McLaren Automotive, the British creator of luxury sportscars and supercars, is to offer a track-only version of the new Ultimate Series McLaren Senna, to be called the McLaren Senna GTR.

Unveiling the McLaren Senna GTR Concept today (March 6, 2018) at the Geneva International Motor Show, McLaren Automotive CEO, Mike Flewitt, confirmed that up to 75 examples of the most extreme McLaren car ever will be hand-assembled in Woking, England, during 2019.

“Excelling on the track underpins the heritage of the McLaren brand and is as important and relevant today as it has ever been,” explained Mike Flewitt. “The track-only McLaren Senna GTR will have more power, more grip and more downforce – up to 1,000kg – than the McLaren Senna and post even faster lap times; the very limited number of customers who secure this car will be buying the closest experience you can get to a race car without actually lining up on a circuit grid.”

Expressions of interest will be taken at the Geneva Show and thereafter, with exact technical details of the McLaren Senna GTR confirmed later this year. Based around the same carbon fibre Monocage III structure as the McLaren Senna to ensure the core strength and rigidity needed for a top-flight track car, the McLaren Senna GTR will be similar in weight to the 1,198kg lightest dry total of the road-legal McLaren Senna. With more power and greater torque from the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine than the 800PS and 800Nm developed in the road car – horsepower will increase to at least 825PS – the car will be faster than the ‘standard’ model in a straight line. The additional benefit of a race-style transmission, revised double wishbone suspension and Pirelli slick tyres – together with up to 1,000kg of downforce – will ensure that the McLaren Senna GTR will also post the quickest McLaren circuit lap times outside Formula 1.

The ‘form follows function’ McLaren design philosophy that is at is strongest in the McLaren Senna provides – quite literally – the ideal platform for the McLaren Senna GTR. The car will have a wider track and new fenders front and rear, the changes to the carbon fibre body simplified by the fact that the fenders and other aerodynamic components have been designed as ‘clipped on’ to the cockpit structure, allowing relatively easy modification. The McLaren Senna GTR will also feature a new wheel design, developed specifically for circuit use.

The front splitter of the McLaren GTR Concept is larger than the road-car component and contributes to improved front aerodynamic performance, as does the rear diffuser which is both larger and extends further back. The rear deck is the lowest of any McLaren and aids both aerodynamic performance and cooling, as well as helping to optimise the performance of the active rear wing.

The design of the doors benefits aerodynamic efficiency, the outer skin being ‘pushed in’ as far as possible towards the centre of the car to better channel airflow. Unlike the road-legal McLaren Senna, the McLaren Senna GTR will feature a polycarbonate ‘ticket’ window.

“The McLaren Senna was designed from the outset with the full spectrum of road and track requirements in mind, so developing a GTR version is within the scope of the original project,” explained McLaren Automotive Design Engineering Director, Dan Parry-Williams. “The McLaren Senna GTR Concept unveiled in Geneva is not the finished article but it does give a clear indication of our thinking for the car, which promises to be the most extreme and exciting McLaren to drive for many years, if not ever.”

McLaren Automotive is increasing its focus on providing customers with track-based driving experiences across its full range of cars. A single-make race series has been launched as part of the programme of Pure McLaren track events, allowing McLaren owners with the minimum of an International D-grade licence to take advantage of a full ‘arrive and drive’ package to race in a 570S GT4 car. To support this and other motorsport activities, a network of McLaren retailers specialising in selling and fettling McLaren’s motorsport models has been established; initially 10 in number, the retailers serve Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

McLaren's Senna doesn't just have the moves, it has the swagger

LISBON, Portugal — Ferrari owners don't just buy a car, they buy an image of performance and sophistication. Let's be honest: this reflected glory is a primary motivating factor for supercar ownership, and it's great for self-esteem. More to the point, it's sustained Ferrari for the last 70 years. And now McLaren, on a much steeper learning curve, is catching on that supercars need more than just dominating performance figures to reach the next level. If you're going to name your car after Ayrton Senna, it had better be something special.

Evidence is provided by the fact that the McLaren Senna isn't just wickedly fast, it puts you in the driving seat of a car named after one of the most revered F1 drivers in history, built by the road car arm of the team that powered him to three championships. Driving it might not make you his equal, but the marketing gold is self-evident.

McLaren isn't letting this opportunity slip through its grasp, not least in its choice of launch venue — Estoril circuit outside of Lisbon, the scene of Ayrton Senna's first Grand Prix win back in 1985. The manner of that victory, conducted in pouring rain and seeing him lap all but one of the field, set in place a legend. OK, he did it in a Lotus and not a McLaren. But given how many of the people behind this car also started their careers at Lotus, that's kind of appropriate, too.

Thankfully it's not raining when I arrive at Estoril, so we won't be required to display similarly God-given driving talent. That doesn't make it much less intimidating, though. Having had the full technical deep dive, I confess to approaching this drive with a degree of trepidation. Sure, it's road car with street tires, air-con and touchscreen navigation. But 789 horsepower in a car weighing less than 2,900 pounds, fueled and ready to roll?

The Senna's 1,764 pounds of downforce at 155 mph is an impressive number, but pretty much an abstract concept unless you live on the track. But its 0-124 mph time, a whole second faster than a hybrid-enhanced P1? That's one to wake you up. Likewise, a track briefing before heading onto the track revealed that our braking point from 180 mph for Estoril's first turn will be 60 feet past what it would be in a 720S.

A few reconnaissance laps reveal Estoril to be narrow, technical, and with an odd mix of slow, tight corners and hugely committed high-speed ones. All with authentic, mid-1980s quantities of run-off. Which is to say, not much. If this introductory session was supposed to calm nerves before the main event, it comprehensively fails.

The Pure White Senna to which I am assigned is basically an Imperial Stormtrooper in automotive form. And about as warm and cuddly. I realize this car's looks are divisive, but in the context of a live pit lane it makes a whole lot more sense. Flashes of blue from the brake calipers and movable aero vanes within the front fenders are cool little flourishes, and the lucky 500 who've made the list will be able to mix and match these visual features according to taste. Or lack of.

When configured to Race mode, the car adopts a lower, raked stance, wheels sucked into bodywork race car-style while that rear wing casts — in every way — a large shadow. With much of the sill lifting away with the door, access is surprisingly good. Thanks to the manual adjustment to wheel and seat (the latter weighs less than nine pounds), you can quickly find an appropriate race car seating position with the wheel right into your chest. Warnings about braking forces noted, I accept the invitation to nip the shoulder straps up tight against the HANS device without registering this also tightens the crotch belts. I'll live to regret this.

I don't have a whole lot of time to register the cabin, except to say that it's minimal, carbon weaved and stylishly pared back to the minimum. Owners have the choice of slightly heavier glass lower door panels that most have taken, while this car's fixed carbon bulkhead (you can have a glass one) gives the cockpit an authentically claustrophobic race car vibe. The intercom clicks in and my courageous chaperone cheerily informs me he won't have much time for direction beyond the basics of "brake" or "power."

And then we're off, literally following the tire tracks of Ayrton Senna.

Charismatic engines have never been a McLaren forte, but what this uprated 720S motor lacks in operatic soundtrack it more than makes up for in punch. Unlike the P1, "torque fill" doesn't come from an electric boost, it comes simply from lack of weight. Meaning you can short shift and brace the available traction against the swelling 590 pound-feet of torque rather than risk it lighting up the rear tires at the more explosive end of the rev range.

Unlike other McLarens, there's little sense of turbo lag, the transition between off- and on-throttle instantly communicated through neck muscles and an engine solidly mounted to the Monocell III structure you're lashed into. From the tight opening complex of turns, the track feeds into the back straight and a chance to really let it rip, the 125 mph kink gone in a flash and another 20 mph on the digital speedo between there and the braking point for the looming left-hander. My head is struggling to keep pace. A loud word over the intercom — "BRAKE!" — wakes me up.

Like all McLarens, the pedal is perfectly aligned with your left foot, making it easy to trail-brake in and bury the nose into the apex while overlapping your throttle input to power through while leaning heavily on the abundant downforce. There is, no doubt, all manner of clever stuff happening with interlinked aero, springing, damping and anti-roll — but the real trick is making you forget about that and concentrate on the honest feedback through fingertips and seat of the pants. Trust quickly replaces fear.

Steering feel is super sharp, another McLaren family trait, and you can sense an onset of deliberately engineered, rear-end-cooling understeer if you overcook your corner entry speed. But once through that, the traction is just immense. The P Zero Trofeo R tires all but bite chunks out of the track surface as the combined mechanical and aero grip delivers incredible traction.

The seemingly endless fourth gear final turn really shows the downforce. Coming around, that whisper of front end push alerts you to the limits before the track straightens, and then your eyelids are once again peeled back by the violence of the acceleration. And then there's the braking into turn one, the wing moving seamlessly through 35 degrees of motion to go from drag-reduction mode to its most aggressive setting. It's not just that over-tightened harness that has me crying out, the deceleration hurling me against the straps, but the car absolutely locked to its line as the car bleeds downforce off the front axle to counteract weight transfer and keep the car flat.

Like all McLarens, the Senna does without mechanical sway bars, the black boxes in charge of the P1-derived Race Active Chassis Control instead using the hydro-pneumatic spring chambers to support the car while the inside wheel can be left compliant to run up onto huge chunks of curb. The speed is stunning. But so is the confidence this car inspires in even an average driver.

For all the track swagger, this is where the Senna's ambition becomes clear. McLaren may say it drives like a track car for the road, but the truth is it's still more the other way around. This is a subtle but important distinction. We heard that a British owner intends to drive his car straight from the factory and 800 miles across France to Paul Ricard circuit for a Pure McLaren track day at the end of July. Nothing in my experience with the Senna suggests this owner will be too challenged doing so.

And this, not the performance, is the most shocking thing about the Senna. The things that are meant to make it intimidating — the numbers, the looks, the intensity — actually make it less so. Because every input has an instant output, you know exactly what the car is up to. This accuracy is inspiring rather than scary. It's basically like a million-dollar, 800-hp Lotus Exige with air-conditioning. Which, given the shared history through Senna, this circuit and the guys that developed it, is kind of appropriate. Likewise, that there is a confrontational, ruthless streak in its pursuit of pure speed — like the man himself, the Senna isn't afraid of courting controversy. And the way it looks and the way it goes present challenges not everyone will accept.

This, arguably, is its biggest win. You may indeed bathe in the reflected glory of driving a car named after F1's most celebrated hero. It's a reflection of McLaren's growing self-confidence it feels now is the time, and this is the car, to do the same. That's a bold play in every respect, and one that McLaren has just about pulled off perfectly.

There are two definitive things that everyone instantly knows the second they look at the McLaren Senna. Number one, it’s an extremely, face-bendingly fast car. Number two, it’s a bit unpleasant to look at. But this one, chassis number 001, is doing a hell of a good job fixing that.

Now, I’m not saying it’s flawless, mind you. It’s got an incredibly dorky outline of the Interlagos race track on its face (which McLaren helpfully points out has the badge denoting the start/finish line), which is just unnecessary. Would people not see the giant wing? Would people not see how low it is to the ground? Would people not know it’s called a Senna? These are already very racy and very Brazilian things.

And the paintjob also appears to be a blatant ripoff of the Bugatti Veyron L’Or Blanc:

See? Just look at the Senna one more time:

But you know what? Besides the lack of originality, I don’t really care one bit. The L’Or Blanc is a gorgeous car, and frankly, every car should come painted like that. There’s an old Subaru SVX parked outside my apartment that would lovely in white with blue drizzled everywhere all over it. It would look like a fancy cake. And everyone loves fancy cake.

The thing I love most about this particular Senna, however, isn’t the “MSO Aurora Blue” and “MSO Anniversary White” paint job. It’s that upon taking delivery, owner David Kyte (who is apparently some sort of stocks and shares man), immediately drove it along with three other Sennas from the McLaren headquarters to the Paul Ricard Circuit, according to a McLaren press release.

Which is 870 miles away.

Good on you, David Kyte, for deeply understanding that cars are meant to be driven. And for also buying the one good-looking McLaren Senna.

“Wait a second,” you scream at your computer. “You mean to tell me that U.S.-spec McLaren Sennas don’t get the same exhaust as the euro-spec ones?” This is true, but for once it’s not a bad thing. Our American Sennas are even rowdier than what’s pootling around Europe right now.

I personally did not notice that the exhausts on American-sent Sennas didn’t match the ones that debuted first for Europe. I was busy staring at all the aero wondering how that would fit into the future GT1-spec car that exists in my dreams right now.

Also I was wondering if anyone would take out that plastic panel in the door and drive around with their leg hanging out.

But McLaren brain genius Peloton25 did notice the difference, and set to clearing the air about it on the Notes app of the soul, Instagram. The basic explanation is that Europe has tight noise regulations that the U.S.A and other parts of the world do not, so McLaren designed its Euro Sennas to have baffles on its outer two exhausts and also a third exhaust with more restriction to keep noise down at low speed. Higher speed opens things back up to full noise.

It’s kind of like the exact opposite of how the Honda Civic Type R has three exhausts with a loud middle for more noise at low speed, then a quieter outer two exhausts for a softer highway cruise.

In any case, here’s Peloton25's explanation:

But there you have it. American (and other non-European) Sennas are louder and brasher than the ones in their home market. I guess I shouldn’t be all that surprised after all.

McLaren is only making 500 examples of the Senna, and with so many customization options on offer from its Special Operations division, there’s no reason any two should ever leave the factory in Woking exactly the same.



We’ve seen a handful already, including Michael Fux’s green carbon example, and the very first onethat was done up similar to the Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport L’Or Blanc edition. And now we have another.

Depicted in this video is the 11th example, and it’s decked out in a rather unique color scheme of Fuji white and electric blue with loads of exposed carbon fiber. The blue detailing continues inside, and the owner went for the optional glass lower door inserts.

The Senna packs a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, tuned to deliver 789 horsepower (588 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque channeled to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. With a featherlike dry weight of just 2,641 pounds (1,198 kg), it’ll hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.7 seconds and top out at 211 mph (340 km/h) – and this despite the enormous amount of downforce that’ll make it corner like it’s on rails.

The hypercar was commissioned by Hussein Musallan, a Saudi collector who apparently has a penchant for McLarens – with the number 11, no less. His Mercedes SLR McLaren was the eleventh made, as was his MSO HS (an exclusive version of the 650S), and his P1 was also the 11th manufactured. Judging from his Instagram feed, he’s also had (or at least driven) a handful of Bugattis, Paganis and Koenigseggs as well, not to mention a smattering of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches and exclusive Mercedes, too.

Seems like a nice life to us, and we’re sure he’ll enjoy driving his Senna at least as much, if not more.

Barrett-Jackson will play host to the sale of a 2019 McLaren Senna, a car that has been sold out since it made its debut in 2017. Any party interested will surely need a checking account with well over seven figures if they plan to play ball.

The Senna headed to auction wears the VIN ending in 005 and is one of 500 cars McLaren built in the production run. This example is mighty sinister looking with a Black Amethyst exterior color over black accents. The hue gives off a deep purple vibe in some lighting conditions, a proper exotic touch to McLaren's lightest supercar ever.

Like every other Senna, there's a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 on hand that produces 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The power, along with the car's slippery shape, lets the Senna clip of 0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds and 0-124 mph happens in only 6.8 seconds.

Keeping a foot mashed into the throttle will eventually take the supercar to a top speed of 211 mph. As we've said in the past, the figures are absolutely worthy of the Senna name.

McLaren named the supercar after the late Ayrton Senna, who snagged three Formula 1 world championships driving for McLaren.

Around the track, where the supercar is most at home, the Senna creates 1,400 pounds worth of downforce to stick the car to the pavement. The supercar also weighs just 2,641 pounds and features McLaren's ProActive Chassis Control system.

Double wishbones and the front and rear include adaptive dampers interconnected hydraulicly. Sensors relay info, which the suspension uses to adjust damping in just two milliseconds, while Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires ensure maximum grip.

It'll likely be some time before new Senna owners are ready to part ways with their $1 million supercars, so those who missed out on the initial purchase wave will need to act quickly at the Barrett-Jackson auction scheduled for Saturday in Scottsdale, Arizona.

While I still think the car is ugly, throwing a bunch of racing kit, aero pieces, and a subtle livery on the new 2020 McLaren Senna GTR allows me to rest my eyes and instead focus on the car’s 814 horsepower and $1.44 million price tag. It’s for the track only, so forget picking up groceries in this McLaren.McLaren has taken the Senna, a very fast car named after a very fast man, squeezed 25 HP more out of its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8by a slight remapping and removing the secondary catalyst, which also happens to make the car a lot louder. That’s what we call a win-win.

Sadly, though, the side-pipe exhaust on the Senna GTR concept car didn’t make it to production, so you’re still blasting out the back, but that change also helped bring dry weight down 22 lbs to 2,619 lbs, giving the Senna GTR the best power-to-weight ratio of the entire McLaren lineup.

The car also puts down 590 lb-ft of torque, has the same 7-speed transmission as the regular Senna, and can now reach the same levels of down force as the regular car at lower speeds, making the car much stickier to the road surface and presumably faster around a track.

The car is also 1.3 inches lower than the road-legal car, a widened front and rear track, with the variable suspension swapped out for double wishbones and other gear developed for GT3 cars through the company’s customer racing program. There’s also adjustable camber, four-way adjustable dampers, and 19-inch wheels.

All 75 copies of the £1.1 million, ($1.44 million), plus taxes, road-illegalSenna GTR have been sold, likely destined to be parked in the same garage as their street-smart siblings in giant houses next to racetracks that are empty most of the year.

It's only natural for two-time world champion Mika Hakkinen to have a soft spot for McLaren, the team which brought him his two memorable titles.

When the Finn started his career at the Woking-based outfit he was paired with the great Ayrton Senna, so taking delivery last weekend in Monaco of his new McLaren 'Senna' was undoubtedly a special moment for Mika.

The special car embodies in an extreme iteration the racing spirit and DNA of the McLaren and Senna legends. Add a spice of Hakkinen at the wheel and you've got a perfect blend of greatness.

Lego built a full-size McLaren Senna, and it's glorious

It weighs over 1,000 pounds more than the real Senna

Lego is not slowing down with its forays into the automotive scene. Today we bring you news of a full-size McLaren Senna model, built as a collaboration between Lego and McLaren. This brick supercar is built using 467,854 individual pieces, which if anybody is counting, is about 200,000 pieces more than Lego used to create the life-size 720S from awhile back. It's still not as complex as the over 1 million-brick Bugatti Chironproject, though.

Construction took 2,725 hours from start to finish, while the design and development took just over 2,000 hours. The car itself is built to an exact 1:1 specification in size, and includes a ton of bits from the actual Senna. Borrowed parts include a seat, steering wheel, pedals and infotainment system. Those in the driver's seat are able to operate the lights and play around with the big center infotainment screen. When you push the "start button," an engine simulation plays over the speakers to try and convince you that the twin-turbo V8 is actually behind you.

Real McLaren badges right off its cars are fitted anywhere you'd normally see one. Then the wheels and Pirelli tires from the Senna are mounted to the chassis. Getting in and out through the Lego dihedral doors is apparently a bit difficult, but they're removable to allow easy access to the seats. In total, the Lego Senna weighs a hefty 3,348 pounds, which McLaren says is 1,102 pounds more than the real Senna weighs. Keep in mind that this one doesn't even have an engine. It also took nine times longer to produce than a road-going McLaren Senna takes (which is 300 hours if you were wondering).

The details and structures to make this thing stick together are impressive, especially that huge wing hanging out the back. McLaren fitted some properly insane aero to the production Senna, and replicating the shapes and angles with Legos couldn't have been easy. Sadly, this one doesn't appear to have any real ability to drive at low speeds like the Chiron does with its electric motor. McLaren plans to show it off at car shows and events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed this summer.

If there’s one thing the McLaren Senna doesn’t need, it’s more power, as it is already neck-snapping fast. However, that’s exactly what Hennessey Performance did with their HPE1000 performance kit.

It consists of upgraded turbochargers, high-flow wastegate, intercooler, high-flow air filters, stainless steel turbo headers, a Motec engine management system and a stainless steel exhaust. Even the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission has been modified to better cope with the extra muscle produced by the 4.0-liter V8.

How much power are we looking at? The Texas-based tuner hasn’t released any official specs yet; nonetheless, the HPE1000 moniker suggests at least 1,000 horsepower, which would make it 211 hp more powerful than the stock Senna that sprints to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.8 seconds, as per the official McLaren spec sheet, and maxes out at 208 mph (340 km/h).

Besides the HPE1000, Hennessey’s offering the HPE900 kit as well, with pretty much the same upgrades, more or less, but in a slightly more restrained package – if you can call 900 HP “restrained”.

Selecting either will add ‘Hennessey’ and ‘HPE900’ or ‘HPE1000’ decals on the outside, a serial numbered dashboard plaque inside and another one in the engine compartment. The HPE900 comes with a 3-year/36,000-mile (57,936 km) warranty, whichever comes first; since this standard practice for their packages, we presume the same applies for the HPE100 as well.

After completing internal testing, Hennessey will come back with more information and some official performance numbers,alongside a more revealing image gallery.

The Senna is one of the most exciting supercars out there, a no-nonsense McLaren made to go as fast as possible on the circuit without any sort of hybrid assistance. Aerodynamic trickery, a world-class chassis, and four liters of twin-turbo V8 are of the essence, and pricing used to start at £750,000 in the UK.

It’s “used to” because all 500 examples of the breed were sold, and the final car was auctioned for £1,916,793 during the reveal event. Codenamed P15, the Senna is also under recall in Australia where 13 units are to be repaired.

Affected VINs feature an engine harness that may come into contact with the metal link pipe heatshield and chafe according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Documents filed with the ACCC claim that the engine may stall if there’s damage to the wires within the harness bundle.

Not only that, but the engine may “misfire or rupture the exhaust system” of the limited-edition model. This condition would increase the risk of an accident and injury to the vehicle occupants and other road users, which is why the owners of the Senna will be notified as soon as possible of the campaign.

There’s no mention whatsoever from McLaren or the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission if the recall will extend to other countries, and that’s a bit curious. Senna models such as Gerhard Berger’s are known to catch fire or smoke their engine bay’s out, and Salomondrin is one of the people who had their Senna destroyed on New Year’s Eve last year by… wait for it… fire.

This is probably the time when enthusiasts go “they don’t make them like they used to,” dreaming with eyes wide open about the good ol’ days of the F1. The truth of the matter is, cars made by McLaren Automotive since the 12C are extremely different from the poster child of the 1990s, and the complexity of these high-performance land missiles can also translate to awful incidents.

We’re living in a day and age where even hypercars such as the Porsche 918 Spyder and Ferrari LaFerrari are being recalled on more than one occasion, and that’s how the industry will be for the foreseeable future given the current trends.

McLaren's Senna is already a pretty special car but the British firm is reportedly working on two new special editions, each based on the track-only Senna GTR.CarBuzz on Tuesday reported that McLaren is working on road-going versions of the Senna GTR that will carry the company's famous LM and Can-Am designations.

Apparently McLaren had 23 unallocated build slots for the 75-car run of Senna GTRs so decided to use them for 20 examples of a new Senna LM and three examples of a new Senna Can-Am. Both are expected to feature McLaren's signature papaya orange as their hero colors.

The Senna LM is a spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1 LM which was a road-going version of the F1 GTR race car. The LM designation was a nod to the F1 GTR's overall win in the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans, and McLaren also used the designation on the P1 LM launched in 2016.

The P1 LM was based on the track-only P1 GTR but was street-legal thanks to a road-car conversion developed by fellow British firm Lanzante. It's possible the same company is also handling road-car conversions for the Senna GTR.

As for the Senna Can-Am, it celebrates McLaren's success in Can-Am racing throughout the 1960s and '70s. McLaren claimed five back-to-back world championships between 1969 and 1974 and has previously celebrated this feat in 2013 with a 12C Can-Am.

The Senna GTR features the same 789-horsepower, 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 as the regular Senna but is slightly lighter and also benefits from more extreme aerodynamics. Unlike the original F1 GTR, the Senna GTR isn't a homologated race car. It's a track special that well-heeled drivers can use to develop their skills behind the wheel.

According to CarBuzz, deliveries of the new Senna LM and Senna Can-Am are due to commence in December so a reveal should be coming up soon. Stay tuned.

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, were 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 - an unforgettable 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 attention to detail is such that every McLaren Senna GTR LM took at least 800 hours to paint, with individual cars far exceeding that.

"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. That remarkable car was engineered to have the highest power-to-weight ratio of any McLaren at the time and aerodynamically optimised to be able to generate more than 1000kg of downforce.

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.

Recalibration of the powertrain electronics releases power of 845PS - an increase of 20PS over the 'regular' McLaren Senna GTR - and revised torque curve characteristics that deliver more torque at lower revs and enable a rev limit set closer to 9,000rpm than the 'soft limit' of 8,250rpm.

Other unique LM cues abound. The GTR's Inconel exhaust system, which exits from the rear deck beneath the rear wing, has been further enhanced by the addition of specially designed LM twin-exit pipes. OZ Racing, which supplied the wheels for the McLaren F1 GTR, created a bespoke, five-spoke GTR LM wheel design. Brake calipers finished in satin gold are another nod to the F1 and the suspension wishbones are in an anodised version of the same colour.

Inside the car, exclusive LM features include a racing steering wheel with anodised gold gear shift paddles and control buttons (in tribute to the McLaren F1's gold-coloured gear linkage); titanium nitride pedals with LM logos; leather door-pull straps and lightweight carbon fibre racing seats complemented by bespoke headrest embroidery and an MSO six-point racing harness coloured black with body-colour pads.

"We wanted to make a major statement with this collection,'" explained Ansar Ali, Managing Director of McLaren Special Operations. "In creating these incredible cars to the requirements of some of our most discerning customers, we are showcasing the astonishing array of talent we have within MSO - a team that can visualise, design, produce and deliver products that really do take your breath away.

"The McLaren Senna GTR LM project has been a labour of love for nearly two years; we have gone to great lengths not only to perfect the engineering aspects of the cars, but also to gain co-operation from brand holders and partners to maximise authenticity."

One of those stakeholders is Le Mans itself, in the shape of the ACO. The famous racing club helped facilitate a breathtaking opportunity for the five GTR LM owners. Each one will enjoy a VIP visit to the 24 Hours of Le Mans race with a chance to drive their own GTR LMs around the circuit on the morning of the race, accompanied by the original F1 GTRs that competed in 1995.

"The COVID pandemic has meant that we have had to delay this opportunity until 2021," said Ansar Ali. "But each of the owners of these car will still be able to enjoy an unprecedented experience that reflects the unique customer journey MSO is able to offer."

McLaren Senna GTR LM 825/1

An homage to McLaren F1/01R, often referenced as 'The Ueno Clinic car' and the outright winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995

The car bearing race number 59 was driven in 1995 by two-time Le Mans winner Yannick Dalmas, Japanese veteran Masanori Sekiya and former Formula One driver, JJ Lehto.

The race was one of the wettest in Le Mans' history, which played into the hands of the bulletproof reliability of the McLaren F1 and also the skills of the drivers - especially Lehto, who was so quick in the wet his team tried to persuade him to slow down.

The charcoal grey livery branded with the name of Japanese sponsor Ueno Clinic was not widely recognised at the time but has since passed into legend. The MSO team has faithfully recreated it on the McLaren Senna GTR LM, precisely matching the colour by mixing a new tone dubbed 'Ueno Grey' - a fitting tribute to achievements of the car, and of course its three drivers.

This car has been very authentically reproduced from the original race-winning F1 GTR, echoing every last detail right down to recreating car 59's unique driving lamps, which have been specially commissioned by the GTR LM's owner.

The OZ Racing wheels are finished in matching grey, completing the menacing look that still sends shivers down the spine of race fans 25 years after the chequered flag fell.

McLaren Senna GTR LM 825/6

An homage to McLaren F1/06R, often referenced as 'The Harrods car'.

Car number 51, driven by an all-British line up of Andy Wallace, Derek Bell and Justin Bell, might well have won had it not suffered a transmission glitch two hours from the flag that saw Wallace have to nurse the car home in third place.

The car's famous yellow livery with bold green stripe bore the name of iconic London department store, Harrods - and that prestigious relationship has been reunited for the GTR LM. While the colours have been worn again by a McLaren since the 1995 race - a McLaren P1™ GTR was finished in the livery in 2015 - this is the first time that the famous Harrods logo has been seen on a McLaren for 25 years.

The MSO paint team used a vivid colour called Solar Yellow for the body of the car, and that distinctive wide stripe is applied in Heritage Green, shadowed by a matching green pinstripe and green detailing within the front aero diffuser.

McLaren Senna GTR LM 825/2

An homage to McLaren F1/02R, often referenced as 'The Gulf car'

Brazilian Maurizio Sandro Sala joined Brits Mark Blundell and Ray Bellm behind the wheel of the McLaren F1 GTR for 291 rain-lashed laps of La Sarthe in 1995, eventually finishing in fourth place.

Car number 24 had arguably the most iconic livery of any of the cars. The Gulf Racing blue, perfectly reimagined here by MSO as Gulf 95 Blue, fits the McLaren Senna GTR LM seamlessly. Its 'Gulf 95 Orange' pinstripe traces the rear diffuser and the imposing shape of the rear wing's LMP1-style endplates, tracks along the lower sill and unites at the front with vivid orange blades on the front splitter.

The OZ Racing wheels conform to the theme, being finished in equally vivid orange, while the lower sills and roof stripe are painted in Gulf 95 Silver. The actual Gulf Oil logo appears on the bonnet and doors, and a finishing touch is provided by Ayrton Senna's signature boldly recreated on the rear quarter of the bodywork.

McLaren Senna GTR LM 825/7

An homage to McLaren F1/07R, often referenced as 'The Jacadi car'

Car number 50 was run by French-based customer team Giroix Racing. Two French drivers - Fabien Giroix and Olivier Grouillard - joined Swiss pilot Jean-Denis Deletraz to bring the car home in fifth place, just a lap down on the Gulf car.

The unmistakeable royal blue livery was proudly French-themed and has been preserved by the McLaren Senna GTR LM's new owner by the specification of a startlingly bright colour called Le Mans Blue for the body of the car. It looks particularly stunning on the GTR LM's massive rear diffuser.

That blue is complemented by a blue metallic called 'Polaris', and further offset by the use of authentic Elf logos belonging to the French oil company which sponsored the 1995 race car. The car is the only one of the five to wear the French Tricolour flag.

McLaren Senna GTR LM 825/5

An homage to McLaren F1/05R, often referenced as 'The Cesar car'

Displaying the most intricate livery design of all the McLaren F1 GTRs that raced in 1995, car number 42 finished 13th position, completing the McLaren roll of honour of finishers.

Run by French team Société BBA, the striking car was driven by an all-French line-up of Jean-Luc Maury-Laribiere, Marc Sourd and Hervé Poulin. Maury-Laribiere and Poulin were pioneers of 'art cars' and asked renowned artist Cesar Baldaccini to envisage a livery for the F1 GTR they would be racing at Le Mans.

An experienced endurance racer, Poulin's fine collection of racing trophies became the inspiration for Cesar's work on the McLaren.

McLaren Senna GTR LM 825/5 is a modern reinterpretation of the livery, drawing in new elements, such as pole position lap times; contemporary race trophies and Le Mans branding cues.

An immensely complex piece of work produced using many techniques - including extensive airbrushing - this was the car that took longest to paint, to the point where MSO stopped recording the time taken. As an estimate, several thousand hours of work were needed to finish the project to exemplary standard that is now so evident.

All five McLaren Senna GTR LMs have now been completed and will be delivered to owners in the United States, Europe and the UK. As with all bespoke commissions created by McLaren Special Operations, their value remains undisclosed unless the owners choose to share this detail.