What's all this about?
It's about two new track-only McLarens, based on the Sports Series 570S road car. Say hello to the GT4 and the Sprint.
Which one are we looking at in the pictures?
The GT4, as full specs on the Sprint will be announced in a few weeks. However, what we can tell you for now is that the Sprint is for private tracks days only, so it's unfettered by the necessary rules and regulations of motorsport, although Sprint owners can upgrade to GT4 spec if they fancy racing their chums.
And what does GT4 spec entail?
A mega body, aerodynamically optimised and with plenty of cooling ducts, which is made of carbon fibre and aluminium over the MonoCell II carbon tub of the 570S road car. The GT4's front and rear tracks are wider, though, in order to accommodate centre-locking cast magnesium alloy wheels, while it has a massive GT4-spec rear spoiler on aluminium pylons at the back and a huge splitter up front. Regulations stipulate a roll cage, air jacking system and fire extinguisher on-board, all of which the GT4 therefore possesses.
Is it the 3.8 V8 powering the 570S GT4?
It is indeed, with a seven-speed transmission handling the grunt. The GT4 will be entered into all nine rounds of this season's British GT championship, during which time it will be going through an 'intensive season-long development programme' ready for customer cars to be sold for GT4-homologated series in 2017. And if you want a 570S GT4 for next year, then be prepared to fork out £159,900, ex works.
This is excellent news. Has McLaren got anything else to say?
Only that Ansar Ali, former CEO of Caterham and founder of Zenos, is McLaren Automotive's new motorsport director, joining just in time to oversee the GT4 and Sprint launches. He said: "I am extremely proud and honoured to be joining McLaren Automotive at such a pivotal time. Activities on track have played such a significant part in the history of making McLaren globally recognised. The opportunity to play a major part in shaping its future motorsport strategy is extremely exciting, and the 570S GT4 and 570S Sprint models are an important initial step."
Matt Robinson - 15 Mar 2016