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Nine things to know about the new British supercar
The McLaren 570GT is about as exotic as they come, but there’s more to this British supercar than just its breathtaking appearance.
For instance, it’s more comfortable than the model on which it’s based, and it even comes standard with carbon ceramic brakes. If you weren’t aware of these details, keep reading because below are nine things worth knowing about this exotic machine.
9. It gets looks
With bright orange paint, crazy-looking dihedral doors and exotic styling, it’s no wonder the 570GT tested here got major looks from the public at large. If you’re a well-heeled wallflower or would rather not be the centre of attention, DO NOT BUY THIS CAR. It draws bigger crowds than a bank branch handing out free bundles of $100 bills. Seriously, no other vehicle I’ve had the pleasure of testing has attracted as many people as this one. Whether I was filling the tank, at a park or just idling in a cul-de-sac, passersby couldn’t help but come over and check it out. It really is the ultimate conversation piece.
8. The car is more civilized
Compared to the 570S Coupe it’s based on, the 570GT is slightly softer and more civilized. The car’s spring rates have been lowered 15 per cent up front and 10 per cent ‘round back. Engineers also retuned the electro-hydraulic power steering system by reducing its ratio 2 per cent. The car is also fitted with a quieter exhaust system so it’s more comfortable on long-distance trips.
Of course, if all-out performance matters you can always opt for the Sport Pack. This upgrade basically gives you the same steering and suspension tuning as the 570S Coupe, which is a surprisingly livable combination in its own right, nowhere as starchy as you might expect.
7. It’s also more versatile
In addition to the small front trunk, which gives you about 150 litres of luggage space, McLaren engineers added a leather-lined “touring deck,” basically a supplemental storage area behind the seats and above the engine. This cubby, which is accessible by a hinged glass panel mounted to a lightweight carbon fibre frame gives you nearly 220 L of additional cubic feet of carrying capacity, enough for a small rollaboard or a couple duffel bags. The only real downside to this arrangement is the reach; you have to lean far over the car’s bodywork to load your baggage, which is awkward, can be tough on the spine and risks scratching the car’s beautiful paint.
6. Comfort has been enhanced, too This McLaren features standard Nappa leather trimmings inside including on the headliner, a luxurious touch. Its pair of seats is also electrically adjustable and heated for added comfort in all seasons. The steering column is power operated as well.
An eight-speaker sound system is standard fare, an arrangement that’s actually optional in the 570S Coupe. True audiophiles can also get a specially tuned 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins system in the GT, which includes a 14-channel 1,280-Watt amplifier. Engineers even improved the dual-zone climate-control system to help it cope with the added solar load of the 570GT’s glass hatch. 5. Meet IRIS Like practically every other vehicle these days the 570GT comes with an infotainment system. McLaren’s latest effort is called IRIS and it’s standard equipment. Hardly the fastest or most intuitive of its breed, IRIS is nonetheless a decent bit of kit that features a seven-inch display in an unusual portrait configuration.
Satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity and navigation are baked right in, pretty much everything you’d expect. It’s all controlled by an unusual mix of touchscreen icons as well as physical buttons located near the bottom of the centre stack. Confusing as it may seem, this combination actually works quite nicely once you figure it out. 4. Warpdrive is standard Like the USS Enterprise from the venerable Star Trek franchise, this car is capable of faster-than-light travel. Seriously. McLaren’s official 0-to-100 km/h figure is 3.4 seconds, very similar to the much larger and heavier Mercedes-AMG S 63 sedan, but there’s no way it takes that long.
The car feels half a second fleeter, its twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 warping the fabric of spacetime with 562 horsepower (570 ps if you prefer metric figures).
The speed is absolutely brutal, a take-no-prisoners assault on mind, body and soul that will leave you gasping for breath every time you go wide-open with the accelerator. 3. Exhaust not very musical But for all the performance it offers, this McLaren isn’t particularly melodic. Sadly, it sounds more like a landscaper’s leaf blower than a fire-breathing thrill machine with eight cylinders’ worth of fury. The noise it produces is distinct, though uninspiring.
The engine is also quite loud and vibratory at idle, buzzing the entire vehicle while sitting parked. Torque maxes out at 443 pound-feet but this power plant is quite soft at lower rpm, requiring at least 3,500 posted on the tachometer before it catches its breath, but then it rockets you toward the horizon with the fury of nuclear explosion. 2. Steering is sublime As you might expect given its pedigree, the 570GT’s steering is sublime. Weighting is rather heavy, like there’s not much power assistance, though the tiller is still super accurate, transmitting intimate details about the road surface directly to your palms. The wheel practically makes you feel like a Marine Corps sniper, that you can place this car on the road exactly where you want it at any time. 1. Iron rotors are optional Carbon ceramic brakes are a common option on numerous high-performance cars from the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio to Aston Martin’s Vantage. On track, they provide nearly limitless stopping power, the ability to absorb more heat than the earth’s mantle, though in everyday use their usefulness is suspect, especially when cost is factored in since they can easily add 10 grand to a car’s price tag.
Paradoxically, carbon ceramic binders are standard equipment on the 570GT with iron rotors as the option, one of the more surprising things about this oh-so-exotic McLaren supercar.
The speed is absolutely brutal, a take-no-prisoners assault on mind, body and soul that will leave you gasping for breath every time you go wide-open with the accelerator