McLaren pays tribute to 1995 Le Mans victory with inspired cars

McLaren 18092020
McLaren 18092020

Five unique McLaren Senna GTRs, created in celebration of the McLaren F1 GTR race cars that dominated the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in an astonishing display of motorsport achievement that included overall victory, have been revealed by McLaren Special Operations (MSO).

Designated McLaren Senna GTR LM, the five customer-commissioned cars are the latest examples of what is possible when MSO is engaged to undertake unique and bespoke projects.

Each is designed and crafted as an homage to one of the five McLaren F1 GTRs that finished the race, crossing the line in 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th positions. This was an incredible achievement given that this was the first time McLaren had raced at Le Mans, and coming only three years since its first production road car – the McLaren F1 – had been introduced.

The five cars each wear a bespoke, hand-painted livery that either replicates or pays tribute to the design of each of the 1995 cars.

“The incredible cars of the McLaren Senna GTR LM collection are an exceptionally fitting way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Le Mans victory in 1995,’” commented Mike Flewitt, CEO of McLaren Automotive. “That achievement is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest endurance racing performances of all time, but for McLaren its importance was even greater because it demonstrated an immediate and undeniable connection between the racing DNA of our brand and the start of our road car journey.”

Every painted detail on the five cars was finished by hand at McLaren Special Operations. Special permissions were granted by brand owners such as Gulf and Harrods and by Le Mans organiser the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), to recreate logos and trademarks. The roof of each car even features an authentically recreated scrutineering sticker, which is the only piece of vinyl in the livery.

The relationship between each McLaren Senna GTR LM and its F1 GTR predecessor is further fused by the presence of a dedication plaque on the inner surface of the carbon fibre tub denoting each car’s one-off status and its original F1 GTR chassis number identifier.

Each car also wears an etched dedication to its Le Mans ‘twin’, including the date of the race, the names of the three race drivers in that car and the position in which they finished.

In addition to the visual power of the liveries and the outstanding detailing, each McLaren Senna GTR LM has a portfolio of exclusive features and technical enhancements that elevate it above the already exceptional track car on which it is based: the McLaren Senna GTR.

Enhancements to the GTR’s twin-turbocharged, 4.0-litre M840TQ engine include valve spring retainers made from metal matrix composite (MMC) to deliver a 65% weight reduction, higher grade steel for the valve springs and hand-polished, CNC ported cylinder heads.

www.mclaren.com

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