California – Luxury car-maker McLaren’s latest hypercar, the Solus GT, originally appeared in the racing simulation video game Gran Turismo in 2017. Since then, McLaren's design team have worked to recreate the digital vehicle in real life, elevating the craftsmanship of its signature hypercars to new heights.
With wide-set, enclosed wheels, a large rear wing and a distinctive carbon fibre cockpit-style design, the Solus GT was built with speed, downforce and lap records in mind. While the car itself weighs less than 1,000kg, it generates 1,200kg of downforce at full power due to its unique monocoque chassis.
Owners of the limited-edition track car – of which all 25 units have already been sold for more than £3m ($3.5m, €3.6m) – will also receive a travel case for the vehicle that is designed to transport the Solus to events around the world, many of which will be organised by McLaren specifically for Solus owners.
Demonstrating how gaming can be used to trial new products, McLaren is exploring a future in which items that are introduced in the virtual world can help shape future production models. With this in mind, the Solus GT represents a new direction for the mobility industry.
Strategic opportunity
How can luxury car-makers inspire greater audience engagement by using video games or the metaverse to release new products and trial potential models?