If Formula One’s engines sounded anything remotely like the raucous 6-liter lump in the back of this machine, nobody would ever complain. Largely because everybody would be deaf. But what a wonderful way to lose a vital sense. The McLaren’s shrieking, BMW-built V12 made somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 horsepower for LeMans — an event the car ran, effectively, in its own class until Porsche came along with the GT1.

With short overhangs, a long wheelbase and a low, sleek roofline, the McLaren may be one of the prettiest scientific marvels around.

As part of a promotional event honoring the 20th anniversary of the car, BMW racer Bill Auberlen, best known for his efforts in ALMS, got to grips with the legendary sports car. Grip being the operative word here, because it isn’t often you see a GT racer turn with such confidence and poise. The unassisted steering makes the drive physical and draining, but the immaculate traction must offer some relieving confidence. Despite all the grunt — from seemingly everywhere in the rev range — the car does not look unwieldy.

The F1 GTR’s success meant, most of the time, the competition was left staring at its sumptuous behind.

That broad powerband helps make up for the mismatched gears, since the torque helps it rocket effortlessly out of even the tightest corners. Without dual-clutch transmission and all the aids a modern racer offers, it requires a certain level of finesse and discipline from Auberlen. Not to say it’s easier or harder to drive than something current — but the experience is, in many ways, different. It doesn’t perform the way a modern GT machine does, but it relishes from the incredible, tractable motor and innate balance.