The 2020 McLaren GT – do not like it, love the way it drives

It has been interesting to see how McLaren Automotive makes the most of its platform. The company has been very understanding, and used the same (if very similar) basic building blocks – a monocoque tub and two-turbo V8 engine with carbon fiber – to build a range of supercars and hypercars for most occasions. With the McLaren GT, the automaker has gone as far away from laptime-obsessed machines as the hybrid P1 as the wing-covered Senna as it can. GT stands for “grand tourer”, and that means this is a car designed to be comfortable over long distances.

That’s what I tried to test the best, given rather strict instructions to put no more than 250 miles (402 km) on the odometer. And it’s true – this is the most comfortable, easiest to live with McLaren I’ve ever ridden. But don’t expect anything softer than podgy – it might say “GT” on the chassis, but it’s still a real supercar, through and through.

First a confession: I’m not a fan of the way it looks, ahead of the B-pillars. The nose appears to be borrowed from a gnome shark, and the way some of the GTs’ lines cross the car halfway makes me wonder if members of the design team contributed elements without anyone talking to each other. Then, from other angles, in particular, I find that parts look great. But appearances are subjective, and many passers-by saw the shape of his (aluminum) body much more favorably than I did.

And yes, I wrote “aluminum body.” This car, like the entry-level Sports Series (cars like the 570S and 600LT), uses carbon fiber for its structure, but metal for panels. This contributes to the GT’s asking price; Starting at $ 210,000, this car is something out of the ordinary when it comes to McLaren. Speaking of that carbon fiber structure, the GT uses a new variant of McLaren’s monocoque carbon composition called MonoCell II-T – the “T” is for touring.

The most important change is that the tube now has an extra structure at the rear that extends over the motor bay. As you can see in the gallery above, the GT’s engine is completely hidden from view; instead, there is a luggage area of ​​14.8 cubic feet (419L) that a set of golf clubs would have to meet or even things like skis that would have been removed earlier to a roof rack. (In addition, there is a 5.3 cubic foot (150L) cargo bay under the hood.)

The most efficient McLaren yet

You may not see the 612hp (456kW), 465lb-ft (630Nm) 4.0L twin-turbo V8, but it sure is, along with the 7-speed SSG dual-clutch gearbox. These are both closely related to the engines and transmissions in other McLarens, but with some unique bits to the V8 and GT-specific calibration to the gearbox that make the GT McLaren’s most efficient drive to date. The official EPA numbers for the car are a combined 22mpg (10.7l / 100km), but I have to report that over the course of my 250 miles, I actually had an average of 22.5mpg (10.5l / 100km), which is pretty good if you consider that this is a mid-engined supercar. With a curb weight of 3,384lbs (1,534kg), it is a relatively light car, especially compared to more traditional GT rivals from companies such as Aston Martin or Ferrari.

While I never fully understood the way the GT looked, I did not have such reservations about the way it drives. Especially the ride is spectacular, even over the broken roads of the DC area. It uses conventional hydraulic dampers and does not include the clever interconnected front-rear setup used on McLaren’s more expensive Super Series cars. The dampers are powered by a smart digital system called Proactive Damping Control that is adapted from the other 720S (one of those Super Series cars). This uses sensors to interpret what the road conditions are and therefore responds every two milliseconds. The practical advantage is a car that you can drive (or be driven in) all day without feeling drained of energy by sunset.

Another concession for usability is a higher ride height than in other McLarens, allowing you to handle a lot of speed bumps and disasters without affecting the nose lift, despite the long overhangs front and rear.

And while it’s not really easier to get in or out of than a 570S, it does have more comfortable seating. Looking ahead is as good as ever in a McLaren, in large part for the driver’s placement near the center line of the car and the way the A-pillars move around to minimize blind spots. Rear view is better than any other McLaren I have ridden, as well as many other mid-size engines. Combined with the optional ($ 6,000) electrochromic roof of our test car and cream-colored leather and carpets, there is never a danger of feeling claustrophobic once you notice it.

Is it really a GT, or a more practical supercar?

However, the GT is not quite perfect. McLaren says it paid extra attention to NVH (sound, vibration, and hardness), but if you cruise at a constant speed, the GT is actually drunk loud. This is due to a combination of the engine, the tire roar, and a lack of mass to absorb sound, despite more noise-absorbing material you might find in one of the company’s other cars. The quality of the interior is an improvement on previous cars like the 650S and 570S, but the little cubby in the door could use a bit of tweaking, and here and there you can hear creaks from the leather.

While I’m complaining, I might also suggest that there might be some middle ground between the way Ferrari’s multifunction steering wheels with dozens and dozens of switches and knobs and knobs move against the fully single-function wheel used by McLaren. And the infotainment system is still a bit of a pain to use, even if it’s much improved compared to past McLarens.

Fortunately, none of the added comforts come at the expense of the involvement of drivers. The hydraulic power steering is shared with the 720S and communicates easily with you through what remains the best steering in the sector (in terms of the way it feels to hold your hands). The brake pedal is sturdy but easy to judge in terms of pressure, which is good because this is one fast car. Zero to 60 mph takes 3.1 seconds (0-100 km / h takes 3.2 seconds). Zero to 124 mph (0-200km / h) takes nine seconds flat. (Braking distances are 417 feet / 127m to reach a full stop of 124 mph and 105 feet / 32m to stop at 62 mph.)

Given the relative lack of mass and the very physical grip of the Pirelli PZero tires – 225/35 / R20s at the front and 295/30 / R21s at the rear – directional changes are gripping and immediate. Needless to say, I never got close to the limits of the car, yet I ended each ride with an enormous smile on my face. I would still doubt calling the McLaren GT a real grand tourer compared to something like the Polestar 1 – but only because it still drives like such a good supercar.

Listing image by Jonathan Gitlin