First Look: McLaren's Much-Anticipated GT Supercar - Forbes

McLaren Automotive’s premier grand tourer, the McLaren GT

McLaren Automotive

McLaren Automotive has revealed details of its all-new McLaren GT supercar. With prices starting at around $200,000 and deliveries aimed towards the end of the year, this is the first true grand tourer created by the British maker of exclusive performance cars. It combines the elegant sculpture we associate with this evocative genre, with an added dose of McLaren’s engineering knowhow and material innovation as well as supercar performance. McLaren says to expect excellent ride quality and true supercar performance with its first GT, with zero to 124mph in 9 seconds and a top speed of 203mph.

The exterior shape follows a similar theme to the Speedtail with its long, flowing, aero lines

McLaren Automotive

This is the fourth new model introduced in the Track25 business plan set out by Mike Flewitt last year. The chief executive officer says the whole design language is purposely different to McLaren’s other more track-focused cars. “It is a very elegant and beautiful car, designed for distance driving, in comfort and with the sort of space expected of a grand tourer, but with a level of agility never experienced before in this segment.” He says the GT remains true to McLaren’s ethos of “designing super light cars with a clear weight advantage over rivals. In short, this is a car that redefines the notion of a grand tourer in a way that only a McLaren could.”

The GT is almost 4.7 meters, longer than the cars in the Sports or Super Series

McLaren Automotive

The GT will sit alongside the existing Sports, Super and Ultimate Series as an independent car. It is almost 4.7 meters, longer than its siblings in the Sports or Super Series. The design shares much of the theme we saw in the Speedtail limited-edition car last year, to be long and lean and lightweight in body. Design is governed by aero-efficiency so, for instance, the muscular rear fenders incorporate the air intakes for the high-temperature radiators to cool the engine. Innovative materials, mainly the carbon-fiber that remains at the core of all these cars, keeps weight low.

The structure is made of light carbon-fiber and aluminum body panels

McLaren Automotive

Design director Rob Melville says of the GT: “Its bold, elegant volumes flow seamlessly from nose to tail, encapsulating the beautifully crafted cabin. The sophisticated, sculpted body expresses both the power of the car and its ability to cosset occupants during long-distance driving. The teardrop shape of the cabin, which stretches back to encompass the rear luggage area, follows the aerodynamic principles inherent in all McLarens.” The width and stance are highlighted at the front by the signature “hammerhead line” which runs horizontally across the nose and draws the eye out to the sides of the vehicle. At the rear, an integrated fixed rear wing, large diffuser and substantial exhaust tailpipes are visual reminders that this is a gran turismo with supercar performance.

The cabin offers a more luxurious space with Nappa leather and an option to choose cashmere for the seats

McLaren Automotive

Like all McLarens, the GT benefits from a carbon-fiber structure (a bespoke MonoCell II-T monocoque) and aluminum body panels. The strength of the carbon core structure means that glazed C-pillars and rear-quarter windows can be incorporated into the design, enhancing rearward vision and bringing more light into the cabin. Dihedral doors swing upwards to expose a wide opening and low sill. The new carbon structure allows this to be a more practical motor car than your average McLaren too, with stowage capacity of 570 liters with the rear luggage bay accessed via the front-hinged, full-length glazed tailgate with room for bags, golf clubs or skis.

Power comes from a new 620ps 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine. It has been created for the McLaren GT and promises to deliver immense power and torque, as well as an evocative exhaust tune expected of a true grand tourer. According to company figures, torque of 630Nm is produced between 5,500rpm and 6,500rpm, with more than 95% of this available from 3,000rpm to 7,250rpm. Plus, the new engine is mated to a 7-speed SSG transmission to deliver linear, seamless and relentless acceleration, says McLaren.

There is machined and knurled aluminum switches and controls to contrast with gloss black surrounds

McLaren Automotive

Inside is designed to be more comfortable for longer journeys than the usual sportier McLarens, where weight reduction has been at the heart of design decisions. The GT comes with hidden-until-lit ambient lighting and the option of an electrochromic glazed panel to complement the standard carbon composite gloss black roof, which darkens or lightens at the touch of a button. The Nappa leather trim that features as standard can be upgraded to soft-grain luxury leather or Alcantara with cashmere available as an option later in the year. There is machined and knurled aluminum switches and controls to contrast with gloss black surrounds for the new infotainment screen, window switches, gear-selection console and air vent housings. A 12-speaker, Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system featuring carbon sub-bass woofers and Kevlar mid-range drive units, is also available on this car.

This is the most practical of McLarens, with room for bags as well as golf clubs or skis

McLaren Automotive

Flewitt admits the GT wasn’t on the company original plan back in 2011, but when the 570S we envisaged, a GT derivative was also sketched in fastback body style. “We loved this car and the feedback from customers was that they love to see a GT for it is more comfortable, luxurious and usable. Our cars are track focused and raw – so it makes sense to add a product in this direction.”

The McLaren GT is expected to bring new customers to the brand

McLaren Automotive

The marque expects to attract a very new audience to the brand with this new McLaren GT. Flewitt told me at the Geneva Motor Show in March: “We see a great number of our GT customers to be new to the brand – people for whom our cars are possibly a bit too extreme.” Since the US is one of his biggest markets, I ask if he is expecting the GT to add further allure for the brand, especially on the open roads of California. “Yes, we see our GT as helping build brand awareness in the US. The grand tourer is such an evocative shape and takes me back to the cars I loved from the 60s. Ours is a grand tourer with a sporty edge; the best driver’s car but remain a luxury GT. We sell cars emotionally to people and the GT will add to that.”

Read my interview with Mike Flewitt at the Geneva Motor Show here.

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https://www.forbes.com/sites/nargessbanks/2019/05/15/mclaren-gt/

2019-05-15 12:00:00Z
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