Apart from confirming the project’s existence, McLaren Automotive has been secretive about its three-seat “Hyper-GT.” Now, though, it’s thrown discretion out the window.
McLaren on Thursday tweeted a picture of an “unusual” camouflaged 720S at the hands of its chief test driver, Chris Goodwin, who could be seen sitting smack-dab in the middle of the cockpit.
There's something very unusual about this 720S…can you guess why? pic.twitter.com/SnjPUbsxEi
— McLaren Automotive (@McLarenAuto) September 28, 2017
Most of the people who replied to McLaren’s tweet had picked up on the test mule’s central driving position. But for those who only are casual car fans — and unfamiliar with the iconic three-seat F1 — it admittedly might not have been so obvious.
So McLaren decided to give a second clue, which would have been nearly impossible to misinterpret.
Another clue …. pic.twitter.com/n9DqBV7GUj
— McLaren Automotive (@McLarenAuto) September 28, 2017
Although the car’s seating layout makes it the F1’s spiritual successor, McLaren already said that it won’t be an unadulterated performance car like the company’s first road car. Instead, it will be “designed for longer journeys, but with the high levels of performance and driver engagement expected of any McLaren,” presumably like the new 570GT.
The British manufacturer also said that the “Hyper-GT” — codenamed BP23 — will utilize a hybrid powertrain. What’s interesting, however, is that the 720S, on which it apparently will be based, is powered solely by an internal combustion engine.
