McLaren 720S Le Mans Celebrates Classic Victory

The McLaren 720S Le Mans Special Edition is a limited-run machine to celebrate the incredible McLaren F1’s Le Mans success 25 years ago.

Today (18th June) is the 25th anniversary of one of motorsport’s greatest victories – the McLaren F1‘s win on debut at La Sarthe. Not only was it the McLaren F1’s first attempt at the classic endurance race, it was the first appearance for McLaren.

Piloting in the F1 GTR were JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya while three other cars made up four of the top five places in the race.

It was an extraordinary achievement. The 298 laps covered by the lead car will be reflected in each car’s VIN, which is pretty nifty.

Look and Feel

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The 720S Le Mans Special edition is available in two colour schemes – the winning car’s Sarthe Grey and the familiar McLaren Papaya orange. The grey you see on the orange car (and is also on the Sarthe machine, just hard to see in the photos) is called Ueno Grey after the victorious car’s Japanese sponsor.

A McLaren F1-style roof-mounted air scoop is genuinely functional and works to help clear heat from the untouched 720 horsepower 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. Sadly, a redux of the BMW Motorsport V12 was not going to happen.

And those gorgeous five-spoke LM wheels. Phwoar. Again, pity they weren’t an inch smaller to get that McLaren F1 sidewall vibe.

You also get a ‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo on lower body side panel, polycarbonate rear glazing, carbon fibre louvred front fenders, gold brake calipers and gloss black contrast body bits.

Interior

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The two-tone colour schemes continue inside, and from what I can tell, you can choose the interior colours independently of the body. Interesting.

Inside you get carbon fibre racing seats, embroidered headrests with the‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo, 12 o’clock steering wheel marker,
dedication plate with ‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo and floor mats with ‘McLaren 25 anniversary Le Mans’ logo.

Imagine that – standard floor mats.

Apart from that, the interior is pretty much as standard, although I reckon if you ask nicely, McLaren will do whatever else you want.

How much and when?

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Of course you want one. I do and I think buying supercars is insane.

For a mere £254,500 (half a million Australian dollars, before GST, LCT etc) you can have one of just sixteen Le Mans Special Editions. Although I won’t be surprised to see a Spider version if they sell out quickly.

McLaren expected deliveries in September.