body on a “race-ready suspension”. They also mounted all of this on a very wide set of 19-inch rims adorned with tailor-made Pirelli slicks. As a result of these efforts, the racing-made McLaren can rip 2.15 worth of side Gs around the neck while remaining relatively calm and steady.
The McLaren P1 GTR has more power than you know what to do
Via: Doug DeMuro YouTube
Aside from the great handling, another thing we absolutely love about this hatching egg is the fact that it houses a 3.8-liter, twin-turbo hybrid V8 that produces nearly four-digit horsepower. Specifically, the nuclear reactor on one of the engines of this thing develops 986 horsepower and 1,045 lb-ft of torque! Additionally, the unit responsible for managing all of this savagery is that of a 7-speed dual clutch transmission.
Together, these elements of technical excellence are capable of accelerating this British missile from 0 to 100 mph in a staggering 2.8 seconds. If you dare to slide your hoof straight into the P1 GTR’s carbon fiber MonoCage, you may just find the digital display with the numbers “217” on it. Fortunately, if you are scared, you can get the brakes from 60-0 mph at an impressively short distance of just 85 feet.
You won’t see anyone else along the way
Via: Wikimedia Commons
McLarens are a pretty rare bunch in general. Sure, you can see one here and there, but overall, it’s not a brand that most of us see on a daily basis. All of this makes perfect sense when you consider that the British supercar manufacturer only produces around 4,800 units per year. Keep in mind; these vehicles are then sold worldwide, so that’s not a lot.
Funnily enough, McLaren has made a giant leap forward with its P1 GTR. Specifically, the company decided to produce and sell a total of only 375 models. Granted, that’s still not as exclusive as their previous “commemorative” model: the F1 LM. Crazy enough, only five of these things were actually built and sold (plus one that McLaren kept to itself).
The P1 GTR offers VIP access to various racing events
Via: Dong liu / Shutterstock.com
One of the worst things about “track-specific” vehicles is the fact that you must have access to a racetrack in order to use it. Sure, if you can afford a P1 GTR (which costs $ 3.1 million) it probably won’t be all that difficult. But what if you want to get more out of your hyped supercar than just endlessly driving a distance alone?
Fortunately for buyers of the P1 GTR, they are automatically invited to a variety of McLaren-based race track events around the world. Plus, you even get access to some simulator time. And when you consider that this car is rear-wheel drive and has nearly 1,000 horsepower, the latter of those virtues gets really alluring. After all, a little practice has never hurt anyone, and besides, who wants to see a beautiful McLaren glow alongside Leguna Seca?
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About the author
Austin Cassell
(121 published articles)
Austin Cassell is a Purdue Global University graduate majoring in Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Although he has spent the last 6 years writing about laws, he made the decision to also write about some of the cars that are more than capable of breaking the law. He lives in an area of north New York bordering both Quebec and Vermont. Because of the area, he’s a big fan of cars that look great on a mountain bike or snowboard.
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