2021 Mclaren Gt on 2040-cars

Auto blog

The McLaren MSO HS is a full-custom, 679-hp menace inspired by the P1 GTR

There's no end in sight for McLaren Special Operations and its attempts at making McLarens even more, well, special. While we found the McLaren 675LT to be an incredibly competent supercar when we drove it, someone at MSO decided the thing needed more power and aerodynamic goodies. We're okay with that. This project was previously leaked as the McLaren 688HS. Now McLaren has released details on the 679-horsepower MSO HS (for High Sport) and it's ridiculous. Based on the McLaren 650S, the MSO HS is limited to just 25 units, which have already been spoken for and will be entirely customized for their owners. Output from the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine is up to 679 horsepower (an increase of 13 over the 675LT), while torque stays the same at 516 pound-feet. To accompany the increase in power, this particular MSO HS features a hilarious amount of carbon fiber. The roof, hood, front bumper, and wing – which is inspired by the McLaren P1 GTR – are all made out of the lightweight material. Not that we doubted it, but the aero package is functional – McLaren claims the MSO HS makes 485 pounds of downforce at 150 mph. And yes, that's a giant scoop on the roof. McLaren didn't release any performance figures for the MSO HS, but the supercar will surely be just as fast, if not faster, around a track as the 675LT. To help the brave and daring owners that plan to take the car to the track, the MSO HS comes with McLaren Track Telemetry. The feature, which is also found on the 675LT, includes a host of sensors and three cameras to provide data to help the driver go even quicker. Since MSO will customize each of the supercars to an owner's specifications, pricing hasn't been released, and it's kind of irrelevant since you can't buy one anymore. Given its extremely limited run, more powerful engine, and customizable body, you can be sure the MSO HS's price will surely dwarf that of the 675LT at $350,000. Related Video: Featured Gallery McLaren MSO HS News Source: McLarenImage Credit: McLaren McLaren Coupe Lightweight Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars mclaren special operations

McLaren confirms Alonso's return for Malaysia

Formula One will have one more multiple world champion on the grid in Malaysia as McLaren has confirmed that Fernando Alonso will indeed be returning to the cockpit this weekend. The former two-time champ suffered a major crash during pre-season testing in Barcelona a month ago, and subsequently sat out the season opener in Australia earlier this month. The team refuted rampant rumors that there had been some sort of electrical glitch related to the hybrid Energy Recovery System that caused Alonso to pass out behind the wheel, insisting that nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Since the crash, McLaren reports that its star driver "has followed a rigorous, specialised training programme, designed and closely monitored by leading sports scientists, to ensure his safe and timely return to racing." He visited the team's headquarters in Woking, England, where he met with his engineers and spent some virtual time behind the wheel of the team's state-of-the-art simulator. That means this weekend will mark Fernando's first time racing for McLaren since the end of 2007 when he spent one season with the team, before returning to Renault, with which he had won his two world titles. After two more seasons, he switched to Ferrari, but after failing to emerge from Red Bull's shadow in the seasons that followed, Alonso returned to McLaren. It's a difficult time to be driving for the British team, though: after dismal pre-season testing mired by Alonso's crash and mechanical difficulties related to the new Honda engine, his substitute Kevin Magnussen failed to make it to the starting grid in Melbourne while team-mate Jenson Button managed to finish, but no better than dead last. News Source: McLaren Motorsports McLaren F1 malaysian grand prix

America gets its first McLaren P1 GTR

McLaren won't be making a lot of P1 GTRs. Only 35, to be precise. And most of them will likely remain under the company's care, to be transported to specially organized track days. That means you're not likely to see many of them here in the United States, but one fortunate customer recently took delivery of one such track-bound supercar in Northern California. Decked out in a shade of British Racing Green so deep it looks almost black, with trim in McLaren's signature shade of orange, this particular McLaren P1 GTR was captured while being offloaded from a truck in San Jose a little over a week ago. Given the location, we'd imagine the vehicle belongs to some Silicon Valley billionaire – which only makes sense, considering that it costs a good $3 million or so. But the location also means local fans should soon see it lapping around Sonoma Raceway and Laguna Seca in due course. The GTR is the track-focused counterpart to the road-going P1. It packs the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 hybrid powertrain as the P1, but tuned to deliver nearly 1,000 horsepower, unburdened of excess weight, and fitted with equipment designed specifically for the racing circuit. Like the LaFerrari-based FXX K and the Aston Martin Vulcan, it's designed neither for the road nor for any racing series, but just as a plaything that the uber-wealthy can toy around with on track days. With production of the P1 now complete, the craftsmen at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking are building the last few GTRs before the Ultimate Series of which this car is part closes its books. Related Video: