MCLAREN has unveiled the wild, track-only 720S GT3X – a version of its 720S GT3 race car that isn’t stifled by pesky motorsport regulations.
As such, the 720S GT3X cannot be used in racing, although it was developed by McLaren’s motorsport arm. It is also very illegal for the road. Instead, it was designed for customers to track days where its full potential can be tapped.
As with the race car it is based on, the 720S GT3X is powered by McLaren’s twin-turbo V8, which has been given a blued cylinder head, reinforced pistons and a new exhaust system. And as in the GT3, it produces 710 hp under normal conditions. However, a “push-to-pass” button on the GT3X’s steering wheel boosts power by 30hp for limited periods, bringing peak power to 740hp.
And because the GT3X weighs just 1,210kg – 73kg less than the road-going 720S – every ton of weight is pushed by a whopping 612bhp when the boost is engaged. There’s no mention of McLaren performance, but the McLaren 720S Coupe can accelerate from a standstill to 60mph in 2.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 212mph. It’s fair to guess that the 720S GT3X’s stats are even more impressive.
To cope with the extra performance, the aero has been tweaked to improve cooling as well as downforce (you can’t miss the huge rear wing and prominent rear diffuser), and the engine also features the improved cooling of the GT3 car.
McLaren says the GT3X has undergone a rigorous testing process across Europe and the Middle East, with engineers particularly focusing on “pure engineering, innovative aerodynamics and efficient design”. This involved computational fluid dynamics software as well as F1 wind tunnel technology.
The result is undeniably imposing, especially when finished in Carbon Black paint. In a nod to the race-winning McLarens of the 1960s, there’s also a hint of McLaren Orange to the lower body edges and outer wheel rims. An ‘X’ graphic is also affixed to the upper canopy to add to the slightly mean aura.
As you’d imagine for a high-end track car, there’s not too much comfort. Anything considered “non-essential” or “luxury” has been thrown out to aid in the weight-saving effort, meaning the interior is predictably stripped down. Almost all key functions are controlled by rotary switches and buttons on the steering wheel.
However, unlike the racing GT3, the GT3X can be ordered with an extra seat, in case customers want track lessons from professional racing drivers…or if they have friends who trust them enough. to ride alongside them for a passenger ride.
The seats, which are FIA approved, are constructed from carbon fiber and Kevlar and come with six-point racing harnesses. McLaren has revised the roll cage design to improve safety.
Ian Morgan, director of McLaren Customer Racing, said: “Due to the balance of performance requirements of the GT3, the 720S GT3 car must operate with significantly reduced power output compared to the 720S Spider and Coupe road variants.
“The goal of the GT3X project was to unlock the full potential of the 720S GT3 car by using massively increased power output to fully exploit the car’s aerodynamics and chassis dynamics.”
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