The McLaren GT is the company's first stand-alone grand touring sports car. A spiritual successor to the 570GT, which is based on the 570S, the GT is essentially a two-door sports car with enhanced luggage room. But it's also grand tourer with a mid-engined layout, a significant departure from the traditional design with the engine in the front. McLaren describes the GT as the most practical mid-engined vehicle on the market.

The fourth new model in the McLaren Track25 business plan, the GT draws inspiration from other McLaren models design-wise, but it features a more straightforward, more luxurious interior created with grand touring customers in mind. Under the hood, it shares the 4.0-liter V-8 engine with the 720S, but output and performance are bit lower. But it's the rear-mounted trunk that sets the GT apart by adding almost 15 cubic feet of luggage room atop the V-8 engine. Let's find out more about that in the review below.

Exterior

Although it's a brand-new nameplate, the McLaren GT looks very familiar. Because it features the same design language as the rest of the McLaren lineup, the GT borrows cues from a range of models, including the Senna, 720S, and the 570S (or 570GT if you like). Up front, the nose and the hood are similar to the 720S. Sure, the hood has unique features, and the nose is not completely identical, but it definitely reminds me of the 720S.

The headlamps are thinner than cars from the Sports and Super Series, but the character line that trickles into the bumper from the outer edge mimics the shape of the 570S' lights. The bumper sports the same aggressive centerpiece with two vents and sculpted splitter, but the latter is a bit smaller than other McLarens. Also, the side vents look a bit more traditional. Because they're pushed to the sides, they make the GT look less extreme and more like a true grand tourer.

The GT's profile also looks familiar. Yes, the rear deck is longer, and the rear part of the roof is longer as well, but the same goes for the 570GT. Ignore some of the GT's unique cues and the overall shape is almost identical to the 570GT. Luckily, the GT has plenty of unique features to brag about. The rear fender vent is the first the catches the eye, mostly because it's pretty large and almost as tall as the body.

The side skirts are aggressive enough thanks to a character line that ascends from the bottom of the front fender to lower edge of the intake. Arguably the most defining feature here is the muscular rear fender design. Far more muscular than the 570GT or the 720S, the GT's rear haunches are here to remind us that this is a full-fledged grand tourer and not just a sports car with extra luggage room.

The rear fascia is so traditional that it almost doesn't look like a McLaren. The shape of the grille around the thin taillights, which mimic the overall shape of the 570GT's lights, keep the design familiar, but everything else is brand-new and not as aggressive as other McLarens. The diffuser, for instance, is much milder than on the 570GT. The vertical fins are rather small, while the exhaust pipes are placed closer to the center. Instead of a race-inspired look, McLaren went with a classic grand tourer layout that reminds me of vehicles from Aston Martin. A fresh and inspired approach, nonetheless.

Design-aside, the GT also rides higher than any other McLarens. The grand tourer has a 4.3-inch ground clearance in standard setup, while the lift mode increases it to 5.1 inches. In this setup, the GT is as high as a mainstream sedan, which makes it more suitable for city driving and speed bumps. Its 10-degree approach front angle, which increases to 13 degrees with vehicle lift engaged, helps too.

The McLaren GT is also longer than any other vehicles from the Sports and Super Series lineup. The grand tourer is 184.4 inches long, six inches longer than the 570GT. Compared to the 720S, it's five inches longer. But the GT isn't the biggest McLaren. This vehicle is five inches shorter than the Senna and 18 inches shorter than the Speedtail. When it comes to width and height, the GT is similar to the 570GT, being only 0.6 inches taller. Its wheelbase is also similar at 105.3 inches (versus 105.1).

2020 McLaren GT dimensions

Interior

The GT is surprisingly restrained for a McLaren inside the cabin. But that's mainly because the Brits wanted a full-fledged grand tourer cabin instead of a race-inspired one. The dashboard design is clean and simple, with plain surfaces on the passenger side and a vertical center stack with A/C vents, the infotainment screen, and a few buttons at the bottom. The flat-bottom steering wheel sits in front of a large digital instrument cluster, while the center console also packs a handful of buttons and knobs.

Luxury is no issue in the GT, as it comes standard with Nappa leather upholstery. You can opt of soft-grain luxury leather and Alcantara if you want something else, but McLaren is also offering cashmere upholstery. This option becomes available toward the end of 2019 and will make the GT the first production vehicle to offer cashmere upholstery. Cool! The switches and controls on the panels are made from machined and knurled aluminum for a premium look, as are the gearshift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. The infotainment screen, window switches, and the center console have gloss-black surrounds.

The infotainment system, accessible through a seven-inch vertical display, is the most sophisticated yet. It comes with Here navigation mapping and real-time traffic, satellite navigation, Bluetooth, media streaming, voice activation, and DAB digital radio. The heating and ventilation controls are incorporated into the touchscreen for a cleaner design. The dual-zone climate control and air conditioning system come standard.

The 12.3-inch instrument cluster has aircraft-inspired graphics, so it stands out when compared to other McLarens. The screen also displays turn-by-turn navigation, phone calls, audio data, tire temperature, and pressure, as well as a rear camera view. The premium Bowers & Wilkins audio system is special too, featuring carbon-fiber subwoofers and Kevlar mid-range drive units.

The standard roof is a carbon-fiber composite panel, but you can choose the optional electrochromic glazed panel that allows you to set a darker or lighter glass.

The electrically adjustable and heated seats were developed specifically for this car. McLaren says they were engineered for long-distance comfort and feature extra padding and enhanced shoulder and back support. Although some grand tourers have a 2+2 seating layout, the GT remains a two-seat vehicle.

The big news is that the GT offers more luggage room than any other McLaren. That's because the British firm modified the carbon-fiber MonoCell II monocoque to incorporates a rear upper structure that allows the creation of a luggage area below the front-hinged tailgate. This section can be draped in SuperFabric, a woven fabric that is infused with a layer of tiny armored guard plates providing increased resistance to stains, cuts, nicks, and abrasions.

This compartment is able to hold up to 14.8 cubic feet of luggage. That's enough for a golf bag or two pairs of skis and boots, as well as smaller bags. Compared to the 570GT, the GT benefits from an extra seven cubic feet of luggage room. The GT is also more spacious than some compact and midsize sedans, including the Kia Forte and the Nissan Versa. It's also only marginally less spacious than vehicles like the Buick LaCrosse, Toyota Camry, and Chevrolet Malibu.

The GT offers more storage room under the front hood. This compartment is rated at 5.3 cubic feet, identical to the 570GT, and increases total storage space to 20.1 cubic feet. Although not as practical as a sedan with a 20-cubic-foot trunk, the GT offers more overall room than vehicles like the Kia Optima, Honda Accord, Dodge Charger, BMW 7 Series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

McLaren also made sure that the GT has a quiet cabin. The engine mounts developed for this vehicle are half the stiffness of those in the track-oriented 600LT. The revised setup also minimizes structure-borne noise and low-frequency sounds from the carbon-fiber structure, just like in the Senna. When driven in Comfort mode, the GT is the most refined McLaren ever, according to the British company.

Drivetrain

As expected, the McLaren GT features the twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 engine that debuted in the 720S. But McLaren detuned the unit to 612 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque for this model. That's a 98-horsepower and 103-pound-foot decrease. However, the GT boasts more oomph than the 570GT, which draws juice from an older, 3.8-liter version of the V-8. Specifically, the GT benefits from an extra 612 horsepower and 22 pound-feet of torque.

Because it's fitted with several comfort-enhancing features, the GT is heavier than the 570GT. Tipping the scales at 3,232 pounds, it's 256 pounds heavier than the 570GT. It's also almost 400 pounds heavier than the 720S. On the flipside, McLaren claims that the GT is more than 286 pounds lighter than its closest core competitor, but it doesn't mention a specific car. But a quick comparo reveals that the GT is almost 100 pounds lighter than the Ferrari 812 Superfast, a front-engined grand tourer.

McLaren GT vs. McLaren 720S vs. McLaren 570GT

But although it's heavier than the 570GT, the GT is actually quicker than its successor. It needs only 3.1 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start, which makes it two tenths quicker than the 570GT. On the other hand, the GT is four tenths slower than the McLaren 720S and three tenths slower than the Ferrari 812 Superfast. The fact that it's slower than the Ferrari doesn't come as a surprise given that the 812 Superfast features a V-12 engine rated at 789 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of twist. The GT's top speed is rated at 203 mph, one mph below the 570GT. Compared to the Ferrari 812 Superfast, the GT is eight mph slower.

While it's not the quickest McLaren on the market, the GT is definitely the most comfortable. The suspension, steering, and brakes are all bespoke to the car and optimized to provide a full-fledged grand touring driving experience with "inherent balance, responsiveness, and precision, yet better ride comfort, than any other McLaren."

The lightweight aluminum suspension system is paired to new hydraulic dampers with Proactive Damping Control managed by the same sophisticated software algorithm developed for the 720S. The system is able to "read" the road ahead and adjust the suspension accordingly in just two milliseconds. The GT also features a hydraulic steering system governed by a software map that changes according to the drive mode. It provides increased assistance at low speed, making the car more comfortable to drive in urban conditions and while parking.

The GT rides on bespoke Pirelli P Zero tires for increased grip, while stopping power comes from a high-performance braking system, likely shared with the 720S.

2020 McLaren GT drivetrain specifications

Pricing

The McLaren GT starts from $210,000 in the United States. That's a bit more affordable than I expected. With the 570GT priced from $200,000, I was expecting the GT to come in at around $300,000. But no, McLaren is offering for only an extra $10,000 before options, which makes it more affordable than the competition. Not to mention that the GT is a bargain compared to the Speedtail, which costs more than $2 million.

Competition

The grand tourer segment goes back a long way, having been created in the 1950s by carmakers like Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Lancia. A front-engined layout by tradition, the GT remained unchanged to this day. As a result, McLaren is creating a new niche with the GT's midship configuration. With no mid-engined grand tourers on the market, we can only compared it to traditional GTs.

Ferrari 812 Superfast

A successor to the F12berlinetta, the 812 Superfast is one of the most powerful and luxurious GTs you can buy. A traditional GT with a long hood and short deck, it features a comfortable interior and provides decent luggage space in the rear. Powered by a 6.5-liter V-12, it hits the pavement with 789 horsepower and 530 pound-feet of torque, more than enough to fulfill the classic GT characteristic of coping "with cruise comfortability at the upper limits on all continental roads without drawbacks or loss of usable power." The 812 Superfast is also... well... super fast. It needs only 2.8 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start, and it has a top speed of 211 mph. It has a rear-wheel steering system for enhanced precision and stability and race-spec dual-clutch transmission codeveloped with Getrag. Tipping the scales at 3,326 pounds, the 812 Superfast will be notably heavier than McLaren's GT. Pricing should be similar though, as the Italian grand tourer retails from around $350,000.

Read our full story on the 2018 Ferrari 812 Superfast

Lamborghini Aventador S

Granted, the Aventador S isn't a full-fledged grand tourer, but at least it has a midship layout and the performance it needs to tackle McLaren. Unveiled for the 2018 model year, the upgraded Aventador now sports a more aggressive exterior design, a larger, motorsport-inspired diffuser, and generates 130-percent more downforce. It's interior is up to the task as well, featuring fine materials and carbon-fiber, Lambo's latest technology, and even a telemetry system to measure on-track performance. Under the hood, the Aventador S features a naturally aspirated, 6.5-liter V-12 engine, just like the 812 Superfast. The mill isn't as powerful, though. Rated at 730 horsepower and 508 pound-feet of torque, it falls behind the Ferrari's by 59 horses and 22 pound-feet. Despite this, it's just as quick based on Lambo's official rating. The sprint to 60 mph takes 2.8 seconds, while top speed is higher at 217 mph. The Aventador S is also 110 pounds heavier than the 812 Superfast. It's also a bit more expensive, coming in at $421,000 before options.

Read our full review of the 2018 Lamborghini Aventador S.

Final Thoughts

McLaren made some big promises when it first announced the GT, and it seems that the British firm wasn't kidding. With 20.1 cubic feet of total luggage room, the GT is indeed the most practical mid-engined sports car on the market, offering more space than big sedans. Its interior is at least on par with that of grand tourers from Aston Martin and Bentley, and it offers a cashmere upholstery option. It's fancy features like these that draw customers willing to spend big bucks on a car in showrooms. Performance-wise, it's not as powerful as other McLarens or the Ferrari 812 Superfast, but it has more than 600 horsepower and a 0-to-60 mph sprint of 3.1 seconds. That's enough to keep it on the attractive side of the performance market. It's also more affordable than the competition and some of the other McLarens available.

Further reading

Read our full review on the McLaren 570GT.

Read our full review on the 2019 McLaren 600LT.

Read our full review on the 2019 McLaren 600LT Spider.

Read our full review on the 2019 McLaren 720S Spider

Read our full review on the 2018 McLaren 720S.

Read our full review on the 2019 McLaren Senna.