McLaren's Upcoming LMDh Hypercar Aims to Dominate Le Mans in 2027 | Carscoops

      McLaren will be participating in the 2027 World Endurance Championship (WEC) with a new LMDh Hypercar, going up against competitors like Porsche, Acura, BMW, Lamborghini, and Alpine, while also setting its sights on winning the world's most renowned endurance race.

      The British automaker, now under new ownership, has revealed limited information about its Hypercar development. It is believed to be collaborating with Dallara for the chassis. By entering the LMDh category, McLaren will face off against brands such as Porsche, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Alpine, Lamborghini, Ford, and Genesis, as well as those from the Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) category, including Toyota, Glickenhaus, Peugeot, Ferrari, Vanwall, Isotta Fraschini, and Aston Martin.

      Only one teaser image of McLaren's Hypercar has been released, which likely does not depict the final design. Notable features include a classic prototype racer silhouette, a prominent rear wing, and detailed LED headlights. McLaren aims to achieve an overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2027, commemorating 32 years since its celebrated win with the F1 GTR.

      Reports suggest that the powertrain for the McLaren LMDh Hypercar will utilize the twin-turbo V6 from the Artura, augmented by a hybrid system in accordance with class regulations.

      McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has hinted at the company's return to endurance racing for several months. He mentioned in mid-2024 that it was more a matter of "when" rather than "if" regarding their Hypercar project, noting that regulatory changes extending the lifespan of LMDh and LMH vehicles beyond 2027 provided McLaren with "more breathing room" to enter the competition.

      This announcement follows closely on the heels of Ford's revelation that it is also developing an LMDh Hypercar for the 2027 season, aiming for an outright victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a feat it has not achieved since 1969, despite winning the LM GTE Pro class in 2016 with the second-generation Ford GT on the 50th anniversary of the GT40's triumph in 1966 over Ferrari.