HOW DO YOU BEAT THE PORSCHE 911 GT3? As I point the jutting splitter of a McLaren 600LT northwards towards The Borders and the sinewy, weather-ravaged roads that criss-cross between England and Scotland, I sense this is a question not just for the next couple of days, but one that occupies the minds of engineers and test drivers the world over on a constant loop.
As I glide in the svelte McLaren, John Barker is muscling his way to our rendezvous in the Nissan GT-R Nismo. The angular Japanese coupe, built to a different scale and resembling a 1960s brutalist block of flats next to the minimalist LT, is nevertheless similarly preoccupied with striking a blow to Porsche’s sublime, track-focused 911. Whether they’ve achieved their goal remains to be seen, but clearly the teams behind them were unstinting in their pursuit of every performance gain imaginable.
So I’m sitting behind a windscreen that’s thinner by 0.5mm than that fitted to the 570S, rolling on ultra-lightweight forged wheels that save a barely believable 17kg and are secured with titanium bolts that cut weight by a further 420 grams. The view out is extraordinarily panoramic in typical (and wonderful) McLaren style, but the plunging A-pillars do obscure the carbonfibre louvres on the front wings. Nice to know they’re there, though: reducing wheel well pressure, venting hot gases and saving 1.2kg. There are bigger changes, of course, but these little details show the commitment required to contend in an area of the market pretty much owned by the 911 GT3.
This story is from the September 2021 edition of evo India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2021 edition of evo India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
FAST STEAD
This Skoda Octavia RS 230 is fast enough to blow your mind but not its engine
Ford Fusion
Practical, great engine and dynamics, but weird styling ensured buyers stayed well away
Mahindra Bolero Neo
Armed with an iconic badge, a fresh face and a mechanically locking differential, the Bolero Neo could just be the compact SUV you’ve been looking for
RISING FROM THE ASHES
The third generation Suzuki Hayabusa is one of the fastest production motorcycles in the world, and a bike that truly deserves to be ridden flat out at the High Speed Track at NATRAX
BIJOY KUMAR Y
Bijoy is quite looking forward to what the recent space launches could mean
DOA: HSV HRT 427
This racing-inspired 7-litre Holden Monaro garnered more than enough interest for its limited production run to sell out. But sadly the sums didn’t add up
Mini Cooper S Convertible
Mini gives the Convertible a more modern front end, more technology on the inside and a very bright paint scheme
VW Taigun GT
Good news! With two GT variants, Volkswagen are set to make the 1.5 TSI motor even more accessible to us enthusiasts
THE DOCTOR CHECKS OUT
As Rossi decides to hang up his boots after 26 seasons, we take a look back at his journey through MotoGP
“IF THE RATING IS DONE, NATRAX COULD BE ONE OF THE TOP THREE PROVING GROUNDS IN THE WORLD”
Speaking to Dr N Karuppaiah, additional director and centre head, NATRAX