Autoblog

This is how you use a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to set a lap record at New Zealand's newest track

Zach Bowman — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Videos, Racing

New Zealand officially has a new international-standard road track. Highlands Motorsport Park is a 2.8-mile circuit with three complete tracks that can be safely operated at the same time. Designed to serve as a members-only facility, the boots on the ground say track is likely one of the best in the Southern Hemisphere.

The organizers behind Highlands wanted give the facility a proper break in, so rather than throw some sort of gala, they simply unleashed Craig Baird and a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 on the course with just one instruction: set the first official track record.

Baird is something of a legend in New Zealand, having won three consecutive New Zealand Formula Atlantic Championship titles as well as four consecutive New Zealand Touring Car Championship titles, and he wasted no time in putting hammer to steel in the MP4-12C GT3. By the time all was said and done, the track was left with a 1:41.9-second lap. Something tells us that one's going to stand for awhile, though Baird says he thinks he can get his time down into the 1:30s with a bit more practice. That may be the case, but we're simply glad for the excuse to watch the guy hammer on this McLaren. Check it out.

Continue reading This is how you use a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to set a lap record at New Zealand's newest track

This is how you use a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to set a lap record at New Zealand's newest track originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren GT division moving into new facility closer to Woking

Noah Joseph — Wed, 30 May 2012 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc.

Think of the name McLaren and you're likely to conjure up images of two different things: grand prix racing and exotic supercars. Each of these two core areas of competence has its own division under the McLaren Group umbrella, but in between them sits a third division called McLaren GT.

The operation is dedicated to developing and supporting the above-pictured MP4-12C GT3 racing car, of which it has sold 25 examples to 13 teams currently fielding them in racing series across Europe and around the world. But while it has operated out of a dedicated facility in Leicestershire - a good two-hour drive down the M1 from the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking - the sports racing division is coming back home.

The new base for McLaren GT is being built near the group's state-of-the-art headquarters at the facility that housed the F1 team until 2004 when the MTC was completed. The 60,000-square-foot complex will include offices, garages, engine workshops and more all under one roof, in close proximity to the F1 team and the automotive assembly line, and most crucially, allow the sports racing division and its clients more direct access to the same simulators used by Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.

Continue reading McLaren GT division moving into new facility closer to Woking

McLaren GT division moving into new facility closer to Woking originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 May 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren delivers 25 MP4-12C GT3s to customer racing teams for 2012 racing season [w/videos]

Noah Joseph — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Racing

When a McLaren hits the race track, the competition had better watch out. The British outfit is, after all, one of the most successful in Formula One, having won 176 grands prix, a dozen drivers' championships and eight constructors' titles. But McLaren's prowess extends beyond F1. The Woking firm was a force to be reckoned with in Can-Am in the late 60s, and the last time it built an endurance racing sportscar - the famed F1 GTR back in 1995 - it trounced even the advanced prototype racers to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Now, McLaren is back in the sportscar racing game with the new MP4-12C GT3. Based on the MP4-12C road car, the GT3 racing version took only a year to develop, and McLaren GT has delivered 25 examples of its racing car to independent racing teams around the world. Included in the purchase price are test sessions organized by McLaren and access to the team's advanced driving simulator and deep expertise in all things motorsport.

The cars are set to compete in the Blancpain Endurance Series (where the MP4-12C also serves as safety car), the VLN series at the Nürburgring, German'y ADAC GT Masters, the International GT Open and the FIA GT1 World Championship. The first of these are set to take place in Germany this weekend at the Nordschleife and Oschersleben, where the MP4-12C will be making its parallel race debuts. Can't wait that long? We've got two high-quality video clips of the car undergoing testing for your viewing pleasure (together with the full press release) after the jump and a fresh crop of high-resolution images added to the gallery above.

Continue reading McLaren delivers 25 MP4-12C GT3s to customer racing teams for 2012 racing season [w/videos]

McLaren delivers 25 MP4-12C GT3s to customer racing teams for 2012 racing season [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gemballa goes racing with McLaren MP4-12C GT3

Noah Joseph — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:19:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, MISC, Racing

Think of the name Gemballa and you're bound to conjure up images of hyper-tuned Porsches. That is, after all, what they're known for. But Gemballa today is different than the company we knew just a couple of years ago. After the company's namesake founder was murdered under rather suspicious circumstances, Gemballa was restructured and by necessity put under new management. And that new management appears to be ready to do things a little differently.

For starters, Gemballa has launched a new racing team. And guess what? They're not racing Porsches. They're racing McLarens. The newly formed Gemballa Racing is, in fact, one of the first teams to take delivery of the new McLaren MP4-12C GT3. Two of them, in fact.

The team is registered as an independent company from the aftermarket Porsche tuner, but shares some common ownership, as team owner Steffen Korbach is part owner as well of Gemballa itself. He's hired Sascha Bert, a former F3 and GT driver, to manage the team, which aims to go racing next year.

Will this prove an entirely separate venture that just happens to share its name with the tuning house, or will this emerge as the first step of many to take Gemballa out of Porsche's shadow and into its own right? We'll have to wait and see, but for now you can read the full press release after the jump and check out the trio of images (which look like little more than Photoshopped versions of stock McLaren photography) in the high-res image gallery.

Continue reading Gemballa goes racing with McLaren MP4-12C GT3

Gemballa goes racing with McLaren MP4-12C GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to debut in triplicate at Spa

Noah Joseph — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Europe, MISC, Racing

The moment of truth is upon McLaren this weekend. After rolling out its MP4-12C road car to positive reviews, the racing team turned automaker is turning itself back into a racing team with the new McLaren GT division and its MP4-12C GT3 - the first GT racer from the Woking, UK outfit since the celebrated F1 GTR.

After launching the new GT3, McLaren went back to the drawing board and came out with a series of updates based on their preliminary testing, and along the way, took 20 orders from a variety of independent racing teams for next year. That's all well and good, but what really matters is whether or not the car can perform. And we're about to find out this weekend when a trio of MP4-12C GT3s debut at the 24 Hours of Spa at the famous race track in Belgium.

Truth be told, this isn't the first time the MP4-12C GT3 - try saving that three times fast - has driven at Spa, having joined the British GT Championship there earlier this month. The solitary entry placed 12th in the first race and a solid 4th in the second, but those results apparently didn't count towards anything, as it was an exposition entry.

This time, however, McLaren GT will be back with three cars and ten drivers out to prove what the new car can do. One car will feature McLaren's own factory test driver Chris Goodwin, another with Andrew Kirkaldy, head of the CRS racing team that formed the outfit together with McLaren, and a third with VonRyan Racing, one of the factory's first customers. We'll be keeping an eye out to see how they do. Follow the jump for the full press blast and scope out the high-res image gallery for a closer look at the machinery.

Continue reading McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to debut in triplicate at Spa

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 to debut in triplicate at Spa originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren running revised MP4-12C GT3 up the hill at Goodwood

Noah Joseph — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Europe, UK, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Goodwood Festival of Speed kicks off this weekend, and it promises to be a veritable smorgasbord of high-performance machinery. Not the least of them will be the new MP4-12C GT3, which McLaren has been fine-tuning since its debut barely two months ago.

Following extensive ongoing development work, McLaren has given the 12C GT3 a new radiator and gearbox cooler, as well as a retuned aerodynamics package with a new front splitter, rear wing and diffuser, louvered fenders and door blade, all of which promise to help the first GT racer produced by McLaren since the F1 GTR running fast and running long ahead of the pack.

To support the field of 20 cars that will be fielded by privateers starting next season, the Woking-based outfit has also launched the new McLaren GT division in conjunction with the CRS Racing Team.

The updated GT3 will run in its latest form up the hill at the Goodwood estate this weekend, and to mark the occasion, McLaren has released a fresh batch of high-resolution images which we've added to the launch photos. Check 'em out along with the press release after the jump.

Continue reading McLaren running revised MP4-12C GT3 up the hill at Goodwood

McLaren running revised MP4-12C GT3 up the hill at Goodwood originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren to produce street-legal MP4-12C GT3? [w/video]

Noah Joseph — Thu, 05 May 2011 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, MISC

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 - Click above for high-res image gallery

There's a grand tradition of turning a supercar into a race car, then turning it back into a road car again. Call it "life imitating art imitating life," or call it what you want, but we call it awesome. Ferrari, for example, did just that with the 360 Modena, which became the 360 Challenge racer and then the 360 Challenge Stradale road car. Maserati followed a similar formula with the GranTurismo, turned GranTurismo MC GT4 and back into the GranTurismo MC Stradale. McLaren's done it too, turning the original F1 into the F1 GTR racer and then back into the hyper-exclusive F1 LM road car. And now it could be ready to do so again with the latest MP4-12C.

The racing team-turned-automaker just rolled out the new GT3 racing version of the MP4, and has grand plans to produce a new model or variant annually for the next five years. A big brother to the MP4 and successor to the F1 is reportedly set for introduction by 2014, bearing more radical styling than the rather derivative 12C (and hopefully a more dynamic name, too). But before that, we could be looking at a road-ready GT3 model.

The standard approach of less weight, more power would likely be applied to the hardcore MP4 - the same sort of formula used on the likes of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Ferrari 430 Scuderia and Lamborghini Gallardo Superlegerra - to make for an even more extreme supercar. But while variations on the theme are in the pipeline, McLaren is reportedly eager to stay on the reasonable side of Porsche's approach of endless 911 variants. Click past the break to check out McLaren's official video covering the launch of the MP4-12C GT3.

Continue reading McLaren to produce street-legal MP4-12C GT3? [w/video]

McLaren to produce street-legal MP4-12C GT3? [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 May 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren MP4-12C GT3 takes to the track for testing, tuning, titillation

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 04 May 2011 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, MISC, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 hits the racetrack - Click above to watch video after the jump

McLaren is clearly excited to test the racing version of its MP4-12C supercar. Called the MP4-12C GT3, this track-focused racer is equipped to do battle in the 2011 and 2012 GT3 championship series, and McLaren has just released a slew of videos that show off the car from all angles. This thing is perfectly equipped to make beautiful noises and hug the road like a tween meeting Justin Bieber.

One example of the GT3 will make its debut this year, however, McLaren reports that 20 cars are being prepared for the 2012 season. McLaren is also planning to bring the MP4-12C GT3 to the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In the meantime, you can click past the jump for a handful of videos showing the car in action.

Continue reading McLaren MP4-12C GT3 takes to the track for testing, tuning, titillation

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 takes to the track for testing, tuning, titillation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 04 May 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: McLaren takes first MP4-12C GT3 out for Silverstone test

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:55:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Videos, MISC, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 takes to the track - Click above to watch video after the jump

McLaren has just unveiled the racing version of its all-new street-fighting MP4-12C. The McLaren MP4-12C GT3 has been out running England's Silverstone circuit with new test driver Álvaro Parente at the wheel. The race-version of McLaren's new coupe is nearly four inches wider than the street version. It also features completely reworked suspension, which was first tested on McLaren's in-house simulator.

Power is provided by the same 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 found in the standard MP4-12C. However, in GT3 guise, the setup has been tuned for the track. A paddle-shifted Ricardo-designed transmission takes the place of the seven-speed unit found in the street car. Upgraded brakes have also been fitted to this race-prepped McLaren.

Beyond the mechanical changes, the MP4-12C GT3 gets aero-upgrades in the form of a front-splitter, fixed rear wing, additional door intake blade and new rear diffuser. Click past the jump to see all of these upgrades in action, as the McLaren MP4-12C GT3 is put through the paces at Silverstone. Thanks to everyone for the tips!

Gallery: McLaren MP4-12C GT3

[Source: McLaren]

Continue reading Video: McLaren takes first MP4-12C GT3 out for Silverstone test

Video: McLaren takes first MP4-12C GT3 out for Silverstone test originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program

Noah Joseph — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, MISC, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 rendering - Click above for high-res image

Some automakers also race. Some racing teams also make cars. Ferrari is one example of the latter, but it's not alone. With the launch of the MP4-12C, longtime on-track rival McLaren is getting serious about its automotive division. And you know what that means: a racing version.

We've seen reports and spy shots of a competition-spec MP4, but this is the first official confirmation to come straight out of Woking. And it comes with a press release, rendering, video and even a dedicated website.

Rather than develop the MP4-12C racer in-house, McLaren has teamed up with CRS Racing. And while the famous McLaren F1 GTR may have competed in the top tiers of sportscar racing - even beating the prototypes for outright victory at Le Mans - with the MP4, the British outfit has confined its competition (for now, at least) to the GT3 category. Only a limited number of cars will be fielded through privateer entries in the 2012 European FIA GT3 Series before McLaren takes on other championships, so if you run a team interested in getting on board, follow the link to register your intent.

[Source: McLaren]

Continue reading McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program

McLaren confirms MP4-12C GT3 racing program originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: McLaren prepping race-ready MP4-12C GT3

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:31:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Racing

McLaren MP4-12C GT3 spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery

Grainy as they may be, these spy photos give us our first glimpse at the race-prepped McLaren MP4-12C GT3 - a high-performance version of the automaker's stunning new two-door. The GT3 aims to recapture the racing success of the original McLaren F1, and though details are slim on power enhancements, the revised visual cues of this prototype show that this MP4 is ready to do serious battle out on the track.

Up front, the road-going MP4's front air intakes have been closed off and a large air duct is now found right in the center of the hood. These changes are matched with revised rear window venting, as well as a giant wing fixed to the car's rump.

Early reports have stated that McLaren is working with British racing firm CRS and that the car is set to debut sometime in 2012. All we know is, we can't wait to see this stunning new beast swapping paint with other GT3 racers. See the full set of spy shots in the high-res gallery, below.

UPDATED with better images.

Gallery: Spy Shots: McLaren MP4-12C GT3

[Source: KGP Photography]

Spy Shots: McLaren prepping race-ready MP4-12C GT3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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