THE OCEAN. THE ROAD. THE CAR.

It seems paradoxical to describe a supercar as “humble”. Usually the brainchild of fantastical bodywork and impractical usability, supercars historically have been a drink you throw down, rather than sip. Granted, the modern-day masterpieces have come a long way in terms of refinement, but they’re still far too razor-sharp for practical journeys on inconsistent roads.

This is usually the point where most people hop off the supercar ride and start shopping within the category of grand tourers, a subset of sports/luxury cars with excessive comfort, luggage space and horsepower. But while many are seduced by the large power figures of these lavish sleds, astute drivers will notice the even larger numbers in the “weight” column of the specifications.

When I first heard the news that supercar royalty McLaren was going to dip a dedicated toe into the GT pool, I was more than a little confused. How could a company famous for producing lightweight carbon-fibre chassis swim with some of the heaviest sharks on the roads? Would it be light or luxurious? Captive or comfortable? I thought the car would be a contradictory basket case. But as I discovered driving the new McLaren on the 243km Great Ocean Road that hugs the southwest coast of Victoria, the GT is one exceptional anomaly.

“Is that the new GT?” an inquisitive boy asked at the petrol station in Torquay. As I chuckled in confirmation, I had to sympathise with his attraction. The new silhouette is a step forward in McLaren’s design language. A flared rear-end houses some imposing air intakes while adding subtle muscle to a very sleek figure.

“It has more glass than the 720,” the youngster commented, as he continued the walk-around of his petrol-station concours d’elegance. Again, he wasn’t wrong. From the wrap-around windscreen to the rear tailgate, the GT is refreshingly spacious. Coupled with the optional electrochromatic roof, it’s the airiest Grand Tourer in existence. We continued to walk around the car, debating over wheel sizes and design details, but as a crowd started to gather I thought it was as good a time as any to begin my drive on the Great Ocean Road.

With the seven-speed gearbox set to automatic and the proactive suspension reading the road, the soothing drive along the coast towards Lorne was the perfect chance to explore the cockpit. On the first glimpse, everything looked familiarly McLaren. Beautifully machined switchgear ... aluminium paddles ... leather trim ... every detail was as well finished as it was purposeful. But the longer I spent in the newly designed GT seat, the more I began to experience the subtle differences of this new interior. Ambient lighting has been hidden throughout the cabin in a playful yet sophisticated way. The six-colour system is embedded within various chrome trim pieces, which on first inspection appear to be solid metal but, when lit, sparkle in subtle hues.

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If artificial lighting isn’t favourable to your palate, then you only need to look skyward. The electrochromatic roof is an option box worth ticking. Developed by McLaren Special Operations, the electrically charged glass ceiling can go from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button (with a few stages in between). While this feature will impress your neighbours, on the road it’s a very pragmatic way to let the outside in, without compromising concerns such as privacy or ultraviolet light. Speaking of which, with the surfing town of Lorne disappearing in my rear-view mirror, and the sun peeking through my windscreen, it was time to get a hurry along and unleash the GT.

Drivetrain: Sport. Handling: Sport. The exhaust note bellows as the display changes to a more performance-focused arrangement. You downshift quickly and the gearbox follows suit. The McLaren has read your intentions. As the traffic dissipates and the road starts to twist, the GT slingshots from corner to corner,

138 providing incredible feedback from the electrohydraulic steering rack. A lot of car companies have used clever engineering to make taller cars feel more “planted” around corners, but there’s no substitution for a low centre of gravity. The carbon-fibre tub sits millimetres above the tarmac and the connection you feel through the chassis is textbook McLaren. Every squeeze of the brake pedal, every piece of slippery road surface, it doesn’t matter the input, the GT communicates the feedback physically, in real time.

As I edged closer to Apollo Bay, the midway point and most southerly locale along this road with its breathtaking scenery, a few overtaking opportunities presented themselves and the GT didn’t disappoint. With a colossal 630Nm of torque on tap, the supple supercar would consume the tarmac as if it had been fasting for days.

Leave it in a tall gear, fast ... downshift a couple, blistering. The 4.0 litre twinturbocharged V8 produces more than 600bhp and with a package that weighs “just” 1,530kg, well, the figures speak for themselves.

Launching from a standstill, the GT will reach 100km/h in just 3.2 seconds. When given the right conditions, that streamlined silhouette will reach top speed at 326km/h. Sure, you can fit golf clubs in the back, but don’t let the model name fool you – these are supercar figures.

Would you use this potential all of the time? Of course not. But when you have an opportunity to unlock the possibilities of the McLaren GT, you should seize it with a firm grip and a big smile. Because at the end of the day, it will enjoy it as much as you will.

As I watched the last piece of sun disappear behind the hills and looked down the road towards Glenaire, I couldn’t help to feel a little sad. I just wanted to keep driving. Most car companies will pull out all the tricks to convince you that their car is more capable

than it is, but with the GT, McLaren has almost gone the other way.

Many people have focused on the shape of its luggage bay, or how many golf bags and skis can fit under that carbon-fibre tailgate, but they’re missing the point entirely. The McLaren GT is a car for drivers. It’s a car for connoisseurs who understand how important factors such as “power to weight” or a “low centre of gravity” truly are.

Sure, there are plenty of options in the grand tourer segment, but they feel like freight trains in comparison. Without a doubt, this is the best fusion of sports/luxury I’ve ever experienced and the most practical McLaren to date. There’ll always be many subjective factors that make up what people think a Grand Tourer should be, but if you’re someone who’s excited by the core experience of driving, then the McLaren GT should be at the centre of your Venn diagram.

JUST WHEN YOU WERE THINKING THAT PORSCHE MIGHT BE RUNNING OUT OF TRICKS TO MAKE ITS VENERABLE 911

FIT FOR THE 2020S, ALONG COMES THE LATEST CARRERA 4S. DRIVES IT

PHOTOGRAPHY

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It’s just days after Porsche’s director of sportscars, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, told the British publication that its 911 model line, now in its eight generation and well into its sixth decade, would be the last of the company’s automobiles to go electric. That won’t happen, he said, until 2030 at the earliest, “coming hopefully after my retirement so I’m not responsible and no one can blame me”.

Walliser also implied that there’d be no hybrid version before the ninth-gen model at the earliest, adding that he’d “fight to let the 911 keep its gasoline engine”. So you might say that with its future in moreor-less recognisable form guaranteed for at least the next 10 years, this is the perfect time to be stepping into the latest version of the car that’s not only defined the Porsche brand for more than half a century, but is also considered by many autophiles as the greatest sportscar ever.

Walliser’s words are ringing in my ears when I twist the starter switch of the Carrera 4S and, as the largely digital dashboard display lights up, the busy, buzzy chattering of a powered, 3-litre flat-six engine out back reassuringly announces that in some key areas at least the 911 remains much as it’s always been. Of course, there’s a huge gulf between

this latest 992 iteration of the 911 and the first machine to bear those legendary numerals back in 1964. The latter looks modest and almost diminutive compared with today’s longer, wider and infinitely more muscular Carrera – and with a weight of less than 1.1 tonnes, diminutive is exactly what that early model was. But the links between the two remain compelling, not just in the rear-mounted six-pot boxer engine, but also in concept and styling that still echo those of the Volkswagen Beetle, which was designed by the Austrian-German engineer Ferdinand Porsche in the 1930s, reborn in the aftermath of World War II and remained in production for almost 60 years. Crucially, the Beetle also served as the basis of the first sportscar to bear the Porsche name in 1948 and its rearengine layout was adopted for all the company’s road cars until the mid1970s.

While the design and construction of the 992 Carrera are claimed to be all new, it remains a given that it’s straight out of the 911 mould: in fact, its central bonnet cutline directly references that of the ’60s original, as does the small front-bumper indent. Yanking the look into the third decade of the 21st century, however, are the broad hips that now feature on every 911 model, distinctive four-element LED headlamps, a fullwidth lower front intake, a row of vertical black cooling vents beneath the rear window (which also incorporate an additional brake light), and door handles that politely extend from the bodywork to aid entry and then retract to the flush position – clearly as an aid to cleaner aerodynamics. Familiar though the exterior is – an impression reinforced by the sprinkle of retro touches – it’s also a beautifully smooth reinterpretation of a classic silhouette.

As with all Porsches, the current 911 will be tailored to fit into every possible market slot, from the baseline Carrera 2 sportscar, to the ripsnorting, supercar-threatening Turbo S that’s only just been unveiled, not to mention track-day-focussed GT3s and the full array of limited editions that will doubtless follow in the product pipeline. There are already Carrera Cabriolets, while the semi-open-top Targa variant that’s scheduled to arrive a year or so from now will complete the portfolio of basic body styles.

Likewise, power outputs currently range from the 380bhp of entrylevel models to the 641-plus horses of the fully weaponised Turbo S; my all-wheel-drive 4S test car gets 444bhp and 530Nm beneath its engine cover, numbers that, with the aid of the optional Sport Chrono Package (a box that most customers tick), are good enough for a 3.4-second 0-100km/h standing start and a maximum speed comfortably north of 300. An update of the twin-turbocharged engine found in the 992’s immediate predecessor, this new motor features bigger and more responsive blowers, a higher compression and revised injectors, all of which contribute to a significant power boost. It’s mated to an eightspeed PDK gearbox that delivers torque to each corner of the car via an electronic coupling, with up to 40 percent of traction vectored to the front wheels when necessary – meaning this is a 911 for all circumstances and seasons, a rear-engine car that can be driven with the utmost confidence in pretty much any conditions barring sand dunes and snowdrifts.

The creeping expansion of the 911’s dimensions over the years also applies to the interior, which though appropriately sportscar cosy is palpably roomier than before. As with the exterior, there are sufficient

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touches – such as the resolutely analogue central tachometer in the otherwise totally digital instrument binnacle – to make those acquainted with earlier models feel entirely at home in the new car, though Porsche has elevated the cockpit amenities and finishing to new levels of style, comfort and advancement. The latest-generation infotainment system is cleverly integrated into the architecture of what resembles an old-school dashboard, and not only looks great but works very well indeed. Seats, it goes without saying, are marvellous (though those in the back remain notional at best, in spite of the extra space), the driving position is excellent and I’m especially taken by the tiny console-mounted shifter, a tactile and lovely item of cabin jewellery that just begs to be, well, shifted.

Part of the 911’s legendary appeal stems from the fact that it can be driven to the office or shops one day and then taken to the racing circuit the next – a mix of docility and outright performance that few other cars can match. And this latest Carrera 4S iteration moves the goalposts closer to genuine supercar territory than any stock 911 has ventured before. It’s not crazy, surfing-the-Niagara-Falls-in-a-rowingboat fast in the way that more extreme Ferraris and

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Lamborghinis can be, but it is an quick car. That’s not only due to the super-flexible boxer engine’s abilities to pile on the grunt from upwards of 3,000rpm – and it’ll spin to 7,500 – but also the gearbox’s propensity in auto mode to immediately find the right ratio, one that places you bang in the sweet spot of the power band. It sounds just like a 911 should, too, so good in fact that you rarely find yourself regretting the fact that for the vast majority of Porsches these days, natural aspiration is a thing of the past.

Nor does the all-wheel-drive 4S ever leave you wishing for the “purity” of the rear-wheels-only Carrera 2. Yes it’s heavier, though not massively so, and I’d guess the steering is ever-so-slightly mushier, though not so you’d notice, because never does this car feel anything other than a razorsharp tool that’s most in its element when carving through the countryside. It corners impeccably, grips like a limpet and is so comfortable that after several hours at the wheel you’re still wanting more, while wondering why you’d seriously countenance any other sportscar.

We often invoke Venn diagrams when talking about motor cars – indeed only last month our correspondent Justin Jackie placed the McLaren GT right at the centre of one such schematic. But if there really is a motorcar that for years has occupied the perfect spot where robustness, everyday usability and the sheer enjoyment of driving intersect, that has to be the Porsche 911. Judging from this latest Carrera 4S, it just got even better.

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British car maker Bentley’s tailor-made Mulliner division, whose origins go back to the 16th century as a builder of horse-drawn carriages, is developing into a sub brand much in the manner of Mercedes-Benz’s Maybach. Last month saw the first full realisation of that evolution with the unveiling of the astonishing Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, a totally topless two-seater capable of cracking 325km/h, which will be built in a limited edition of just 12 examples and cost around US$2 million each.

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Although drawing on design cues premiered in last year’s fully electric EXP 100GT concept, the Bacalar (it’s named after a Mexican lake and not, as you might have thought, a dish of Portuguese dried cod) is more conventionally powered, with a 650bhp W12 petrol engine under its bonnet. That, however, makes this rakish missile no less fabulous, not least because carbon-fibre features heavily in its front and rear bodywork, as well as 5,000-year-old riverwood in its luxurious, craftsman-built cockpit.