McLaren has released new details and pics of its McLaren MP4-12C GT3 racer. Following preliminary tests at MIRA and Silverstone, the racecar – of which 20 will be built this year – will make its debut at this season's Blancpain endurance series race in Spain, followed by Magny-Cours in France and Silverstone.
The racer uses the same 165lb one-piece carbon fiber "monocell" chassis as the road car as well as the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine, albeit “tuned to race specification.” The latter includes the reduction of power from 592hp to 493bhp in order to provide “optimum power.”
Further details of the racer include the Ricardo-designed 6-speed sequential gearbox which is 176lbs lighter than the 7-speed box of the road car, the use of a specially developed ECU and a track-tuned suspension setup.