Around the World: McLaren GT
The McLaren GT is the first grand tourer for the company. Photos: McLaren
McLaren’s first ever grand tourer was revealed at the 2019 Geneva motor show, and went on sale late last year, for a price of NZ$376,900.
It is based on the same platform underpinning the McLaren 720S with the addition of a carbon fibre rear deck to house a glazed tailgate creating significantly greater storage capacity.
It also has the 4-litre, V8 engine found in the 720S that produces 456kW of power and 630Nm of torque. It has a top speed of 326.7 km/h.
So, what do the motoring writers think about it?
Car Advice
Instead of 2+2 grand tourer, the McLaren GT has two seats.
The Australian website gave it 7.8/10.
“It’s 26 years since Formula 1 team McLaren seemingly got bored of winning a string of titles and decided to build the world’s fastest production car.
The McLaren F1 was the British marque’s sole supercar effort for nearly two decades, between 1993 and 2011, but then it got serious about beating Ferrari in showrooms as well as grand prix.
In the past eight years, it’s produced more than a dozen new cars.
McLaren’s latest model, however, promises to be something a bit different. So different that it doesn’t join any of the company’s three ranges – the entry Sports Series, the mid-range Super Series or the hypercar Ultimate series.
The McLaren GT off a new grand touring category created to give wealthy buyers an alternative to models such as the Aston Martin DB11 and Bentley Continental GT.
The GT isn’t a 2+2-seater in the grand touring tradition like its British counterparts, but it is otherwise equipped better than any other McLaren for long trips.
The aroma of leather is stronger than we recall in any other McLaren. The material dominates a cabin that eschews the exposed carbon fibre or Alcantara found in other models for a more traditional luxury cockpit. (Alcantara, though, forms part of a sportier Pioneer trim option pack.)
With longer journeys in mind, the GT-specific seats feature extra padding and the softest leather of any McLaren. They felt fine for the first hour and a half of driving, though further time behind the wheel revealed a seatback that seemed to provide insufficient lower-back support despite the inclusion of lumbar control.
Adjusting the seating isn’t the straightforward exercise you’d expect, either, as you have to squeeze a hand awkwardly between the seat and centre console and then rummage around with your fingers trying to find the right button.”
Top Gear
The McLaren GT has the same engine and chassis as the 720S.
The UK magazine and website gave it 7/10.
“It’s a McLaren all right, but the aim is to take the ground from underneath rivals’ front-engined GTs. So here’s the McLaren bit: mid-engined V8 turbo, twin-clutch gearbox, two-seat carbon fibre tub. But it’s roomier, more practical and more refined.
The engine, a four-litre job like in the 720S, has smaller turbos and entirely redesigned plumbing compared to other McLarens. As we’ll see, that brings a more appropriate power delivery, but it also makes the engine physically less tall.
That in turn means room above it for a surprisingly big boot under a glassy tailgate. It can swallow a bag of golf clubs, if that’s your thing. Or two sets of skis or a guitar. And careful insulation and cool-air ducting means they won’t melt. Another boot in the front can take a couple of flight bags, so in all it’s good for 570 litres.
The suspension has been recalibrated with softer front springs and careful anti-roll bar tuning to compensate. Yes, it has anti-roll bars, like the 570 series, rather than hydraulic adaptive anti-roll like the 720S. The damping is adaptive and the steering hydraulic in true McLaren fashion.
The cab is more luxuriously trimmed and quiet. The GT has also got decent ground clearance and well-behaved motorway manners, and good visibility, and tyres that work well in the wet.
Although it’s longer than nearly all other McLarens, it’s not as aggressive-looking. Or sounding. It won’t wake the dead.
By the way, the GT sits alongside the 570S and 720S ranges, as McLaren aims to fish for new customers rather than just making a substitute car for the existing lot.”
Autocar UK
The McLaren GT has a top speed of 326.7 km/h.
The website and magazine gave it 4/5.
“If you love driving above all else, then this is the GT for you. No matter which way you slice it, as a device to pick apart rolling and twisting roads, the McLaren leaves its heavier and more traditionally engineered rivals looking like drunks with two left feet. In terms of grip, balance, poise and agility, the GT takes some beating.
Yes, the steering is calmer, but it’s still quick and full of feel, while the rest of the car appears to rotate around your hips in precise relation to the amount of lock you wind on. Better still, the slightly softer suspension (in Comfort and Sport, at least; Track is still too firm for the road) and less aggressive turbo lag allow you to start manipulating your line through a corner, both on and off the throttle.
However, this is all expected of a McLaren, as is the searing performance, but what about its GT credentials? On the long drag back to the UK, it proves more relaxing than you’d expect. No, it’s not nearly as supple and soothing as a Bentley Continental GT but it’s more effortless than you’d expect, especially for a car that’s so sharp in the mountains. On the smoothly surfaced French autoroutes there’s decent suppleness, while the Pirelli P Zeros seem not to get overly vocal, even over coarser surfaces.
Expansion joints cause the odd slap and a wriggle of the steering, plus there is some wind rustle from around the door mirrors and A-pillars, but otherwise it’s remarkably restful, helped in no small part by the extra padding on the seats and the relaxingly recumbent driving position and improved visibility - although the view immediately rearward through the mirror and deeply tinted glass is far from perfect.”
Car and Driver
The rear has enough room for a golf bag but heats up as the engine is beneath.
The American website gave it 8/10.
“McLaren sells the GT in a single trim level decked out with enough amenities to please the typical buyer in this class. The car boasts a staggered wheel layout, with 20-inch rims in the front and 21-inch rims in the rear. All models are equipped with LED headlamps. The lights come with rain and light sensors as well as sequential LED indicators.
In back, a fixed rear wing sits above slim LED taillights, a large rear diffuser, and sizable exhaust tailpipes. Within the cabin, you'll find standard equipment such as leather upholstery and knurled-aluminum controls.
Every GT coupe comes with tech features such as navigation and Bluetooth connectivity as well as driver-assistance features such as a backup camera. McLaren offers a long list of options for the GT, including amenities such as an upgraded sound system and rear privacy glass.
Unfortunately, luxury features such as massaging and ventilated front seats—commonly offered by other picks in this class—aren't available on this McLaren. The GT offers cargo capacity that's generous for this class.
Keep in mind, though, that due to the placement of the engine, the GT's rear cargo area gets very hot. A laptop stored there was warm enough to cause concern after a drive.”
