McLaren pays tribute to the F1 GTR's victories at Le Mans with a special edition of the 720S

At the end of the 1980s, Gordon Murray, an engineer at McLaren, was passing the time in the best way he could think of: sketching a supercar that he sarcastically called the McLaren F1, a jab at the Ferrari F40. What began as a pastime to fill dead hours took shape; the idea grew bigger until a real project was born, one that gave life to one of the most iconic supercars in motoring history.

The McLaren F1 began reaching its very limited owners in 1992, and by then both McLaren itself and the F1’s owners realised they were facing a vehicle that would mark an era. At its rear, in a golden cradle that isolated the cabin from the heat radiated by the engine, sat a naturally aspirated V12 of BMW origin displacing 6,100 cc and delivering 634 CV of power. This had to be kept under control relying solely on the factory setup and the driver’s skill, because it had no control or assistance systems to make driving it easier.

Despite this, the McLaren F1 was built to devour the tarmac of any circuit, which is why many teams urged the English manufacturer to create a race-specification version to compete in the newly created GT1 category. In 1995 this gave birth to the McLaren F1 GTR. It took part in numerous races across different championships, winning a great many races as well as poles and constructors’ titles, but undoubtedly the most remembered is the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans with J.J. Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya aboard the F1 GTR number 59, which meant the first victory for McLaren in the famous race and proof that the McLaren F1 was ahead of its time.

In 2020, 25 years have passed since this feat achieved by the McLaren F1 GTR #59 and the other cars that crossed the finish line at the Circuit de la Sarthe. That is why the English manufacturer wanted to pay a well-deserved tribute by creating an exclusive limited edition of the McLaren 720S called Le Mans. For this special edition, limited to 50 units worldwide, only 16 of which will be for Europe, the 720S will nod to the McLaren F1 with well-executed details, especially on the exterior.

For the McLaren 720S Le Mans, buyers can choose between the McLaren Orange or grey Sarthe Grey colours. Whichever is chosen will be combined with Ueno Grey, applied to the lower sections of the front and rear bumpers. To add a touch of contrast, there will be various elements painted in gloss black, such as the upper air channel over the polycarbonate-glazed bonnet, as well as the aerodynamic parts in carbon fibre and commemorative logos next to the rear wheel. The wheels, as you can see, feature the same five-spoke design rims as the McLaren F1.

The interior of the McLaren 720S Le Mans features Alcantara upholstery which, like the exterior, can be specified in two colours for specific areas: McLaren Orange or Dove Grey. This is paired with sports seats made of carbon fibre, a steering wheel that carries the brand mark at 12 o’clock, and commemorative edition logos on the floor mats, the headrests and a plaque. Beyond this specific design, future owners of the 720S Le Mans can add their personal touch thanks to the personalisation options of MSO Bespoke and MSO Defined.

Where it does improve, and it hardly needed to, is in the engine, where we will still find a twin-turbo V8 of 4,000 cc capable of delivering 720 CV of power and 770 Nm of torque, which allows it to reach 100 km/h in just 2.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 341 km/h. The first deliveries to customers will take place in September, priced at £254,500.