McLaren continues to expand its Sports Series lineup with a new competition-inspired model called the 620R. Essentially a road-legal version of the 570S GT4 race car, the 620R is a limited-run coupé that will be built in just 350 units.
The 620R is the most powerful model in the Sports Series range. The M838TE 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine is shared with the GT4 car, but delivers more power as it’s not required to comply with racing regulations. Thus, it churns out 620 PS and 620 Nm of torque, enabling it to rocket from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds, from 0 to 200 km/h in 8.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 322 km/h. The eight-cylinder engine is hooked to a 7-speed Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG) with Inertia Push technology in Track mode which “converts built-up flywheel energy into a momentary burst of torque on upshift.” For added drama on the road, the Sport mode allows the driver to hear the upshift ‘crack’ created by a split-second cut of the ignition spark during a gear change.


Obviously, there’s more to the McLaren 620R than its powerful racing-derived engine. The limited-edition car shares a lot with the GT4 racer, including the single-piece carbon fiber Monocell II chassis that enables a dry weight of 1,282 kg. The 620R also features the GT4’s adjustable aerodynamic elements, race-derived suspension components, and braking system. For example, the adjustable carbon fiber rear wing is the same component fitted to the racer; however, it is raised 320 mm into the cleaner airflow above the vehicle to increase downforce while minimizing drag and also incorporates a third brake light.

The wing set offers three available angles that can be set by a McLaren retailer. The most aggresive angles increase rear downforce to a maximum of 185 kg at 250 km/h. Other aero elements adapted from the 570S GT4 include the front bumper, splitter and bonnet, as well as dive planes. Moving on to the suspension, the two-way manually adjustable coil-over motorsport dampers offer 32 clicks of adjustment per corner while helping to bring weight down further, as they are more than 6 kg lighter than the regular Sports Series units.


Furthermore, the lowered suspension with wider tracks features lightweight aluminum wishbones and uprights, stiffer anti-roll bars and springs than fitted on a regular Sports Series model, as well as swapping solid stainless steel top mounts for improved steering control and feedback. Stopping power is supplied by McLaren’s latest lightweight braking system consisting of carbon ceramic discs (390 mm in front, 380 mm in rear) and forged aluminum brake calipers all round. The standard tires are Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R semi-slicks, with full-slick motorsport tires available as an option.

While Woking did not reveal photos of the interior yet, the 620R features a stripped out cockpit featuring carbon fiber racing seats with six-point racing harnesses and a McLaren Track Telemetry (MTT) system as standard. McLaren will start producing the 620R in January, with its starting price set at £ 250,000 (US$ 329,000) in the UK, including taxes. The first deliveries are expected in February 2020.