CARS McLaren
JUSTIN JACKIE drives Australia’s Great Ocean Road in McLaren’s new and mould-breaking GT
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 sixcolour system is embedded within various chrome trim pieces, which on first inspection appear to be solid metal but, when lit, sparkle in subtle hues.
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, providing incredible feedback from the electro-hydraulic 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 twin-turbocharged 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.
“When I first heard the news that supercar royalty McLaren was going to dip a toe into the GT pool I was more than a little confused”