It has been quite a lengthy teaser campaign but now McLaren finally took the covers off their new GT which will likely change the game in the grand tourer segment with its unique combination of a lightweight construction, powerful new twin-turbo V8 engine, and unprecedented interior space never seen before in a product of the Woking-based company.
In addition to these characteristics, the new model from the British automaker offers a “true supercar” performance.
As you may have guessed it shares its DNA with the Speedtail and becomes the fourth model resulting from the Track25 business plan. The car is aimed at a completely new audience for McLaren, one searching for supercar performance at the highest levels of comfort for long-distance journeys.
At the rear, you will find a 420-litre luggage compartment hiding underneath a glass tailgate with soft-close function as standard and an optional power opening and closing. At the front, you will find additional cargo space of 150-litre for a total of 570-litres which compared to the 570GT this is a 200-litre improvement.
Step inside the cabin, and you’ll find a cozy space designed for long trips with comfortable, electrically adjustable, and heated seats. McLaren says they are specially optimized for long-distance travel with perfect padding and shoulder plus back support. The interior also features “the most sophisticated McLaren infotainment system,” ambient lighting, and an optional electrochromic glass roof instead of the standard glassy black carbon fiber panel. A 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system with carbon fibre subwoofer and Kevlar midrange speakers is also available at an additional cost.
To further improve the comfort for the driver and passenger in the cabin and minimize chassis noise, McLaren uses special engine mounts that are only half as stiff as the 600LT’s. Speaking of the motor, the GT employs a new 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 delivering 620 hp (462 kW) and 630 Nm of torque. Connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, the unit propels the grand tourer from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.2 seconds. Even more impressive is the 0 to 200 km/h time of just 9 seconds and a top speed of 326 km/h.
The new GT is already available from McLaren dealers around the world with customer deliveries scheduled to begin towards the end of this year. Local pricing is not yet known but if its priced the same way as the 570S Coupe then you will be looking at a base price in the region of R3.8 million.
