CSR2 McLaren Solus GT — Best Tune, Shift Pattern & Stage 6 Guide

At 6.597 seconds, the McLaren Solus GT sits eighth on the CSR2 Tier 5 leaderboard — and it gets there with no electric motors, no turbochargers, and a single seat. It's separated from the Rimac Nevera R one place ahead by a single thousandth of a second, which makes the contrast almost poetic: 2,107 electric horsepower against 829 from a naturally aspirated V10, and barely anything in it on the strip. This guide covers how to build and drive the Solus GT properly — the tune approach, the high-rev shift pattern, and the Stage 6 work that takes it from an 8-second Stage 5 car to a 6.5-second weapon.

About the McLaren Solus GT

The Solus GT began as a Gran Turismo design concept before McLaren decided to actually build it. It's a track-only single-seater powered by a 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 that revs past 10,000 rpm and makes 829 horsepower — an engine McLaren uses nowhere else in its range. The whole car weighs under 1,000 kilograms and generates more than 1,200 kilograms of downforce at 150 mph, which is more than the car's own weight. The driver climbs in through a jet-style sliding canopy into a fixed seat, with the pedals and wheel moving to fit instead. McLaren built just 25 and sold every one before the car was publicly revealed. In CSR2, that high-revving V10 is the whole story of how it drives: the power lives right at the top of the rev range, so the shift pattern is all about holding gears deep.

Stage 5 vs Fully Maxed — What Stage 6 Adds

At Stage 5 with every fusion slot filled but no Stage 6 parts, the Solus GT runs 8.001 seconds. Fully maxed — all Stage 6 fitted, fusions complete — it drops to 6.597. That 1.4-second gain is entirely Stage 6, and it's the difference between a mid-pack T5 car and a genuine top-ten contender. Fill your fusion slots first; until they're all in, your in-game tune numbers read low and won't match the figures below.

CSR2 McLaren Solus GT Best Tune & Shift Pattern

The Solus GT launches on a needle drop and then wants long, deep shifts to keep the V10 in its power band.

The detail people miss is how late you hold the upper gears. This is a 10,000-plus-rpm engine, and shifting early throws away the part of the rev range where the power actually is. After the early perfect shifts through the low gears, you let each remaining gear run deep — right up near 10,700 — before shifting. Get the needle-drop launch and the NOS timing clean and the Solus GT is one of the most rewarding cars to run at the top of T5.

Stage 6 & Elite Tuning

Like every top-ten car, the Solus GT only reaches 6.597 with all Stage 6 parts installed and fusions complete. The exact NOS and final-drive slider values shift slightly with how many Stage 6 parts you've fitted, so dial them to your build — but the shift pattern stays constant. Where the car supports Elite Tuning on your account, applying it is what locks in the final tenths.

The Solus GT in Live Races

The Solus GT is a precision car, not a forgiving one. Because so much of its time depends on holding gears deep and nailing the needle-drop launch, a clean run is very fast — but a mistimed early shift costs more here than on a torquier car, since you drop out of the V10's narrow power band. For drivers who run consistently it's an excellent Live Race and Crew Championship card; if you're still learning shift timing, a more low-end-torque car can be easier to be quick in.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the McLaren Solus GT's best time in CSR2?

Fully maxed with all Stage 6 parts and fusions, the Solus GT runs 6.597 seconds — eighth fastest in the game, one thousandth behind the Rimac Nevara R. At Stage 5 it's 8.001.

What's the Solus GT shift pattern?

Launch on a needle drop at around 5,200 RPM, hit NOS immediately, take early perfect shifts through 2nd–4th, then deep good shifts holding each remaining gear to roughly 10,600–10,700 RPM. Run full grip.

Is the McLaren Solus GT worth building?

Yes — at 6.597s it's a top-ten T5 car and very competitive in Live Races and crew play, as long as you're comfortable with its deep-shift, high-rev driving style.

How do I get the Solus GT maxed without grinding?

You can have it delivered fully built — Stage 6 fitted, fusions correct, Elite Tuning applied — to your iOS or Android account through our CSR2 mods service, instead of farming the Stage 6 parts yourself.