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The McLaren GT was a crucial model for the Woking maker, but it's far more of a McLaren than a GT. If you want one, you'll be fine with that.
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History
Can a McLaren ever be a proper GT - you know, like a Bentley Continental GT, an Aston Martin DB11 or a Ferrari Roma? Well the McLaren GT was arguably about as close to being a Grand Tourer as any pure sports car model from the Working brand is likely to get. It was aimed at customers who liked the company's old 570GT but wanted something slightly more practical and luxurious - and maybe even a bit faster.
The McLaren GT was launched in 2019, then updated three years on. The '22 model year changes were minor - a little extra refinement, lighter dihedral doors and some rationalised trim options. Otherwise, things were much as before. Whereas this model's 570GT predecessor was merely an adapted Sport Series model with a bespoke glass hatch and altered suspension, this GT was much more its own car. It had its own unique bodywork, its own specification of carbonfibre monocell - and even its own version of the 4.0-litre V8 engine used in the 750S. Plus the brakes, steering, stability system and the tyres were all bespoke-tuned for this model.
Despite all this effort, the GT was a model that became a little forgotten in the McLaren line-up amidst all the hype surrounding much pricier designs from the brand in this period like the 765 LT and the V6 hybrid Artura. But it was arguably more significant than either of those two cars for Woking's bottom line. The GT sold until early 2024, when it was replaced by the McLaren GTS.
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What you get
You'd know this GT as McLaren at first glance - but perhaps a slightly less aggressive-looking one that in this case was only available as a coupe. It's based around a stretched version of the brand's usual 'Sport Series Monocell' chassis that delivers a 114mm body length increase over the 750S in order to provide for this model's required extra boot space. Nothing in the design of the GT is without purpose - everything is for a reason. Invisible to the eye, the airflow is managed, manipulated and channelled around, across and through the car by exact shapes, creases, curves and ducts in the bodywork.
Get behind the wheel and you'll find the usual McLaren driving position, legs outstretched and arms bent, with the brake pedal set perfectly and a thin-rimmed race-style steering wheel cleansed of the usual buttons. The finishing surrounding all of this is quite opulent, but despite that, your first impressions here aren't really of any kind of GT: this is clearly the cockpit of a super-sports car, even though you sit a couple of inches higher than you would in other McLaren models. A fractional 5mm wheelbase increase over the 750S (and the old 570GT) doesn't make much difference to cabin space.
So put all the Grand Tourer marketing out of your mind and instead revel in the fact that all the essential ingredients for focused, high-performance driving are here, including intuitively located controls and excellent forward visibility past slim windscreen pillars. There's also a near-perfect seating position, unless you object to the fact that the car's header rail is rather close to your eyeline. There's a 12.3-inch screen for the instruments and a 7-inch portrait-shaped monitor for the infotainment functions. As usual with this maker's sports cars, there are only two seats - in a class where many rivals are 2+2s with tiny but useful rear pews.
Let's finish with a look at boot capacity accessed by a power-operated soft-close rear tailgate. Once it's raised, there's 420-litres of space available, thanks to the way the exhaust system was reconfigured and the engine lowered. That capacity's pretty impressive for a McLaren, 200-litres more than the old 570GT and also more than something conventional like, say, a Mercedes-AMG CLA 45 Shooting Brake.
There's also a further storage space in the nose. Raise the bonnet and the frunk space revealed is actually larger than the tapered nose leads you to expect, though it's rated at just 150-litres in size: the brand claims that two small overnight bags would fit there.
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What to look for
Look closely at the paintwork, especially the gloss black section: a number of cars were poorly finished. We came across an owner with a parking brake fault. Another owner reported rattling from the trunk area. And another experienced problems with the ECU. Try and find yourself a GT equipped with the optional nose lift and reversing camera features - buyers often see these as must-have options and they will help better resale values later down the line. Look out for random warning lights coming on - you need a code to reset those and any other warnings for oil changes or needed maintenance. McLaren has exclusive access to these codes. Oil services can occupy 6 hours or more. Check that main services one and two have both been conducted on the nose. Missing any annual or 10,000 mile service invalidates the warranty.
We've heard of problems with leaking coolant hoses, so check underneath the car before you set out on a test drive. We've also heard reports of windscreen wiper motors blowing. And though aluminium doesn't rust in the same way that steel does, it will corrode and some cars have suffered from bubbling under the paintwork; for this, check the engine cover, the door seams and bottoms and the wheel arches. There are also reports of rear windows cracking - and windscreens, so check the glasswork carefully. Also check the infotainment set-up, making sure all the systems work as they should.
The later the car you can buy the better, as McLaren's quality control tightened up considerably due to experience gained in the build process. Many dealers will impress upon you the importance of getting the right specification and poorly-specced cars can be slow to sell on. That means lightweight wheels, the sports exhaust and the upgraded sound system. Don't entertain owners trying to recoup £20k worth of spend on optional carbon fibre bits. Make sure that the doors open when wet, especially if the opening mechanism is the early touch sensor as these have proven problematic. It's worth joining the McLaren Life online forum (mclarenlife.com) to share experiences of other owners.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on a 2019 GT coupe) We came across these prices at euspares.co.uk. An oil filter will be around £11-20; a fuel filter's around £5-£13; an oil pump's in the £38-£97 bracket; a water pump's in the £22-£60 bracket. For a new turbo, you're looking from £897-£1,533, depending on the brand chosen. A decent set of front brake pads is around £295. Brake discs sit in the £17-£63 bracket. Wiper blades are in the £7-£18 bracket.
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On the road
With over 60% of its parts being completely new, the GT was very much a stand-alone model in the McLaren range. Think of it as a more accessible take on the company's 750S and you'll be pretty close to the mark. The 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 is basically the same as used in that car, but is de-tuned to 611bhp here (at 7,500rpm) and gets fitted with smaller turbochargers and high compression pistons. There's a 7-speed dual clutch paddle shift gearbox and the 62mph sprint is dispatched in just 3.1s, with 124mph flashing by in 9.0s en route to a top speed rated at 203mph. Over 95% of the V8's power is available from 3,000rpm, so mid-range acceleration is frantically quick.
Two rotary switches allow you to adjust the powertrain and handling settings through 'Comfort', 'Sport' or 'Track' modes. Through the turns, you'll notice the fact that this McLaren is lighter and more agile than most of its rivals. That's aided by the Proactive Chassis Control suspension system, which features sensors that proactively prime the dampers for tarmac irregularities. There's also a grippy set of bespoke Pirelli P Zero tyres. Body control is slightly softer than in other McLaren sports cars, but not by enough to make this a GT in the proper sense of the word. There's a little more refinement than with this Woking maker's other models from this period too, but again (predictably), the improvement isn't really enough to make the car feel Aston-like in highway cruising. Mind you, the sound it makes is difficult to tire of. For town driving, ride height has been raised to the point where this McLaren can coast over speed humps as easily as any ordinary sports coupe or hot hatch. Finally, in case you're interested, expect a combined cycle fuel economy figure of 23.7mpg, while emissions are rated at 270g/km - virtually the same as you'd get from a Porsche 911 Turbo.
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Overall
If you've been waiting for a McLaren practical enough not to be merely a high days and holidays indulgence, then this isn't it. But the GT certainly has its place in the range, usefully building on the rather compromised day-to-day usability of the old 570GT and bringing the 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 powerplant from the 750S in at a slightly more accessible price point.
Critics will point out that the extra provided luggage space isn't especially usable. And if you weren't particularly bothered about baggage, you'd probably choose the brand's less compromised 750S model from this period every time. But in the real world, even Super Sportscar owners have to carry things, particularly if they're going to be able to use their machines comfortably on longer journeys. The McLaren GT allows you to do that, without the usual compromises in weight and handling you'd find in a traditional Grand Tourer Super Sportscar in this class.
In terms of rivals, don't think Bentley Continental GT or Aston Martin D11; we'd say an Audi R8 Performance or a Porsche 911 Turbo S is closer to what you get here. And for not much more than the cost of either of those two cars, this McLaren feels a good deal more exotic. It's not a true GT. But it is a true McLaren. And that's what really matters.
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