8:37 am, April 8, 2013
LUXURY car specialist Lawton Brook is offering something rather special in its Knaresborough-based dealership – a McLaren MP4-12C GT3.
Based on the MP4-12C, the GT3 is designed for an altogether different purpose: racing.
It has the same 75kg carbon-based ‘MonoCell’ chassis as used in the standard road car, but is tweaked with all sorts of aerodynamic additions including a carbon fibre front splitter, ‘door blades’ and rear wing.
There are ruthless weight-saving features in its stripped-out interior, too, finished off by race-spec seats, a roll cage and even a steering wheel ‘designed by Lewis Hamilton’.
The GT3 shares MP4-12C’s 3.8-litre V8 engine, too, though its power output has been de-tuned slightly: now around 500BHP. Thanks to its light weight and sharp aerodynamics, however, top speed is said to still be around 200mph.
The race-bred McLaren is one of only 25 ever made, and reportedly the only example to have never been taken on a track – two things that help justify its £358,800 asking price.
It’s not simply a case of buying the McLaren and driving it home, however: the supercar isn’t currently road legal.
‘We [are] delighted to offer a unique opportunity to acquire arguably the finest GT3 race car in the world. The new McLaren MP4-12C GT3 is designed to be the highest quality, most reliable and most driveable car on the GT3 grid. No other GT3 car currently offers a road car carbon chassis.
‘McLaren are bringing new levels of technology to GT3 racing. The 3.8 litre McLaren V8 twin turbo engine develops 500PS and is combined with a new six speed sequential shift gearbox 80KG lighter than the road car.
‘Testing in McLarens F1 simulator has fine tuned the engine calibration, power steering, spring rates, weight distribution, gear ratios and diff setting of the car. No other car in GT3 starts life with this level of attention. McLaren has racing in its blood and the natural step was to take the MP4-12C road racing.’
Image Credit: Lawton Brook
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