Lanzante’s creating a McLaren F1 GTR-inspired hypercar with 700bhp/ton
To celebrate 30 years since Lanzante took victory at Le Mans with the F1 GTR, it’s now creating its own McLaren-based hypercar set to debut at Goodwood Festival of Speed
The McLaren F1 and its race-bred GTR counterparts are cars that helped Woking earn its place at the heart of the automotive world. In 1995, the famous #59 McLaren F1 GTR achieved outright victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours, and now Lanzante, the Petersfield-based team behind its victory, is creating a hypercar to celebrate the achievement three decades on.
Aptly named Project 95-59, referencing both the year of the victory and the Le Mans entry number, the model is said to be Lanzante’s most ambitious project to date, utilising expertise built up over the decades since its Le Mans win. Limited-run and with a three-seat layout like the F1, it’s said to feature a considerable level of bespoke engineering designed to put the driver at the centre of the experience.
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Lanzante has confirmed the model will be based on an existing McLaren platform, and while it hasn’t specified which, its three-seat layout and Speedtail-like silhouette might give us a clue – its Paul Howse-penned design also bears some similarities to the limited-run Sabre with its prominent rear wing. The target 700bhp/ton power-to-weight ratio also lines up with the Speedtail, but whether or not this model will feature a hybrid powertrain or opt for pure-combustion in pursuit of a lower kerb weight is yet to be seen.
As much as we'd like to see the F1's sonorous naturally-aspirated S70/2 V12 return, the model will most likely feature a derivative of the same 4-litre twin-turbocharged Ricardo V8 as in every modern McLaren – given Lanzante's previous work with Cosworth though, some tuning certainly isn't off the cards.
Performance figures are yet to be disclosed, but given that target 700bhp/ton power-to-weight ratio, more than the 616bhp/ton of the P1, it's bound to be quick – the P1 manages a 2.8sec 0-62mph time and a 217mph top speed, with its hybrid V8 powertrain producing a combined 903bhp.
Lanzante celebrated 25 years since the win with its LM25 Editions, converting numerous modern McLarens with upgrades referencing the iconic racer. These changes included lightweighting measures, the use of gold anodised interior switches, a gold ceramic coated exhaust system, a Le Mans-style scrutineering sticker on the bulkhead and numerous other design tweaks in reference to the F1 GTR. Expect to see much of the same and more on this bespoke new hypercar.
Lanzante says that in addition to a focus on engineering, the model has also been developed with usability and ownership in mind, something that can’t be said for some other high-profile hypercars launched in recent times. As a result, it will likely feature a maintenance schedule that aligns more with a car designed to be regularly used, with usable luggage capacity and a strong long-distance range also priorities.
First customer previews have already taken place as development ramps up, with the Lanzante Project 95-59 set to make its debut at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.
