McLaren Senna GTR: Geneva update
Quite fancied a GTR? Well, you'd better be in Switzerland this morning because they're almost all gone...
Get 'em while they're hot, the old adage goes. Well, that applies doubly to cars and apparently thrice to McLaren, which has confidently predicted - less than 12 hours from launch - that all examples of the Senna GTR will likely be gone by close of play on the second day of the Geneva show.
The firm's Executive Director for Global Sales, Jolyon Nash, had previously suggested to PH that the Swiss event had proven to be a success in terms of sales enquiries, and evidently that scenario has played out again following the introduction of Woking's most extreme track car on Tuesday morning.
Of course the modest total volume of 'up to' 75 examples will have played its part, as will the stellar reputation of McLaren's past GTR variants - nevertheless, prospectively selling out the entire production run of a million pound-car while still in the 'concept' phase reiterates Woking's privileged position in an extremely busy hypercar segment.
The standard Senna - dubbed McLaren's fastest road-legal track car - had already set a notable benchmark for its more expensive sibling; selling out before a single customer had seen the 800hp model in the flesh. At least those approaching the stand in Geneva can claim that advantage - although latecomers will be no less disappointed.
The rumours were true, then: McLaren is going to make an even faster, track-only version of the Senna. Which is already the fastest McLaren around a circuit. Some millionaires are never happy, are they? Previewed at Geneva with this concept, the Senna GTR is expected to go into production next year.
So what's changed? Well, as you can see from the pictures, being freed from the strictures of road-legal status has allowed McLaren to seriously push the envelope when it comes to the car's aerodynamic performance. The rear diffuser - already vast - is now phenomenally big, as is the front splitter. The door skins are pushed in to improve airflow and the wings are new to accommodate a wider track. Dare it be said the "because race car" look actually works better when it's a dedicated track variant? It's certainly got presence.
Combined with a power output that will be 'at least' 825hp and a "race-style transmission" (a sequential gearbox, perhaps?), its maker is confident enough to predict that - even without having properly run the car in its new aero package - it will post the quickest McLaren lap times outside Formula 1. With a revised suspension setup, downforce now up to 1,000kg and Pirelli slicks to push down on, it's hard to find fault with that statement from the edge of a show stand.
CEO Mike Flewitt said of the new model: "The very limited number of customers who secure this car will be buying the closest experience you can get to a race car without actually lining up on a circuit grid." Furthermore, should McLaren buyers still want to actually line up on a circuit grid, 2018 sees the launch of a one-make McLaren championship - the Pure McLaren GT Series - giving customers the chance to compete in 'arrive and drive' events with the 570S GT4.
As for the Senna GTR, McLaren says to expect complete technical details later in 2018, by which time a full production number should have been confirmed too, with delivery expected next year. It's worth reiterating that the track car is actually available to buy, whereas the standard model was sold out before its buyers even got to see it in the flesh. Don't expect that situation to last for long though; the firm will happily accept deposits at Geneva. And expects to do so.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
What if you wanted to go racing with this car?
Unfortunately FIA regs and road legal requirements differ.
I find it bizarre that even everyone at McLaren believes the marketing. Absolutely every car starts life in the modelling studio, and someone senior has stood with the designers and signed off what it looks like based on a COMPROMISE between form and function. It’s fine that sometimes, function is preferred over form, but there are other ways of getting the performance of the aero without it looking like ‘The Homer’....or having glass panels in the doors. Which are a clear example of function being secondary to form....
You seemed frustrated that the road car and track car had some differences but it should be pretty obvious why.
The car is not a blank sheet design, it has to use some existing elements eg the tub, windscreen, engine etc. That will dictate the design to a degree and also explains why it’s a third of the price of a Valkyrie. Given the building blocks the aero performance is spectacular.
It has been said many times but your opinion of the design is not absolute. It is subjective.
When you argue that they could have achieved the aero targets with a different design I remain sceptical. How can you possibly know that?
Glass in the doors? It’s an option. The Senna theme car has carbon lower panels instead.
If they can offer lower glass panels to add to the experience for some customers then why not?
Your claim about the marketing was bizarre given you work for JLR - probably the most marketing driven automotive company in the world. When they’re not driving cars over the Thames on wires (?!!?) they are launching almost identical cars with different names and vastly different price points - all justified by dubious marketing.
If you believed all the JLR marketing regarding aluminium construction you’d probably expect the cars to be lighter than their steel competitors which sadly doesn’t seem to be the case.
I’m not knocking JLR cars ( I’m a fan of Land Rover past and present) but some of their marketing is toe-curling.
The Senna, was/is a no compromise road legal track car..... which is, if you consider the two functions admitting that both are now compromised....which does not in any way justify brutal ugly design..(Mark Reichman at Aston "Adrian Newey had the underneath to work the aero and do what he does, I had the less important upper surfaces to both manipulate the air and create beautiful simply lines and form "..or something).
The Senna GTR is McLarens no rules, lets go, this is it, track ONLY car.... no compromise for the public highway.... but it's still goping? the lack of compromise has seen some changes...the wing is further back yey...the exhausts have moved woo...all of which is odd because when Aston recently unveiled their track only uncompromised version (admittedly at 85%), Mark Reichman said.....well he said the roughly paraphrased quote above...
Point is, road legal track compromise or track only hang-the-rules all out madness, McLaren = dreadful design, Aston = (comparatively) gorgeous...
So it can be done, and "brutal" excuses now and always did sound like BS...panic station development, car collector subsidised BS.
Also GT3RS, Performante, 488 Pista, all road legal track focused compromises that look superb.
911 WEC GTE, 488 WEC GTE, both look favourable too...
You know why that is? because they started somewhere good...
Who said "if it looks fast it probably is fast"?
yeah yeah I know, I don't half go on.
boils my p1ss when marques of this calibre make toss like this.
If the Senna were made by a start up Chinese dream factory, it'd be laughed out of the show...
Anything new to add?
Nope, thought not.
If I were you I’d stop trolling McLaren Senna threads as all that p1ss boiling has got to hurt.
We all know you don’t like the way it looks so your work is done.
By the way, plenty of people have commented on how ugly the Valkyrie is. Yes really. Lots of people really hate the styling. (Check out the various threads).
Yet you hold it up as a paragon of virtue.
Kind of weakens your position on the Senna don’t you think?
anything at all to add Maldy? apart from snide personal remarks, and cute emojis I mean??
Nope...thought not....
Ok let’s call a truce and agree to disagree - it is boring for everybody else to read
In a 1m43 video. The first 48 seconds are of a racing driver that never even saw this car. There's 38seconds of the car going around a track. (then some small print)
TBH I think most of that is due to this lightly short sighted nature of naming the car as such. Given that they've always had short letter/number names. F1, P1, SLR, 675LT etc it comes out of nowhere to suddenly use words anyway.
An alternative I just thought of would have been 800RD (or what ever the HP is) Mr Dennis did such amazing things for that company. He DESERVES some official recognition!
Ferrari do this sort of PR Video nonsense a bit better IMO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS6Qe0tiIq8
So Italian "wiiith a thee preety girl"
I don’t think they are implying Ayrton designed the car. It’s been over 20 years since his death which would have made that tricky.
Personally I don’t see a problem with a company honouring their most successful driver.
If you ever visit McLaren you’ll see memories of Ayrton everywhere, his cars, his helmets, his trophies, even his quotes on the walls.
Within McLaren Ayrton is very much alive.
I guess you could view it cynically but I prefer to see it more positively. Glass half full if you like.
After all, love or loathe it, it is a limited edition, seriously quick car optimised for the track. If they gave his name to a hatchback or god forbid an SUV I would agree it would be horribly cynical.
This was an interesting watch:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HSc9YzwaK98
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff