After seeing Renault’s turbocharged V6 engine dominate in Formula 1 competition in the mid ‘80s, McLaren set out to develop its own forced-induction V6 in a bid to best the French firm, partnering with Porsche and TAG in order to produce a twin-turbocharged 1.5-liter V6. Designed by legendary engineer Hanz Mezger, the V6 was good for more-than-1,000hp, and would play an instrumental role in allowing McLaren drivers Niki Lauda and Alain Prost to claim back-to-back-to-back F1 titles in 1984, ’85, and ’86. In order to further develop the twin-turbo six-banger prior to achieving its trio of driver’s championships, McLaren opted to drop the engine into a Porsche 930 that would then serve as a test mule.
Fast forward to today, and after managing to source a handful of McLaren’s original mid ‘80s-era F1 engines, British engineering firm Lanzante Motorsport has announced that it’s creating a limited run of modernized takes on McLaren’s 930 test mule known as the Lanzante Porsche TAG Turbo.
The Company Behind The Car
Founded by Paul Lanzante in the 1970s, Lanzante Motorsport is a Hampshire-based race and restoration shop that’s responsible for an enormous slew of accolades — including assisting in the development of numerous track-focused McLaren models and achieving an outright win at Le Mans in 1995. Utilizing a logo of Ganesha — a suggestion taken by Paul from none other than The Beatles’ George Harrison — Lanzante is now headed up by the founder’s son Dean Lanzante. And though the next generation has taken the reigns, Lanzante Motorsport’s legacy lives on through envelop-pushing projects like the Porsche TAG Turbo.
The TAG Turbo
Lanzante’s Porsche TAG Turbo is a contemporary automotive homage to McLaren’s F1-powered 930-based test mule that the team used during the 1982 season. Individually crafted on a built-to-order basis, the TAG Turbo combines a period-correct looks inside and out, with a host of modern components and carbon fiber elements. Limited to 14 units in total, each example is powered by an actual ‘80s era Formula 1 engine making over 500hp.
The Championship Editions
Of the 14 specimens being produced, a small handful of the cars will be what Lanzante has christened the “Championship Edition.” Benefitting from most of the same hardware and upgrades as the “normal” TAG Turbo, the Championship Edition cars boast a more stripped-down, track-focused setup, along with even more powerful motors. In total, Lanzante is building only three TAG Turbo Championship Editions — one to celebrate each of McLaren’s consecutive F1 titles achieved in ’84, ’85, and ’86. What’s more, the Championship-spec models will also be the very last three built in the entire TAG Turbo series.
The Heart Of An F1 Racer
What initially made the TAG Turbo series possible was a chance encounter, when Dean Lanzante was visiting McLaren and was given the opportunity to purchase roughly a dozen of McLaren’s original TAG-Porsche engines from the ’84, ’85, and ’86 seasons. In order to modernized these twin-turbo V6s and prepare them for road-going use, Lanzante called on Cosworth, which has de-tuned each mill down to around 510hp and 310ft-lbs of torque. Though it’s quite a bit less than the engine’s original 1,000 horses, this re-tuned mill still allows the TAG Turbo to achieve a top speed of around 200mph — and an estimated 0-60mph time in the ballpark of 3.5 seconds. Redline has also been decreased to a still-impressive 9,000rpm.
Contemporary Componentry
The TAG Turbo’s engine has been further up-specced through a series of modern upgrades and internals including new pistons, valve springs, and con-rods, and a custom-tuned Cosworth ECU. Additionally, the 1.5-liter six-banger now comes bolted to a G50/20 six-speed manual transmission plucked from a Porsche 993 RS, plus features a limited-slip differential, a front-mounted water-cooled radiator, and a custom exhaust complete with Inconel headers and a bespoke muffler. Riding on a set of 17” RUF wheels, this limited edition creation also sports carbon-ceramic brakes by Surface Transforms and two-way adjustable Öhlins dampers at all four corners.
A Custom Cabin
Like the outside of the car, the TAG Turbo’s cabin is a custom affair that still looks period-correct. Using a host of hidden carbon fiber elements to shave off weight without compromising the period look, the interior also gets custom-trimmed Recaro bucket seats, a set of bespoke TAG-branded gauges, a custom Tilton pedal box, plastic windows, and a full roll-cage.
Bespoke Bodywork
The TAG Turbo Champions Edition follows the original lines of the 930 test mule used for development in 1982, however, this iconic design has been brought to life using a thoroughly modern carbon fiber construction that adds around 200lbs of lightness to the project. In order to maintain its period-correct look, the composite’s weave has been hidden under one of several bespoke livery options, each taken from one of McLaren’s title-winning racers from the ’84, ’85, and ’86 race seasons.
Why It Matters
Between being produced on a bespoke built-to-order basis, being constructed around a classic 930 platform, and boasting an ultra-rare Formula 1 engine, Lanzante’s TAG Turbo is one of the most special and noteworthy restomods we’ve seen in a long while. Shaving an impressive 440lbs of weight from the original 930, the Championship Edition now tips the scales at around 2,000lbs — giving it a power-to-weight ratio that’s on par with a slew of today’s latest and greatest supercars. With no power brakes or power steering, the car delivers a completely analog, old-school driving experience, too. Lastly, several of these engines were also taken from particularly noteworthy cars, including the 1985 McLaren MP4/2B racer that Niki Lauda drove to victory at the French Grand Prix.
Spec Sheet
Brand: Lanzante Motorsport
Model: TAG Turbo
Donor: Porsche 930
Engine: Twin-Turbocharged 1.5L V6 F1
Power: 510HP to 650HP
Weight: Approx 2,000LBS
Body: Carbon Fiber
Top Speed: Approx 200MPH
Production: 14 Units (3 Championship Edition)
Starting Price: $1,395,000
Pricing & Availability
Deliveries of the first Lanzante Porsche TAG Turbos are scheduled to begin later this year. And though pricing for the Championship Edition cars is only available on request, we imagine it will cost a good deal more than the 11 “regular” Porsche TAG Turbo specimens which start at £1,095,000 (~ $1,395,000).
Recap
Lanzante Porsche TAG Turbo Championship Edition
Built on a bespoke, made-to-order basis and good for 650hp, the Lanzante Porsche TAG Turbo Championship Edition is a thoroughly modern take on a legendary F1-powered 930-gen 911 test mule that McLaren’s team used during the ’82 season.
