RE: McLaren 620R revealed as £250k GT4 clone

RE: McLaren 620R revealed as £250k GT4 clone

Monday 9th December 2019

McLaren 620R revealed as £250k GT4 clone

We scooped it in October and now it's here - the fastest Sport Series car yet



Two months after PH broke news of its forthcoming introduction to the world, McLaren has officially confirmed production of 350 620Rs, bridging the gap between its roadgoing Sports Series line-up and the current GT4 racer. As predicted, the track-focussed machine will inherit much of its chassis hardware from the competition machine but, with no motorsport restrictors to worry about, its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 is free to output 620hp and 457lb ft of torque - which, in a car that weighs 1,282kg dry, amounts to a lot of performance.

Consider: 62mph arrives in (a 720S-matching) 2.9 seconds, 124mph comes along at 8.1 and top speed is 200mph. It’s officially the fastest Sports Series car yet. And the straight-line stuff isn’t even the 620R’s party piece; as scooped by PH, the car’s chassis and suspension componentry is what really sets it apart from the field. The crossover between racing car and road machine is significant, to the extent that - tyres and number plates aside - the two appear damn near identical.

At its core is McLaren’s familiar MonoCell II monocoque, with aluminium front and rear crash structures. But practically everything else around it has been tuned up to track specification. Just like in the GT4, you get two-way manually adjustable coilovers, with 32 clicks of adjustment for the damping rates - and the hardware changes the suspension lighter than the road version, contributing a 6kg saving from the total. It also means the setup can absorb the higher lateral loading of slick tyres without further adjustment. 


The weight saving is continued in the wishbones and uprights, which are made of aluminium, while the anti-roll bars provide additional resistance. The suspension struts themselves are now bolted to solid stainless steel top mounts in place of rubber ones, improving steering response and feedback through the rack, while the M838TE engine is held in place with its own firmer mounts, organically reducing inertia under load. Additionally, McLaren’s F1-derived Inertia Push technology, which uses kinetic energy stored in the flywheel, provides extra torque.

Stopping is courtesy of 390mm front and 380mm rear carbon ceramics discs that work with forged aluminium calipers – which, tellingly, have been engineered with a focus on providing optimum feel and performance when they’re subjected to track work. Hammering the car’s circuit honing home is the optional fitment of proper slick rubber, which extends the contact patch by eight per cent over the standard-fit (and still bloody sticky) Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R road boots. They come wrapped around 19- and 20-inch wheels, capable of working with both the treaded and untreaded rubber.

On top of the no doubt immense mechanical grip will be an enhanced aerodynamic package that includes an adjustable carbon fibre rear wing identical to the GT4’s (barring the fitment of a brake light) to produce up to 185kg of downforce. While a large front splitter and dive planes combine to add up to 65kg of downforce over the nose. The 600LT, by comparison, produces no more than 100kg combined with its body pieces.


In short - and as you might expect - this is pretty much as close as you’ll be able to get to a GT4 racing car for the road. As such, the cabin is pared-back to the essentials, with the carbon bucket seat and six-point harnesses, racing wheel and extended shift paddles all inspired by the motorsport model. McLaren also fits its track telemetry system as part of a centre-mounted, seven-inch touchscreen. What you don’t get are sat nav, floor carpets or a glovebox, nor is there air con or a sound system. Although you can have the first three refitted as no cost options, while you’re required to hand over extra cash for a lightweight Bowers and Wilkins audio system.

Naturally, there are a raft of colour and trim customisations on offer, although only three exterior colours are offered as standard: McLaren Orange with white stripes, Silica White with orange stripes or Onyx Black with orange stripes. Numbers can be fitted too for the full race effect, while a Senna GTR-mimicking decal livery is also on offer. Suffice it to say we’re expecting most of the 350 620Rs to get their own, unique look – including that lucky PHer who passed on news of the model’s arrival back in October. Orders are being taken now, with prices starting at £250,000. For those fortunate enough to get their hands on one, production starts next month.


Search for a McLaren here








Author
Discussion

TyrannosauRoss Lex

Original Poster:

34,943 posts

211 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
How come the article says fastest super series, yet it's a sports series? Assume a typo?

Looks good and bet it's great to drive!

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
It's nice but they keep pissing all over their client base the same way Lotus do !!!

and it stops people buying into the brand knowing a new model is out in 6 months.

You buy a RS Porker, or some thing like a M3 CSL or what ever you know you have the best car they make for 4 YEARS !!

you buy a Macca one week, and it's yesterdays news the next !

600LT looks a great car, but the 620R is better and must have been in planning when they did the 600LT.

now 600LT are £70k below list !!! and with the launch of this will drop again !

Gameface

16,565 posts

76 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Another niche filled.

Another box ticked.

Another yawn from me.

AmosMoses

4,039 posts

164 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
I cant help but think this is a monumentally lazy release. So its basically a 570s with the wick turned up, a few aero parts they had lying around and some coilovers. It's not exactly ground breaking is it?

I love the idea of it basically being a race car, but it you wanted a McLaren for the track wouldn't you just buy the GT4?

gigglebug

2,611 posts

121 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
article said:
What you don’t get are sat nav, floor carpets or a glovebox, nor is there air con or a sound system. Although you can have the first three refitted as no cost options, while you’re required to hand over extra cash for a lightweight Bowers and Wilkins audio system.
Is this statement correct as it appears to be suggesting that aircon doesn't fall into either a no cost or cost option which I find hard to believe?

It'll be interesting to see how the car compares to the 600LT, especially on road, as the differences aren't minor.

thelostboy

4,562 posts

224 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Er, so what is the 600LT versus this?

I really don't get McLaren at all!

Gameface

16,565 posts

76 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
If weight saving was such a priority, why not use the lighter top exit 600LT exhaust?

Dave Hedgehog

14,541 posts

203 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Gameface said:
Another niche filled.

Another box ticked.

Another yawn from me.
come on, its been at least 9 days since the last 'collectable' mclaren was released

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
I haven't a clue which model is which they all look the same.

Lt. Coulomb

202 posts

53 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Thesprucegoose said:
I haven't a clue which model is which they all look the same.
I can differentiate the 720S from the others!

Vee12V

1,329 posts

159 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Or just buy a barely run in 720S that would destroy this surrogate any day of the week, no matter the surface or conditions.

What were McLaren thinking. Pointless.


Edited by Vee12V on Monday 9th December 17:35

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Wouldn't it better focusing on reliability, they don't have a good reputation.

DS240

4,636 posts

217 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Porsche911R said:
It's nice but they keep pissing all over their client base the same way Lotus do !!!

and it stops people buying into the brand knowing a new model is out in 6 months.

You buy a RS Porker, or some thing like a M3 CSL or what ever you know you have the best car they make for 4 YEARS !!

you buy a Macca one week, and it's yesterdays news the next !

600LT looks a great car, but the 620R is better and must have been in planning when they did the 600LT.

now 600LT are £70k below list !!! and with the launch of this will drop again !
Totally agree. Long time critic of McLaren model strategy with seemingly no long term planning and the same car different outfit approach etc.

The lower end of the McLaren clones are so hard to tell apart and I’m usually in the ‘geek’ spectrum of knowing car models.

There’s always going to be newer, latest and greatest but it’s likely the buyers are coming from the same pool of people and they’re not going to feel too special losing masses of cash each purchase and more importantly losing the faith in the brand. And anyone new to the pool isn’t going to be attracted by stories of ‘big depreciation’, ‘out of date next week’ on their big new purchase.


Edited by DS240 on Monday 9th December 10:44

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Gameface said:
Another niche filled.
Another box ticked.
Another yawn from me.
They're all at it these days - McLaren, Porsche, Lotus. More over-priced special editions than you can shake a stick at, yet muppets seem to queue up for their next shiny toy to show off at the pub for a couple of Sundays until somebody else (or they) buy the next newer/smarter/shinier/faster/more expensive version of the same car.

Not my game, but if customers want to chuck money at this sort of nonsense it's fine by me.

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
rockin said:
They're all at it these days - McLaren, Porsche, Lotus. More over-priced special editions than you can shake a stick at, yet muppets seem to queue up for their next shiny toy to show off at the pub for a couple of Sundays until somebody else (or they) buy the next newer/smarter/shinier/faster/more expensive version of the same car.

Not my game, but if customers want to chuck money at this sort of nonsense it's fine by me.
How so with Porsche ?

you know you buy a GT3 and are safe no new GT3 will be out in 4 years.
You also know they will have a RS model of the GT3 a year later but again another 4 years till the next RS model.

Lotus piss on people chips agree, they will sell you a car when a new ones out back under a cover !!!

But Porsche model line up pretty set in stone. They do have the T models which are st I guess, but that's to pick up failed GT3 orders !!!
seems a new thing the T models and totally pointless in the line up, but easy to sell to new clients who are NOT allowed a GT product.
Buy a T today and you might get a GT car next time round !!!


DS240

4,636 posts

217 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
The other element to this is how can I see this story and barely have an interest in reading the details.

I’ve not got a total downer on McLaren. Original F1 is a hero car of mine and I’ve liked the 675LT and the 720 is amazing. The rest leaves me cold though and all kind of blur into one another.


EK993

1,925 posts

250 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Porsche911R said:
How so with Porsche ?

you know you buy a GT3 and are safe no new GT3 will be out in 4 years.
You also know they will have a RS model of the GT3 a year later but again another 4 years till the next RS model.

Lotus piss on people chips agree, they will sell you a car when a new ones out back under a cover !!!

But Porsche model line up pretty set in stone. They do have the T models which are st I guess, but that's to pick up failed GT3 orders !!!
seems a new thing the T models and totally pointless in the line up, but easy to sell to new clients who are NOT allowed a GT product.
Buy a T today and you might get a GT car next time round !!!
911 Carrera -> GT3 -> GT3RS
570S -> 600LT -> 620R

Not so different surely?

Gameface

16,565 posts

76 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Well the GT3's use completely different engines to the Carrera for starters.

wab172uk

2,005 posts

226 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
<<<<< Sarcastic mode on >>>>>>


Does anyone know what engine this car is running?

xjay1337

15,966 posts

117 months

Monday 9th December 2019
quotequote all
Nothing quite has the same attraction as the 675LT IMO.