McLaren's new $3.6 million hypercar is based on a video game

The McLaren Solus GT is the real-life version of the McLaren Vision concept car, which was featured in the video game Gran Turismo Sport. Legal for track-only driving, the Solus GT debuted on August 19 at the Quail Car Show during Monterey's Car Week in Carmel, California. 

The Solus GT has a seven-speed gearbox with carbon brake discs and 18-inch forged aluminum wheels with central locking. 

Launched in 2013, the concept component of the popular video game includes futuristic but fictional cars from cars like Mercedes-Benz and Lamborghini. Many production cars from Bugatti and Porsche are often used in other video games such as CSR Racing and Forza. But the McLaren Vision GT, which debuted in 2017, is the first from a brand to move from a game to a garage. 

"It retains the original Vision car concept, but now it's a lot more complicated: very clean, good design," says Kazunori Yamauchi, chief executive officer of Polyphony Digital, which created Gran Turismo. Yamauchi, on site during a media preview on August 18. notes that the transition from virtual reality to real life complements consumer progress for many gamers. 

"Many Gran Turismo players end up becoming regular sports car customers," he says. "When a player falls in love with a car, in about 20 years they can buy that car. In the world of supercars, there's a genre of customers who are actually Gran Turismo customers."

One Solus GT seat opens when the top of the canopy slides forward. 

Despite the GT name, which can sometimes mean "grand touring," the Solus GT is designed for anything but a casual cruise. Its naturally aspirated V10 engine gets 829 hp (840 hp) and promises a sprint time of zero to 60 mph of less than 2.5 seconds. The top speed is 200 mph.

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Owners who are particularly interested in fulfilling their F1 fantasies can purchase a FIA-homologated racing suit, a helmet, a special head and neck support device (HANS) and a pilot development training program. Neck support is particularly important, says Bruno Senna, a professional racer who has flown solus GT prototypes for testing purposes. (Senna's uncle, Ariton, has spent most of his career racing with the McLaren Formula One team, and he has a $1 million model named after him.)

According to him, driving a Solus GT is a "completely different planet" compared to driving other powerful McLarens, such as senna. "It's the closest thing you can get to a top-of-the-line race car," he said. "It's driving friendly, but — definitely for the people who buy it — they're going to need a coach."

The Solus GT weighs just 2,205 pounds, thanks in part to its ultra-light carbon fiber monocoque. 

The rear wide-angle camera, located above the hoop inside the car and laid out on the driver's viewing screen, provides a wide-angle view at every turn. 

The performance alone is sure to excite anyone sitting in one car seat. Just getting in and out of the car will be an event. Its spring-loaded top of the canopy is opened by pressing a mechanical lever; the roof then moves in a small arc, rising from the cab and sliding forward to allow easy access to the driver's seat. Once inside, the driver can access an ignition switch and a fully integrated fire extinguisher on the car's ceiling.  

Like all McLarens released since 1981, the Solus GT uses a carbon fiber monocoque body; the front and rear landing gear structures, and even the steering wheel, are also made of carbon fiber. But in A new first for Woking, an English company, McLaren used 3D-printed titanium components, including a cab protection design and a roll hoop. All carbon fiber and titanium help the car reach a weight of just over 1 ton, or 2,205 pounds.

McLaren will release only 25 Solus GT, which, unlike the US-exclusive McLaren Sabre, are sold worldwide. Pricing starts at £3 million ($3.6 million). Deliveries will begin in 2023.

Each Solus GT will come with its own flight case, allowing customers to transport it from track to track. The housing includes tools, car jacks, stands, radios and a coolant heater. Customers will be able to choose their own individual color for the interior and exterior style, so no two Solus GT are the same.