Technical characteristics

Honda ENGINE - V6, mounted longitudinally with cylinders at 80 degrees
Construction: Cast iron block and alloy caps, titanium connecting rods and low crown and light alloy pistons with 3 rings that run on wet type cylinders in nickel silicon aluminum
Diameter x stroke: 79 mm x 50.8 mm
Displacement: 1,493 cm3
Compression ratio: 9.4: 1
Distribution: Four valves per cylinder placed at an angle of 32 degrees
Power: Honda PGMF1 scheduled fuel injection with 2 IHI ​​RX6D single expansion turbochargers
Ignition: Ignition Honda CDI without a distributor, with a spark plug NKG and coil for cylinder, mounted to the center, and Honda system of electronic control of the engine
Maximum power: 685 hp at 12,500 rpm (only in classifications, with an effort of 2.5 bar)

Chassis
Type: McLaren International / Hercules carbon fiber composite monocoque with four interior divisions of carbon fiber composite, aluminum-alloy honeycomb carbon fiber body cockpit and carbon fiber one-piece body upper section
Address: Pinion and rack
Suspension: Forward: Independent with forks of different lengths, traction rods, roller tracks, coil springs, and Showa gas/oil dampers
Back: Independent with forks of different lengths, traction rods, oscillating arms, coil springs, and Showa gas/oil shock absorbers
Brakes: Carbon vented front and rear discs, manufactured by Carbone Industrie, diameters 11¨x0.9¨ front and rear: twin McLaren International covers of two recipients per disc with carbon compensators from Carbone Industrie
Tires: Dymag Magnesium 13 × 11.75 forward 13 × 16.5 back / Tires: Goodyear Eagle
Empty weight: 540 Kg
MAXIMUM SPEED: 330/340 Km / h

The first McLaren with Honda engine had been waiting for a long time, which was already well established after five years with Williams and Lotus.
It was at the 1987 Italian Grand Prix when McLaren confirmed that he would use Honda's power in 1988 and that Ayrton Senna would join Alain Prost. The disappointing '87 season turned out to be the last for the venerable but powerful TAG Turbo, which had lost some advantage it once had.
McLaren now had the best engine in its hands and, without a doubt, the most exciting driver combination of the era. In addition, former Brabham magician Gordon Murray had joined as technical director in 1987, filling the void left by the departure of John Barnard.
The sport was moving to normal suction engines for 1989, and the '88 season would be the last for turbos. The transition had begun a year earlier, but only a few teams had opted for the non-turbo route.
On paper, it looked pretty clear: the turbos would be severely impeded with a maximum increase of 4.0 to 2.5 bar, and a reduction in fuel tank capacity (without refueling stops in those days) of 195 to 150 liters. There was also a considerable weight disadvantage of 40 kg in relation to the cars that handled the new engines.
To speed up the process, McLaren did exactly what it did at the end of last year: the team created a B-spec provisional car using the old chassis equipped with the new engine to test and gives Honda the best possible opportunity to adjust to changes in regulations.
In fact, McLaren built two MP4 / 3Bs, because Honda had to send one to Japan for winter in Suzuka, where the new test driver Emanuele Pirro would finally complete thousands of kilometers. A car was converted from the specifications of the 1987 race, while the other was the monohull No. SSC / 7 that had not run and, therefore, could be properly adapted during the construction process.
It was not just sliding the Honda engine into space where the TAG was, even though the two engines basically share the same 80 degrees V6 architecture. Actually, they were quite different, and there was very little compatibility between their systems and auxiliary elements. Apparently, the car looked similar to 1987, but underneath, apart from everything around the engine, there was also a new box and a new oil tank.
In many ways, it was similar to the TAG engine, with a V of 80 degrees, the same type of size, recalled project leader Steve Nichols. It was not so beautiful aesthetically, you could say it looked a little bigger in some areas, so it was going to be a problem to ride it. For example, the TAG engine had a heat exchanger for the oil cooler on each side, the Honda had it on only one side, so it would have to be accommodated. But in general, it seemed a viable package, something that we could easily integrate.
The car tested for the first time in the hands of Prost in a cold Silverstone