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McLaren Customer Racing takes track performance to a new level with the 720S GT3X

McLaren Customer Racing takes track performance to a new level with the 720S GT3X

  • 720S GT3X developed by McLaren Customer Racing for track use only, without restriction of motorsport regulations
  • Based on 720S GT3 race car, but not homologated for racing
  • Hand-built, twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 develops up to 750PS

McLaren Customer Racing has confirmed that an unrestricted version of its 720S GT3 race car, the 720S GT3X, is available to order through the McLaren Motorsport Retailer Network. Designed and developed in-house by the motorsport arm of McLaren Automotive, the GT3X is for track use only but is not homologated for any racing class or championship. Without the need to comply with competition regulations, increased levels of power and performance have allowed McLaren Customer Racing to further exploit the chassis and aerodynamic characteristics of its latest-specification, race-winning 720S GT3 to optimise circuit driving enjoyment.

Pioneering in the field of lightweight and safety in motorsport, McLaren introduced the first all-carbon fibre chassis to Formula 1 in 1981 with the McLaren MP4/1. Since then, carbon fibre has been at the core of every McLaren and the 720S GT3X features the MonoCage II chassis that provides a strong, light and safe environment for its occupants.

Performance comes from a hand-built 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine, optimised to combine features from the 720S road car and the 720S GT3 race car.  Coupled to a six-speed sequential motorsport transmission, a unique version of the M840T engine features a blueprinted cylinder head, strengthened pistons, ‘Diamond Like Carbon’ (DLC) coating and a lightweight performance exhaust system. The track-focused components and systems deliver the same 720PS (710bhp) as the road car, with a further 30PS (30bhp) boost function available to the driver through a steering wheel-mounted ‘push-to-pass’ button.

The lightweight 720S GT3X tips the scales at just 1,210kg (2,668lbs) and displays the extreme weight-saving efforts that have been taken into consideration to remove all non-essential or luxury items where possible, leaving the driver with just what they need to extract the best performance. Each of these measures combine to give the 720S GT3X a power-to-weight ratio of 620PS*-per-tonne.

The development programme has seen a focus on pure engineering, innovative aerodynamics and efficient design, with thousands of track kilometres covered across Europe and the Middle East. Freed from sporting regulations, the 720S GT3X is a performance-optimised version of the already-bespoke GT3 race car, with the bodywork’s flowing lines developed using ‘Computational Fluid Dynamics’ (CFD) and Formula 1 wind tunnel technology. The aerodynamically sculpted shape is hand-finished in metallic MSO Carbon Black paint. A refined pinstripe in heritage McLaren Orange – a nod to the historic race-winning McLaren Formula 1 cars of the 1960s – accentuates the lower edges of the ground-hugging body shape and the outer rim of the gloss black centre-locking wheel rims, while an ‘X’ graphic stretches across the upper canopy.

The stripped-out cabin features extensive use of lightweight carbon fibre and is designed around outright track performance and functionality. A carbon fibre and Kevlar FIA-approved race seat hugs the driver, while the pedal box and steering wheel adjust to ensure the perfect driving position. The ergonomically-designed race steering wheel is fitted with all key functions via intuitive rotary switches and buttons meaning everything is at the driver’s fingertips. Thrill-seeking friends can also experience the speeds and exhilaration of being on a track as the interior of the 720S GT3X has been designed to accommodate a fully safety-compliant race seat on the passenger side of the cabin, complete with six-point race harness. Modifications over the race car include a revised design to the roll-cage to accommodate a passenger without compromising on safety and enhanced crash structures around the occupant safety cell.

In addition to delivering a new type of performance on the track, the 720S GT3X delivers a new level of ownership experience. As part of the purchase and ownership package, McLaren Automotive can provide dedicated technical track support for each owner. This programme is carried out by the customer support engineers from the in-house McLaren Customer Racing division – the team that has designed and developed the model alongside the 720S GT3 global customer race program.

“Due to GT3 balance of performance requirements, the 720S GT3 car has to run with a considerably reduced power output than the road-going 720S Spider and Coupe variants. The brief for the GT3X project was to unleash the full potential of the 720S GT3 car using a massively increased power output to fully exploit the aerodynamics and chassis dynamics of the car. Additionally, the car is now able to carry passengers for the first time, thanks to the re-design of a new bespoke roll-cage and passenger seat installation. Brake cooling has also been improved to cope with the additional demands of increased speed and the mass of a passenger.

The 720S GT3X now offers a unique opportunity to experience a fully-fledged GT3 car. The lap time is significantly reduced from the GT3 benchmark through both the huge standard power increase and the additional 30bhp from the push-to-pass button. The end result is a car that offers a truly unique experience.”
Ian Morgan, Director, McLaren Customer Racing

The 720S GT3X is available to order now from the 11 official McLaren Motorsport Retailers worldwide: McLaren Glasgow, McLaren Zurich, McLaren Frankfurt, McLaren Beverly Hills, McLaren Houston, McLaren Newport Beach, McLaren Philadelphia, McLaren San Francisco, McLaren Toronto, McLaren Auckland and McLaren Melbourne. Each retailer can also offer technical and servicing support for the track-only model.

Rob Bell, McLaren Factory Driver, demonstrates the capabilities of the McLaren 720S GT3X on the Portimao Circuit,

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McLaren Automotive has enjoyed significant success with its range of pioneering sports and supercars since the start of production in 2011. Alongside its road-focused models, the company has been winning races with motorsport derivatives of key models since 2012. Based on the highly-accomplished 720S road car, the 720S GT3 debuted in 2019 with private race teams competing at the highest level – and proved immediately successful. In fact, in its first race, the 720S GT3 took pole position and went on to score its first ever race win against a field of world-class opposition, proving that McLaren had designed and developed another race-winner.

About McLaren Automotive:

McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance supercars.

Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England.

Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.

The company’s product portfolio of GT, supercar, Motorsport and Ultimate models are retailed through over 85 retailers in 40 markets around the world.

McLaren is a pioneer that continuously pushes the boundaries. In 1981, it introduced lightweight and strong carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1.

Then in 1993  it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car – the company has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™. In 2016, it announced a new hybrid hyper-GT would be engineering, confirming this next Ultimate Series car as the Speedtail in 2018.

2019 saw McLaren launch the 600LT Spider, the new GT and the track-only McLaren Senna GTR. It also unveiled the 620R and McLaren Elva before launching the 765LT the following year.

Most recently, the company unveiled its all-new high-performance hybrid supercar, the McLaren Artura.

The Artura is the first McLaren to benefit from the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture (MCLA). The MCLA is designed, developed and manufactured at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre in the Sheffield region of England using world-first process and will spearhead the brand’s electrified future.

McLaren Automotive also chooses to partner with like-minded world-leading companies and organisations who push the boundaries in their respective fields. These include AkzoNobel, Ashurst, Dell Technologies, Gulf, Pirelli,  Richard Mille and Tumi.

McLaren Group:
The McLaren Group is a global leader in luxury automotive and technology and comprises three businesses: Automotive, Racing and Applied.

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2021 Lexus LC 500 inspiration series performance luxury takes flight

2021 LEXUS LC 500 INSPIRATION SERIES: PERFORMANCE LUXURY TAKES FLIGHT

  • 2021 LC 500 Inspiration Series limited to 100 units, unique serialized badge included
  • Carbon-fiber rear spoiler inspired by air racing

  • Features include carbon-fiber roof, 21-inch black forged wheels
  • Performance enhanced with limited slip differential, rear performance rod with damper
  • Unique black Alcantara-trimmed sport seats with Saddle Tan accents and seat belts

PLANO, Texas (January 12, 2021) – The Lexus LC 500 needs no formal introduction. It greets all encounters with a growl from its powerful 471-horsepower naturally aspirated V8 engine. Its artfully chiseled lines and refined curvature marry luxury and performance in a way that only Lexus can. The new 2021 LC 500 Inspiration Series takes the grand-touring coupe to the next level with an aviation-inspired design that will land in dealerships later this winter.

Inspiration Takes Flight

The new LC 500 Inspiration Series, the fifth on the LC platform, takes cue from a partnership between air race pilot Yoshihide Muroya and Lexus engineers. The Lexus team worked on ways to create efficiencies for Muroya’s aircraft for everything from the grip design of the control column to maximizing aerodynamics efficiencies using testing data learned on Lexus automobiles. The partnership ultimately assisted Muroya on his path to winning the 2017 Red Bull Air Race World Championships.

With some of the same engineers who built the Lexus LFA supercar on board, Lexus took a unique approach to the aerodynamic efficiencies of Muroya’s airplane by turning a preconceived concept on its head – literally. They found that taking an airplane wing and flipping it upside down created vortices that improved maneuverability and efficiency at the wingtips. After the team was able to prove their theory on Muroya’s aircraft through testing and competition success, the Lexus team then aimed to employ that knowledge onto the LC by creating an automotive wing prototype built from aluminum. The team knew the final version, which would span nearly six feet in width, would need to be light, durable and warp resistant. Carbon-fiber, the same material employed on Muroya’s aircraft, seemed like the appropriate material. Yet creating a carbon-fiber wing that large, much of which would be done by hand, would be a great challenge – but it’s one the engineers took head-on.

In the end, the engineering team created an exquisite carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) spoiler that meets the demanding production quality expected of Lexus vehicles. The wing serves as the defining attribute of the new LC Inspiration Series, following the trailing edge arc of the trunk and uniquely defined with two downturned winglets on either end. The winglets, of course, are fully functional and create a vertical vortex that helps smooth out the turbulence generated from airflow along the car’s flanks.

Limited Engagement

The 2021 LC 500 Inspiration Series certainly has an interesting backstory, but its aerial inspiration is only part of the narrative. With only 100 units available, the latest Inspiration Series is a limited edition of the highest order.

Standing apart from the standard LC 500, a magnificent vehicle in its own right, the 2021 Inspiration Series is accented with a combination of features not found on any other LC package. The limited-edition vehicle is offered in one exterior color, the superbly dark Obsidian, which is paired with bold and beautiful 21-inch black forged-alloy wheels that fill out the wheel wells. An eye-catching carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof is standard, and it proves to be the perfect complement to the carbon-fiber rear air wing spoiler.

The LC 500 Inspiration Series also gains some additional enhancements in driving performance thanks to the Torsen limited slip differential. The high-capacity torque-sensing limited-slip rear differential efficiently distributes engine power to the rear axle, helping to optimize traction, handling and control in a variety of conditions. The standard Yamaha rear performance rod with damper, an available option on other LC models, provides added rigidity to the suspension package.

Stepping inside, the serialized badge on the center console immediately identifies the limited nature of the vehicle and its sequence of the 100 produced. The cabin is adorned with black Alcantara-trimmed sport seats that feature elegant Saddle Tan accents and seat belts. The steering wheel and shift lever are also accented in black Alcantara trim. A carbon-fiber scuff plate accents the door, and once inside driver and passengers can bask in the sound of the standard Mark Levinson 13-speaker 915-watt Reference Surround Sound Audio system.

The LC Inspiration Series also comes standard with a large color Head-Up Display (HUD) that projects a range of information onto the bottom of the windshield glass. Relevant information can be displayed to the driver without taking their focus from the road such as: road speed, gear, engine speed; turn-by-turn directions; Dynamic Radar Cruise Control status; Pre-Collision System; Lane Keep Assist/Lane Departure Alert; master warning indicator; information icons; clearance sonar.

Standard on the Inspiration Series is the SmartAccess Card Key, which operates all of the same SmartAccess systems as a key fob without the manual button operation. Users can simply place the Card Key on their person and use the SmartAccess system to unlock/lock the doors by grasping the outside door handle and start the vehicle once inside. Each SmartAccess Card Key also comes equipped with a backup mechanical key to unlock the doors in the event the battery is depleted.

Key Evolutions for 2021

The LC 500 Inspiration Series benefits from the same updates to the standard LC 500 for 2021. Lexus engineers were able to trim 22 pounds of unsprung weight from the vehicle, which is highlighted by the use of aluminum lower suspension arms, lighter suspension stabilizers with a hollow design and revised diameter, new high-strength coil spring material, and lighter 21-inch rear wheels.

With unsprung weight reduced, the LC’s suspension was refined to provide a smoother, softer stroke for an enhanced connection to the road. This was accomplished with adjustments to the electronic absorber controls of the front suspension to increase the length of the stroke. Engineers then optimized the bound stopper rigidity to help create a smoother overall suspension stroke. Rear stabilizer rigidity was enhanced to aid front turn-in ability to provide more linear steering input.

Vehicle control at mid- to high-speed ranges are enhanced thanks to the 2021 LC’s Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system gaining Active Cornering Assist (ACA). This system helps with cornering by providing brake control to the inner wheels based on G-force and lateral acceleration demands during spirited driving.

High Performance

Upon startup, thundering through the variable Active Exhaust, the 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 issues a full-throated engine note as a call to driving enthusiasts. The LC 500 has an output of 471 hp and 398 lb.-ft. of peak torque. The LC is also capable of delivering a 0-to-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds and has an EPA estimated 25 mpg rating on the highway.

Other key enhancements for the 2021 model were made to the 10-speed automatic Direct-Shift transmission on the V8-powered LC 500, as the shift logic was updated to help provide improvement for daily driving in what engineers refer to as the “active zone,” or the area where most drivers find themselves at in the 50-70% throttle range. The Direct-Shift transmission allows engine RPM to expand in this range to accentuate the feeling of acceleration before shifting into the next gear.

Lexus Enform for Safety and Convenience

Lexus Enform Safety Connect comes with a three-year trial with access to Lexus Enform response centers 24/7/365. With Lexus Enform Service Connect, complimentary for the first 10 years, the vehicle can send alerts for specific factory recommended maintenance, simultaneously alerting a preferred Lexus dealer. The Lexus App can be used to set push-reminders and alerts for maintenance and service issues. The Lexus Enform Remote (three-year trial subscription included) mobile app lets you lock and unlock doors, start the engine and climate controls, check the fuel level, and more all through your smartphone, smartwatch or Amazon Alexa–enabled devices at home.

Advanced Safety Features and Driver Support

Lexus Safety System+ comes standard on the 2021 LC 500. Lexus Safety System+ features Lane Departure Alert with Lane Keep Assist. Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection is standard and includes features such as Frontal Collision Warning (FCW), Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) and Pedestrian Detection. All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control is also included, as is Intelligent High Beam that will default to high-beam mode when the road ahead is clear but will temporarily switch to low beams when headlamps or taillamps are detected.

Intuitive Parking Assist comes standard on the LC Inspiration Series. It uses sonar sensors in the front and rear bumpers to detect obstacles in the vehicle’s path during low-speed maneuvering. The system gives an audible alert and the Multi-Information Display (MID) shows the position and distance to the obstacle. Blind Spot Monitor is standard equipment, as is a windshield de-icer.

Lexus’ passion for brave design, imaginative technology, and exhilarating performance enables the luxury lifestyle brand to create amazing experiences for its guests. Lexus began its journey in 1989 with two luxury sedans and a commitment to pursue perfection. Since then, Lexus has developed its lineup to meet the needs of global luxury customers in more than 90 countries. In the United States, Lexus vehicles are sold through 242 dealers offering a full lineup of luxury vehicles. With six models incorporating Lexus Hybrid Drive, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader. Lexus also offers six F SPORT models and two F performance models. Lexus is committed to being a visionary brand that anticipates the future for luxury customers.

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