MANAMA: By Nayla Barakat: McLaren Automotive, the British creator of luxury, high-performance sportscars and supercars, has revealed the new McLaren GT at an exclusive event held in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
VIPs and stakeholders in the Middle East were amongst the first people in the world to have seen the long-anticipated vehicle, as the unveiling took place in conjunction with the global digital reveal.
The new McLaren GT, a fourth model launched under the company’s Track25 business plan, challenges the conventions of the Grand Tourer category with a compelling blend of beautiful design, high-quality innovative materials, true supercar performance and McLaren driving dynamics and engagement.
“We are extremely proud to unveil the new McLaren GT in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This important market is one of just three locations, where the car can be seen on the date of its global debut. Our goal with the launch of the McLaren GT was to set a benchmark in the Grand Touring category and open our brand to a completely new audience. The result is a true McLaren, with the best in class power-to-weight ratio coupled with enhanced luggage capacity and high levels of everyday usability. The order books are now open, and I am confident that this sophisticated vehicle will appeal to both our existing and new customers in the Middle East region,” Brett Soso, Managing Director of Middle East, Africa and Latin America for McLaren Automotive, said.
Positioned alongside the established Sports, Super and Ultimate Series families, this is a new McLaren for a new audience and provides an alternative to existing products in an expanding market segment.
The new McLaren GT features a core carbon fibre structure that possesses exceptional strength and rigidity while enabling unparalleled driving dynamics and lightest-in-class kerbweight.
At as little as 1,530kg (DIN), the McLaren GT is more than 130kg lighter than its heaviest competitor and with 620PS from its 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the power-to-weight ratio is a remarkable 405PS-per-tonne. Torque of 630Nm is produced between 5,500rpm and 6,500rpm, with more than 95% of this available from 3,000rpm to 7,250rpm. The new engine is mated to a 7-speed SSG transmission to deliver linear, seamless and relentless acceleration.
The performance statistics* speak for themselves: with a launch control function optimising acceleration from a standing start, 0-100km/h (0-62mph) is achieved in 3.2 seconds (0-60mph in 3.1 seconds), 0-200km/h (0-124mph) is dispatched in 9.0 seconds. The maximum speed of the McLaren GT is 326km/h (203mph).
The bespoke MonoCell II-T carbon fibre monocoque also incorporates a carbon fibre rear upper structure, which allows the creation of a 420-litre luggage area below the front-hinged, full-length glazed tailgate. The tailgate has a soft-close function as standard and can be optioned as electrically powered. The resulting storage capacity allows for a golf bag, as well as luggage to be carried with ease, while a further 150 litres of storage at the front means that the new McLaren GT can accommodate a total of 570 litres.
Technology and modern craftsmanship share equal prominence in the car, with the finest high-quality materials, complemented by the company’s most sophisticated infotainment system to date. It is among the fastest-operating in any car, and features real-time traffic information accessible through the seven-inch central touchscreen.
As it befits a Grand Tourer, ambient refinement was a priority for the new McLaren GT from the outset. Its 10-degree approach angle allows the car to cope with the most aggressive traffic calming measures and speedbumps. In combination with underbody clearance of 110mm (130mm) with vehicle lift, this ensures the vehicle is usable in all urban situations, not only it is competitive with all rivals, but in ‘lift’ mode it is the equal of mainstream sedans.
