McLaren reveals super-light GT — Grand Touring the McLaren way

(May 16, 2019) McLaren Automotive has revealed its unique interpretation of a modern Grand Tourer: the new McLaren GT.  Sleek, elegant and muscular, the super-light new GT challenges the conventions of the Grand Tourer category with a compelling blend of beautiful design, high-quality innovative materials, true supercar performance and McLaren driving dynamics and engagement.

“The new McLaren GT combines competition levels of performance with continent-crossing capability, wrapped in a beautiful body and true to McLaren’s ethos of designing super-light cars with a clear weight advantage over rivals," said Mike Flewitt, chief executive officer, McLaren Automotive.

"Designed for distance, it provides the comfort and space expected of a Grand Tourer, but with a level of agility never experienced before in this segment. In short, this is a car that redefines the notion of a Grand Tourer in a way that only a McLaren could.”

Positioned alongside the established Sports, Super and Ultimate Series families, this is a new McLaren for a new audience and provides an alternative to existing products in an expanding market segment. In re-imagining the spirit of traditional Grand Touring — long distance driving in comfort, at higher speeds and with room for luggage — McLaren has also redefined the modern GT ownership experience with a car that is lighter, faster and more engaging than existing products in the segment, with greater space, comfort and usability.

Like all McLarens, the new GT has a carbon fibre structure that possesses exceptional strength and rigidity, while enabling unparalleled driving dynamics and lightest-in-class curb weight. At 3,232 pounds, the McLaren GT is more than 286 pounds lighter than its closest core competitor and literally hundreds of pounds less than other cars in the segment.

With 612 bhp from its 4.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the power-to-weight ratio of the super-light new McLaren GT is a remarkable 399 bhp-per-ton.

The GT brings supercar performance for the Grand Touring segment: 124mph in 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 203 mph.

The bespoke MonoCell II-T monocoque — the T denoting ‘Touring’ — incorporates a carbon fibre rear upper structure that adds minimal weight but allows the creation of a 14.8 cubic feet luggage area below the front-hinged, full-length glazed tailgate. The tailgate has a soft-close function as standard and can be optioned as electrically powered.

The low height of the engine and positioning of the exhaust system has allowed the volume, shape and usability of the luggage bay to be optimized. A golf bag or two pairs of 185cm skis and boots as well as luggage can be carried with ease, while a further 5.3 cubic feet of storage at the front means the new McLaren GT can accommodate a total of 20.1 cubic feet.

The strength of the carbon fibre core structure means that glazed C-pillars and rear-quarter windows can be incorporated into the design, enhancing rearward vision and bringing still more light into an inherently spacious and uncluttered cabin. Dihedral doors that swing upwards to expose a wide opening and low sill.

The interior is a cosseting space designed to delight on longer journeys, but with all the essentials for focused, high performance driving; the seating position, location of controls and forward visibility are as important here as they are in any McLaren.

The streamlined, electrically adjusted and heated seats, which are unique to the McLaren GT, have been engineered to meet the requirements of Grand Touring, being optimized for long-distance comfort, with the perfect amount of padding and shoulder and back support in combination with superb lateral control.

Technology and modern craftsmanship share equal prominence the new McLaren GT, with the finest high-quality materials complemented by features such as the most sophisticated McLaren infotainment system to date; hidden-until-lit ambient lighting and the option of an electrochromic glazed panel in lieu of the standard carbon fibre composite gloss black roof, darkening or lightening at the touch of a button.

Machined and knurled aluminum switches and controls — including the steering wheel-mounted gearshift paddles — contrast with gloss black surrounds for the infotainment screen, window switches, gear-selection console and air vent housings. A 12-speaker, Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system featuring carbon fibre sub-bass woofers and Kevlar mid-range drive units, is available.

The GT can be ordered now for delivery towards the end of 2019 priced from $210,000.