The new McLaren GT redefines the concept of the Grand Tourer with its elegance and sportiness

Only a few days ago we previewed a video in which we could see, through the shadows, a new member of its range, the brand-new McLaren GT, a vehicle with which the English marque intends to venture into a world that we might think it is not familiar with, since it completely changes the rules of the Gran Turismo, but judging by what we can see in the images, we can say they have passed the test with flying colours.

The new McLaren GT arrives as part of the so-called Track25, a roadmap presented by the brand last year, to show us a model with which they intend to redefine the concept of the Gran Tourer. The new McLaren GT hides beneath its beautiful design and high-quality materials the unmistakable hallmark of the English brand: a lightweight supercar with race-derived technology that will raise the bar for this segment of vehicles.

As an overall concept, the McLaren GT will also feature a carbon-fibre chassis to keep its weight to a minimum but, unlike the rest of the models, its MonoCell II-T chassis incorporates a rear structure, also in carbon fibre, which allows this vehicle to have a boot, with a capacity worthy of a compact car, as we will have 420 litres, to which 150 litres from the front compartment must be added.

Moving outward from its heart, we find a hand-built cabin, in which the brand has combined high-quality materials with the latest technological elements, which will undoubtedly make driving the McLaren GT thoroughly enjoyable. It shares its roof with the 720S, which translates into greater visibility thanks to the slim C-pillars, and it also shares the so-called “dihedral” doors, as they are known.

As for the dashboard design, you will probably recognise it from the 570GT and 570S, in fact they are the same, except that on the new McLaren GT the brand has sought to give it elements that provide greater luxury and comfort, using polished aluminium for the inserts and Nappa leather as standard for the upholstery, although an optional higher-quality leather or Alcantara is also offered, and from late 2019 it will also be available in cashmere.

On the technology side, the McLaren GT will feature the latest update of the HERE navigation system, housed in a large touchscreen that dominates the centre console and which will not only host the infotainment system but also control other functions such as heating and air conditioning, now without physical buttons; meanwhile the driver will have a 12.3-inch TFT display showing all the necessary information. The McLaren has not spared any expense on audio either, equipping the GT with a premium sound system with 12 speakers signed by Bowers & Wilkins.

On the outside, it does not have a flamboyant design that tells you at first glance that you are looking at a great supercar, but it does feature a somewhat distinctive design, especially at the front, where McLaren has fitted it with a 10º approach angle that increases to 13º when the lift system is activated to raise the nose, giving it also a ground clearance of 110 mm and 130 mm with the lift system activated. Thanks to this system the McLaren takes on the characteristics of any saloon, making its driving, especially in town, more pleasant and sparing you any scares, particularly over speed bumps.

Mechanically, the McLaren GT uses the well-known 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 from the brand, delivering for the occasion 620 CV of power and 630 Nm of torque, linked to a 7-speed SSG automatic gearbox, achieving 100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds, 200 km/h in 9 seconds and a top speed of 326 km/h. But despite these supercar figures, McLaren has wanted the GT to also be pleasant to drive, so it features real-time adaptive suspension with specific settings, specific steering adjustments and greater sound insulation, so that its driving is not as raw as it may be, for example, in the Senna.

The McLaren GT is already available to order in the United Kingdom, with a starting price set at 163,000 pounds sterling, while deliveries to its owners will begin in late 2019. For the time being the brand has not revealed the price for Spain.