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McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo revealed

Wild 845kW hybrid to debut in Playstation franchise


The McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo has been revealed ahead of its debut in the Gran Turismo Sport video game later this year.

Designed exclusive for Playstation's popular racing franchise, the wild design study embodies the company's "commitment" to putting the driver first through to 2030 and beyond - according to McLaren Automotive.

Headlining features include an outlandish hybrid drivetrain, which couples a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with two high-output electric motors on the front axle - one for each wheel - giving the Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo system outputs of 1150PS (845kW) and 1275Nm.

Performance figures haven't been quoted, though expect it to be rapid in the virtual world.

McLaren says the design of the Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo is uncompromised as it isn't subject to the constraints put on production models, though there are elements from its road cars in the overall aesthetic - including the teardrop cabin shape and large glasshouse for optimal visibility.

However, unlike its road cars - or any road car for that matter - the driver is made to lay on the front, with the rest of the car 'shrink wrapped' around them. McLaren calls this an 'innovative' approach to seating, but we're not sure about that.

"We wanted to break new ground and to innovate and the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo does exactly that. It puts the driver absolutely at the centre of the action, delivering a sensory overload with incredible sound and awe-inspiring acceleration," said Rob Melville, design director for McLaren Automotive.

"From the game player’s point of view, the driving experience in this car will be like nothing else: the amazing glass cockpit and the motorcycle-like driving position – with your head far forward, almost right above the front axle – combine to allow you to see exactly where the apex of the corner is so you can shave vital milliseconds off each lap."

The Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo also upholds McLaren's approach of heavily utilising carbon-fibre in vehicle construction. Acc0rding to the British manufacturer, the virtual racer features carbon-fibre in the upper structure, body and chassis, giving a virtual kerb weight of just 1000 kilograms.

Other features include a range of conceptual active aerodynamic technologies, dubbed Integrated Active Aero. These include small aperture covers around  air inlets on various "key surfaces" during cornering to create drag and generate more downforce - McLaren says this brings the handling benefits of active aero systems with less moving parts.

Centrally-mounted carbon-ceramic brakes help to reduce unsprung mass, and the driver is able to monitor brake temperatures when racing.

"For me, a car needs to be an extension of the driver; I am focused not just on the appearance, but on the handling, the sound of the engine, and the feeling you get when you are racing," said Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of Gran Turismo and president of Polyphony Digital.

"So, it was an honour to work with McLaren to bring the Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo to life, and to put such a car on the circuits of Gran Turismo Sport for players to enjoy driving at the limit.”

Players will be able to choose from three liveries (top); Performance, Ulterior and Noir.

Gran Turismo Sport will be available from October 17, with the McLaren Vision Gran Turismo joining other featured models from the company, including the 650S coupe and 650S GT3 race car, along with various other stunning Vision Gran Turismo concepts from manufacturers like Bugatti, Infiniti, Peugeot and Volkswagen.

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