AUTOMOBILES
McLaren Solus GT A Sci-Fi V10 Hypercar
| BY SOMNATH CHATTERJEE
F
antasy cars are conjured up with the idea of leaving behind conventional barometers and making a car which is truly looking like something from outer space. Thanks to a popular game called Gran Turismo, the lines have been blurred between reality and virtual reality with many cars being made just for this video series. The latest such outlandish creation comes from McLaren with the Solus GT being made for the Gran Turismo SPORT video game.
From the stage in a virtual game to being made for select customers- the Solus GT is a one of a kind hypercar with a powertrain as unique as its looks. The Solus GT is a V10-powered single seater track car made with little compromise in terms of design or performance. There is a lot of motorsport technology and track car ethos which has been embedded into the car while like all McLaren’s the Solus GT also has a carbon-fiber monocoque. The chassis of the McLaren Solus GT also features 3D-printed titanium components while the bodywork features carbon fiber. The race car stance being mixed with a fantasy concept car look has an entirely different design ethos from any other McLaren. Aerodynamics also play a big role here with a ‘hammerhead’ nose, full diffuser plus having a wraparound canopy screen of the teardrop cockpit which makes it a purposeful racing car.
10 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | FALL 2022
Since it is not a road car, the Solus GT sticks to the ground with a large front-splitter, a huge rear wing along with wheel pods in each corner to save weight. The ‘tear-drop’ shape also manages airflow. Unlike other McLaren cars, there are no dihedral doors as instead you get a sliding canopy were getting in is akin to entering a fighter jet. The interior is no compromise with a single-seat molded according to the owner along with a steering-wheel which seems to be plucked from an F1 car. Owners also get the proper ‘F1 driver’ experience with bespoke track events, an FIA-homologated race suit, helmet and more. The 5.2-liter V10 engine is something of a surprise since we have been accustomed with hybrid McLaren powertrains. The V10 develops 840PS and 650Nm while screaming past 10,000rpm. The gearbox is a seven-speed sequential gearbox, with race-proven internals along with a carbon-fiber clutch- plus being automated which means pulling away or driving it is not as challenging as a bona-fide race car. With this much power, the Solus GT is also the fastest McLaren this side of an F1 car. Only 25 of these track-only monsters are being made with prices not being revealed but we’d wager that owners do not care as for them; it is an alluring slice of virtual reality made real for the track.
