Mclaren Automotive have revealed their real-life version of the virtual concept – the Solus GT. Before you even think about grabbing one of these, they’re all sold out, Even before its public reveal. The car is limited to just 25 units and at a rumored price of around $5 million a pop, I don’t think the list of buyers was as long as a Ford Fiesta! The Solus GT is a single-seater extreme track car with the full on F1 driver experience on offer. It comes with a driving seat molded to individual body shape, an FIA-homologated race suit, helmet and HANS (Head And Neck Support) device bespoke to each owner, and driver-development coaching programme.
The Solus GT is the first and only car in the world to have been brought to reality from an in-game virtual concept. Over to the performance specs, this one will not have regular numbers to enchant you like horsepower figures or top speed. Instead, it has downforce figures which seem to be from a planet having twice the gravitational force of Earth! It weighs less than 1000 Kilos and has over 840 PS but, get this, it comes with 1200 Kgs of downforce o offer thanks to the “perfectly designed in a wind-tunnel.” The Solus GT has a jet-aircraft style cockpit with only space for one that too customized to fit that specific driver only. Powered by a 5.2L V10 mated to a bespoke seven-speed, sequential shift gearbox, this literal hypercar can travel to 100 KPH in 2.5 seconds. I wonder what time it takes to go round the Nurburgring. IF rumors are to be believed, the Mclaren Solus GT is aiming for the sub-6 minute mark officially competing with the VW ID.R or who knows maybe even the Porsche 919 Hybrid EVO.
At less than 1,000kg in weight and with aerodynamic performance including downforce in excess of 1,200kg, the Solus GT – which is powered by a naturally aspirated 5.2-litre V10 engine – is capable of the fastest lap times of any McLaren outside of single-seater racing and delivers a driving experience close to the engagement and sensation of driving a Formula 1 car. The striking exterior design, which is remarkably faithful to its virtual inspiration, is based on proven aerodynamic principles and McLaren’s ‘everything for a reason’ design ethos, honed by additional CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and wind-tunnel aerodynamic research.
The list of distinctive external features is lengthy, with the sliding canopy above the single, central seat being one of the most striking. The wheels are shrouded in aerodynamic pods and located by suspension arms. A large front splitter feeds air into ground-effect tunnels before it exits the car via a full diffuser. A motorsport-inspired intake above the cockpit integrated into the design of the roll hoop cover feeds cold air into the engine, while also providing an engaging induction sound. Race car design also inspired the sidepods which house the Solus GT’s radiators. This is not Mclaren’s marketing team drafting their statements, this is the engineers doing it and boy does it sound luscious. Can’t wait to see on track! But, until we get there, feast your eyes on these pictures:
[tie_slideshow]
[tie_slide]
[/tie_slide]
[tie_slide]
[/tie_slide]
[tie_slide]
[/tie_slide]
[tie_slide]
[/tie_slide]
[tie_slide]
[/tie_slide]
[tie_slide]
[/tie_slide]
[/tie_slideshow]
