- Solus GT revealed as V10 track-only special, limited to 25
- 829 horsepower with 10,000-rpm+ redline
- $3.5 million price tag
You thought the McLaren Speedtail was bonkers? Think again! The McLaren Solus GT arrives as a track-only realization of a concept car that was designed to be only driven in a video game. Only 25 fortunate customers will get one, and all units have already been spoken-for prior to the public reveal. That's quite a shame because the specs on this car are truly out of this world.
Unlike any existing McLaren models, which all use a twin-turbocharged V8, the Solus GT is equipped with a mid-mounted 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V10. For the first time ever in a McLaren, the engine is an integral part of the chassis. This screaming powerplant built by Judd Power pumps out 829 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, delivering 0-62 in 2.5 seconds and a top speed over 200 mph. Oh, and did we mention it revs beyond 10,000 rpm? Yeah, our heads almost exploded reading that spec.
Power goes out through a race-derived seven-speed sequential gearbox with straight-cut gears through a multi-plate carbon fiber clutch for maximum shift aggressiveness. Because race car.
This is easily the most track-focused McLaren we've ever seen, and that's saying something given the company's other projects like the Senna GTR. The Solus GT only weighs 2,205 pounds and produces more than 2,645 pounds of downforce. McLaren was able to make the car this planted by implementing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and wind-tunnel aerodynamic research, the type of testing that's done in F1. The company says this car will outperform any McLaren model outside of single-seater racing, which is a very bold proclamation.
Like an F1 car, the Solus GT only has room for a single passenger with a seat specifically molded to their individual body shape. Each owner will receive an FIA-homologated race suit, helmet, and HANS (Head And Neck Support) device, plus a driver-development coaching program to learn how not to shunt it into a wall.
Drivers can hop into their center-mounted seat via a sliding canopy, which is nothing like a conventional car door or even McLaren's signature dihedral doors. Once situated inside, the seat remains fixed while the pedal box is adjustable, just like a race car. There are very few luxuries inside, but drivers do get slick halo-style cockpit protection, which displays a wide-angle rearview within the roll hoop. Like all McLarens, this car uses a carbon-fiber monocoque chassis and other high-dollar materials such as 3D-printed titanium for the halo cockpit protection structure and roll hoop.
McLaren didn't quote an exact price, but says the Solus GT costs in excess of $3.5 million, and represents the level of craftsmanship customers can expect from McLaren Special Operations (MSO). Only customers who purchased the McLaren Sabre, a car that was only sold in the US market, were allowed to be one of the 25 Solus GT owners. McLaren has already planned track events for the owners, and all 25 cars will be delivered with a flight case with tools, vehicle jacks, stands, radio sets, and a coolant pre-heater so the car can be driven on a number of tracks.
The Solus GT is currently in the track-testing stage and will be delivered in 2023.