RE: 'Unshackled' production McLaren Senna GTR unveiled

RE: 'Unshackled' production McLaren Senna GTR unveiled

Friday 8th March 2019

'Unshackled' production McLaren Senna GTR unveiled

All 75 were sold when the car was just a concept; here's what those GTR buyers are in for



On the face of it, you would imagine the market for cars that can only be used on track and yet can't be entered into any competition might be quite small. After all, that's a pretty rarefied niche that's being catered for. McLaren has certainly carved out some success with it, though; the earlier Sprint cars having introduced the idea, then been followed up with the P1 GTR and now this, the Senna GTR.

You'll remember it was first shown as a concept this time last year, and sold out very soon after the Geneva reveal. Now McLaren has revealed exactly what a production Senna GTR will be, with the 75 buyers (not all of whom are 'standard' Senna customers, interestingly) no doubt eagerly anticipating their new arrival.

The 825hp as suggested in 2018 has remained, achieved through removal of the second cat for reduced back pressure (plus, handily, more noise) and a rework of the ECU. Note, too, how the exhaust now exits where the standard Senna's does, not at the side as on the concept. The reason? Going out the back is "the shortest, quickest route for exhaust gases to exit, saving weight and reducing complexity." Can't argue with that.


Given the rumours, it may come as a little bit of a surprise to find that a GTR is just 11kg lighter than its road car sibling, at 1,188kg dry. However, don't forget what's been added in - wider rear tracks (77mm at the front, 68mm at the rear) and the accompanying bodywork, air jacks, fire extinguisher, an integrated roll cage and harness mounting points as part of the tub. For those keeping up, this carbon structure is Monocage III-R.

As a car that's said to take the street legal Senna "several steps further into the realm of ultimate performance", and to ensure that weight loss, a lot of the equipment has been ditched, including the audio system, airbags, touchscreens and window glass - they're now polycarbonate. Air conditioning is retained, though; after all, if it's deemed necessary for racing drivers, it's probably sensible in an 825hp track car. Why do people even think about ditching it?

Anyway, the most significant step into ultimate performance for the GTR comes in the aerodynamic work. It would take a lot to make a Senna look meek, but a GTR might just do it, the ludicrous aero addenda across the car showing what can happen when there are no constraints. The rear spoiler has changed pretty significantly from last year; reprofiled with LMP1-style endplates and relocated further back (its trailing edge now outside the car's footprint), it's paired with the diffuser to make "best use of the air flowing over the rear of the car." All the work on the splitters, diffusers and active aero parts has resulted in a peak downforce figure of "more than 1,000kg", comfortably surpassing the standard car's 800kg.


Interestingly, McLaren reckons there's an equivalent amount of downforce to the roadgoing model in the GTR at a 15 per cent lower speed, said to make the car "even less pitch-sensitive and enhancing stability in all situations." It's part of McLaren's pledge to make 95 per cent of the GTR's abilities open to 95 per cent of customers, ensuring that "the incredible track driving experience it offers is not exclusive to professional racing drivers." Therefore the approachability of the regular one is retained (it really is a very easy car to reach your limits in), only with 720S GT3 bits - brakes, suspension set up, slick tyres - to make it a bit... racier. Which sounds like quite the combination.

For full 'because race car' kudos, the GTR gets a pit lane speed limiter, radio system, GT3-style wheel, onboard cameras and, most interestingly, a 'Wet' drive mode alongside 'Track' and 'Race'. It's actually tailored for use on wet tyres, and provides greater support from the ESP and ABS, to hopefully prevent anything embarrassing happening in adverse conditions.

So that's the GTR, McLaren's "fastest, lightest, most aggressive and engaging" car yet. With standard Senna production approaching completion, expect the GTRs to be rolling down the line at Woking very soon. And 75 very excited customers to be taking collection not long after that.







Author
Discussion

morgs_

Original Poster:

1,663 posts

186 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
I still can't quite make my mind up about the road car, but this looks epic.

cuda

464 posts

239 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
Still fugly...

slow_1

119 posts

198 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
The question is will Lanzante be doing a road legal conversion like they did for the P1 GTR?

BelfastBoy

779 posts

159 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
I personally think the roadgoing Senna is an ugly, disproportionate mess, but somehow this GTR version has blown me away. It looks incredible! (I can't even work out why it looks better, must be the more extreme aero, and the solid doors?)

j90gta

563 posts

133 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
Why oh why can't someone cup with a racing series for all these track only specials?? Can you imagine a grid of Senna GTR's, Brabham BT62's, GT2 RS's, FXXK's, Valkyrie's etc.!!!!

Don Colione

93 posts

75 months

Friday 8th March 2019
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Knew those "side exhausts" would have to be re-located...

jakesmith

9,461 posts

170 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
Is there any need for this sort of performance. A Golf GTD will be just as fast 99% of the time.

InductionRoar

2,001 posts

131 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
j90gta said:
Why oh why can't someone cup with a racing series for all these track only specials?? Can you imagine a grid of Senna GTR's, Brabham BT62's, GT2 RS's, FXXK's, Valkyrie's etc.!!!!
I agree in principle, but I can't imagine any of the owners of those cars are skilled enough to drive these cars at even 7/10ths of their potential.

Seeing the CEO of Barclays racing other similarly wealthy, but comparatively untalented drivers, racing around in 800BHP cars would not be as interesting as it sounds.

jakesmith

9,461 posts

170 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
InductionRoar said:
I agree in principle, but I can't imagine any of the owners of those cars are skilled enough to drive these cars at even 7/10ths of their potential.

Seeing the CEO of Barclays racing other similarly wealthy, but comparatively untalented drivers, racing around in 800BHP cars would not be as interesting as it sounds.
Sorry for the irrelevant tangent but I doubt you'd see that. Barclays employees that I know are under strict instructions not to be seen to be having any fun at any time whatsoever. I am not joking they are ridiculously strict on it. They aren't allowed Xmas parties, team nights out or anything like that. The company is too concerned with reputation damage of their employees being seen living it up etc.

DMC2

1,828 posts

210 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
I can't help but think these type of cars are just pointless. Destined to sit in collections or driven on track at 50% by rich wannabes.

Or am I just in a bad mood today?!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
DMC2 said:
I can't help but think these type of cars are just pointless. Destined to sit in collections or driven on track at 50% by rich wannabes.

Or am I just in a bad mood today?!
Alternatively be grateful that such things exist and are still permitted.

In time they’ll be extinct.

If only I could afford something like this I would love to own one.

Decrying them because the owners are likely to be rich amateurs who can’t drive as exquisitely as professionals seems a little churlish.




Steve12NG

257 posts

151 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
InductionRoar said:
j90gta said:
Why oh why can't someone cup with a racing series for all these track only specials?? Can you imagine a grid of Senna GTR's, Brabham BT62's, GT2 RS's, FXXK's, Valkyrie's etc.!!!!
I agree in principle, but I can't imagine any of the owners of those cars are skilled enough to drive these cars at even 7/10ths of their potential.

Seeing the CEO of Barclays racing other similarly wealthy, but comparatively untalented drivers, racing around in 800BHP cars would not be as interesting as it sounds.
Actually, that sounds hilarious.

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
j90gta said:
Why oh why can't someone cup with a racing series for all these track only specials?? Can you imagine a grid of Senna GTR's, Brabham BT62's, GT2 RS's, FXXK's, Valkyrie's etc.!!!!
Keep an eye on the world endurance championship for the 2020/2021 season, they're bringing in a hypercar class for exactly that.

C7 JFW

1,205 posts

218 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
Steve12NG said:
Actually, that sounds hilarious.
Well said.

They don't care that these cars can only be driven on a clear track - the vast majority of them are investment pieces.

Harry_523

350 posts

98 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
I find this a slightly confusing car when combined with the road Senna,

You've just spent a million quid on a Senna, which is supposed to be the ultimate road going track car. You'd assume someone would buy it to use it on track. Then mclaren offers you a version thats better on track but not road legal, and you buy that too. Begs the question why you'd bother buying the Senna in the first place if you're only going to use it on the road (where its reportedly not as good as a 600LT etc), as you have the GTR for the track?

I suppose the answer is "for ragging round london" and "because I could", but that seems a shame.

Edited by Harry_523 on Friday 8th March 14:29

Edible Roadkill

1,687 posts

176 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
Simply ridiculous car!!

Wonder if I’ll see one on the road that would be a sight to behold.

AmosMoses

4,039 posts

164 months

Friday 8th March 2019
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Looks a lot nicer than the road car, can i have mine in black please?

Amanitin

419 posts

136 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
Brooking10 said:
Alternatively be grateful that such things exist and are still permitted.
apart from reading the occasional ph piece, these billionaire toy cars have exactly zero impact on my life. That's a little thin in exchange for my gratitude.

epom

11,400 posts

160 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
Proper.

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Friday 8th March 2019
quotequote all
looking forward to the LM version, should be 100kg or so lighter and road legal - wonder if it can get near the p1's ring time