New McLaren GT: Superlight Grand Touring

McLaren Automotive has revealed its unique interpretation of a modern Grand Tourer: The new McLaren GT. Sleek, elegant and muscular, the superlight 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.

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 reimagining 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. 

At 1,530kg, the McLaren GT is more than 130kg lighter than its closest core competitor and literally hundreds of kilogrammes less than other cars in the segment. With 620bhp from its 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the power-to-weight ratio of the superlight new McLaren GT is a remarkable 405bhp-per-tonne.

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 420-litre 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 optimised. A golf bag or two pairs of 185cm skis and boots as well as luggage can be carried with ease, while a further 150 litres of storage at the front means the new McLaren GT can accommodate a total of 570 litres.

The interior is a cosseting space to be in, 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 optimised for long-distance comfort, with the perfect amount of padding and shoulder and back support in combination with superb lateral control.

As befits a Grand Tourer, ambient refinement was a priority for the new McLaren GT from the outset. Unique engine mounts that are half the stiffness of those in the track-focused McLaren 600LT help to minimise structure-borne noise, while low-frequency sounds emitting from the carbon fibre structure are reduced rather than amplified into the cabin in the way that they are in the McLaren Senna; in Comfort mode, the new McLaren GT is the most refined McLaren ever.

In the heart of the car sits a new, 620bhp 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged engine, designated M840TE. Further expanding the family of McLaren V8 engines, it is bespoke to the new McLaren GT and has the immense power and torque and superior exhaust sound quality that are the hallmarks of a true Grand Tourer.

Torque of 630Nm is produced between 5,500rpm and 6,500rpm, with more than 95% of this available from 3,000rpm to 7,250rpm. The new engine is mated to a seven-speed SSG transmission to deliver linear, seamless and relentless acceleration.

The performance statistics speak for themselves: With a launch control function optimising acceleration from a standing start, 0-100km/h is achieved in 3.2 seconds, while 0-200km/h is dispatched in 9.0 seconds. The maximum speed of the McLaren GT is 326km/h.