On this day in 1995, the #59 McLaren F1 GTR piloted by JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya took the chequered flag at the 24hrs of Le Mans. To celebrate that famous victory, McLaren has released this… It’s the 720S Le Mans.
It’s limited to 50 units of which only 16 will be sold in Europe. Fun (nerdy) fact – the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) of each car will start with ‘298’ in reference to the number of laps completed by the F1 GTR.
The changes are purely cosmetic. On the outside, the special edition 720S gets a roof scoop and five-spoke ‘LM’ wheels inspired by the ones worn by all seven F1 GTRs that competed in 1995.
These editions come finished in a choice of two colours – ‘McLaren Orange’ or ‘Sarthe Grey’. The former is a nod to the five road-going F1 GTRs built to celebrate the victory and the latter, of course, takes its name from the circuit’s official title, Circuit de la Sarthe.
That primary colour is contrasted with ‘Ueno Grey’ paint that runs along the bottom of the car and rises towards the rear of the vehicle with a ’25 years’ crest in front of the rear wheels.
Inside, the 720S Le Mans gets carbon fibre racing seats with embroidered headrests and alcantara upholstery with orange or grey accents. It also gets a VIN plate and floor mats with 25th anniversary detailing on them.
Bonus points for anyone who spotted the map of the track on the infotainment unit…
Performance specs are unchanged. That means a 711bhp bi-turbo V8 and seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox taking it from 0-62 in 2.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 212mph.
If you want a 720S Le Mans, it’ll cost you £254,500 which is around £40k more than the standard car. It’s rather expensive then, and that’s before any sort of MSO treatment.
Do you like the 720S Le Mans or is it just another ‘special edition’ McLaren? Let us know what you think in the comments section below or via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
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