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2020 McLaren GT First Drive Review | Grand touring the McLaren way
Tue, Sep 17 2019ST. ANDRE LES ALPES, France — The roads snaking through these ragged mountain ranges are dubbed the Route Napoleon after the French rulerÂ’s treacherous journey from the Cote dÂ’Azur through the French Alps in 1815. The asphalt ribbon squiggles over, alongside, and literally through mountain ranges with a scrawl so rambunctious it would challenge a race-prepped Lotus Elise, let alone a high-horsepower grand tourer. This is why weÂ’re here – to put the 2020 McLaren GT and its mission statement to the test on the least direct path from A to B. The GT isnÂ’t technically the first McLaren with grand touring intentions: the 570 GT launched in 2016 as a softer, quieter way to span long distances. But the new model is the brandÂ’s first fully-formed expression of whip-through-the-corners-but-drive-all-day-in-comfort versatility. McLaren trod carefully when tweaking its winning supercar formula for long-distance friendliness, while maintaining the sharpness weÂ’d need to tackle the notorious Route Napoleon. After all, McLarenÂ’s new GT would damage the brandÂ’s street cred if it was too soft, and miss the mark if it allowed occupant fatigue to enter into the equation. McLaren says it modified about two-thirds of existing hardware to strike the ideal balance, and the exterior appears to be an accurate sculptural representation of those changes. The body panels look subtler in person, countering those who suggest similarities to the Corvette C8. The GT is a bit more flared and angular, and utilizes some flat expanses of sheetmetal to hide its larger footprint. The body actually measures 6 inches longer than the 570GT, with notable overhangs front and rear. Nevertheless, there's a very usable 10-degree approach angle, or 13 degrees with the optional vehicle lift feature, which are numbers on par with the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The GTÂ’s dihedral doors slide up easily after pressing a small, spring-loaded section of the side panel. Inside is typical McLaren — not too preciously ornamented nor overtly austere like some Teutonic carmakers. The steering wheel and paddle shifters in my tester are finished in a nicely polished aluminum finish that echo the milled materials used in the various switchgear and controls. Buttons are kept to a minimum on the center console and there are none on the steering wheel, while McLarenÂ’s twin dials for controlling drivetrain and handling settings remain.
Watch a Ford Bronco casually jump a McLaren 720S
Sun, Sep 8 2019Michael Cox can't stop jumping his classic Ford Bronco. He's jumped it on the beach. He's jumped it in the desert. He's jumped it at racetracks. Now he's jumped it in Hoonigan's backyard playground. Upping the ante on this one, he completed the jump while a modded McLaren 720S drifted underneath. For those who don't know Michael Cox, he's a builder, racer, mad man extraordinaire who's worked with BMW and Porsche and specializes in off-road racing. Possibly more famous than the man is the vehicle he's known for driving, a custom-built Bronco that sports a cat-themed desert camo wrap. Technically, this is not the first time Cox has visited Hoonigan and jumped his Bronco. But last time, the Bronco soared over nothing but tire crumbs and those tiny pebbles that get stuck in tread. This time, the stakes grew significantly, as a custom 720S drifted under the Bronco while it was in the air. After a few donuts, Cox first tries a jump over a flatbed trailer. Once he easily clears that obstacle, Hoonigan brings the McLaren into the picture. Watch the video above to see a few crazy men show total disregard for the cost of a supercar. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.
McLaren is in no rush to follow Lotus into the electric hypercar segment
Wed, Sep 4 2019McLaren began testing an electric supercar in 2017 to learn the ins and outs of making a battery-powered hypercar. The technology that powers EVs has evolved since the project started, but it's not advanced enough to power a mass-produced model, one of the firm's top executives told Australian website Motoring. Weight is the main problem the company's research and development department is having a difficult time solving. An electric car is normally heavier than a comparable gasoline-powered car, because it relies on a big, bulky battery pack for power, and McLaren can't yet offset an electric powertrain's mass, according to the report. The easy way out would be to use a smaller battery pack that delivers less range, but McLaren is committed to offering an electric model that enthusiasts can drive flat-out on a track for at least 30 minutes, according to Jamie Corstorphine, the company's global marketing director. He told Motoring that his team is ready to wait as long as needed to release its first electric car; it won't compromise range, performance, or both just to make headlines. Development work is ongoing; McLaren will continue to put hybrid (pictured) and electric test mules through their paces in the foreseeable future. In 2018, CEO Mike Flewitt explained the automaker's philosophy is to leverage the benefits of a battery-electric powertrain to build a better sports car, not to merely make a cleaner one. He added fans of green performance shouldn't expect to see a McLaren without pistons before 2025, and it doesn't sound like that timeline has changed. The segment will get very crowded, very quickly. Rimac, Lotus, and Tesla are among the numerous firms committed to releasing a battery-powered hypercar in the coming years. They'll possibly beat McLaren to the punch, though we've learned to take targets with a V12-sized grain of salt, but the company's executive team isn't eyeing the ring with bragging rights in mind.
McLaren F1 chassis 063 restored by MSO is a beauty in silver
Sat, Aug 31 2019McLaren Special Operations announced its F1 Certified program one year ago at the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance in England with an F1 GTR race car restored to as-new condition. The skunkworks division must have been working on its next beauty at the same time, F1 road car chassis 063 built in 1994, as MSO is ready to show the second fully restored chassis after 18 months and nearly 3,000 hours of work. After stripping the drivetrain and body of 063, MSO stitched up the interior to original spec. That meant sourcing ten suitable hides, preparing them as semi-aniline and dying them Woking Grey. The three seats are sewn up in matching Woking Grey, the driver's seat set off by a red, perforated Alcantara center panel. More Woking Grey leather goes on the dashboard and as piping for the Woking Gray floor mats over the same-colored carpeting. The steering wheel is new-old stock, pulled from a container of original F1 parts McLaren has kept in storage for decades. Technicians rebuilt the 6.1-liter BMW-sourced V12, then dyno tested it to ensure the original output of 618 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. The Bilstein dampers were returned to the manufacturer for as-new refurbishment, as were the driveshafts and hubs. Then came reinstalling the body panels, repainted over the course of almost 900 hours in the original Magnesium Silver hue. A final bout of road and track testing verified chassis 063 was ready to be returned to its owner, along with a Certificate of Authenticity, an illustrated book documenting the history of the car, and a laser-scanned 3D model of the F1. Any other owners of the 106 F1s built between 1993 and 1998 — 64 standard road cars and 28 GTR racers — are welcome to avail themselves of the MSO service. For the second year running, MSO will display its work at the Hampton Court Concours from September 6-8.
McLaren will sell you a $15,400 bespoke luggage set designed for the GT
Thu, Aug 22 2019McLaren released the GT a few months ago as its most practical vehicle to date. Then Chevy showed us the mid-engine Corvette, and that mid-engine sports car looks even more practical than the McLaren. Tough luck. However, all is not lost. McLaren has the ultimate accessory package for your practical supercar: the first MSO luggage collection. It’s designed specifically for the GT, and costs $15,400 to snag one of everything. Folks at the Pebble Beach Concours dÂ’Elegance saw it first. There are four pieces in the luggage set including a garment case ($2,300), weekend bag ($2,500), cabin bag ($3,800) and full-size golf bag ($6,800). Yes, McLaren will sell you a golf bag for $6,800. But hey, thatÂ’s the price you pay for wanting to take your McLaren to the golf course. IsnÂ’t that pocket change worth not having to drive your Range Rover to the links? Depends how deep those pockets are. You may ask why these seemingly small bags are so expensive. HereÂ’s your answer: All the bags are made using the same leather and stitching youÂ’ll find in the interior of a McLaren GT. There are three color options available to best match your interior color, including Pioneer Black, Luxe Black and Luxe Porcelain. Interestingly, the bags themselves are made in Italy, not England. All of them are designed to fit into specific areas in the car, making sure not to intrude on passenger space or outward visibility. Paying $15,400 for luggage is mighty ridiculous, but when the car starts at $210,000, itÂ’s more of a very expensive option than anything else. If youÂ’re one of the lucky folks to pick up a McLaren GT, the folks in Woking say youÂ’ll be able to order the matching luggage set at McLaren retailers beginning in September. McLaren GT by MSO View 18 Photos
1994 McLaren F1 LM-Specification fetches $19.8M at Monterey
Mon, Aug 19 2019The botched sale of that World War II-era 1939 Porsche Type 64 may have somewhat overshadowed the RM Sotheby’s auction last weekend at Monterey, but the event wasnÂ’t without its highlights. Exhibit A: The one-of-two 1994 McLaren F1 LM-Specification supercar that we told you about a month ago netted a whopping $19.8 million at the RM SothebyÂ’s auction last weekend in Monterey, and an almost equally rare 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype also netted seven figures. The F1 is one of 106 examples ever built and one of just two in LM-Specification (the LM stands for “Le Mans”). McLaren upgraded the standard F1 at the factory post-production, adding a 680-horsepower GTR engine, an extra-high downforce coachwork kit highlighted by the massive rear wing, race-spec dampers, two more radiators and so forth. It also gained a more comfortable interior and creature comforts, with an upgraded air conditioning, radio, new headlights and a different steering wheel. Finally, the exterior was given a coat of silver paint, replacing the factory blue. Four bidders spent four-and-a-half minutes trying to outbid one another for the car, which eventually went to an unidentified American private collector. Also successfully auctioned on Friday: the 1965 Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype for $7.65 million, which fell right in line with expectations of between $7 million and $9 million. It helped pave the way for the Mark IV race cars that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. As a reminder, it was the first of five GT40 Roadster Prototypes ever built, with seven hardtop versions also built, and it underwent a full restoration in 1983 and a mechanical overhaul in 2003. And it sure is pretty to look at.
McLaren reveals that its next Ultimate Series car is indeed a roadster
Fri, Aug 16 2019It turns out the rumor was true, the next McLaren Ultimate Series car, which is the group of cars including the Senna, Speedtail and P1, will be a roadster. The company revealed the preview rendering above, though it hasn't announced a name. Of course one of the most distinctive parts of the car is the complete lack of both a roof and a windshield. The styling is clearly McLaren with small headlights and a highly curvaceous body. Thankfully, the design looks closer to the Speedtail and GT than the over-styled Senna. Part of what will make this car worthy of the Ultimate Series moniker is the claim that this will be the lightest McLaren road car to date. For reference, the Senna is one of the lightest cars in the McLaren lineup right now at just under 2,900 pounds. On the topic of the Senna, the new roadster will use "the same twin-turbo V8 engine." So it likely will make the same 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque as that supercar. McLaren says the goal of this car is to provide the most involved, connected drive of its top-tier supercars. McLaren will reveal more details and photos of the car at its official debut sometime in 2020. It should finally have a name then, too. Prospective buyers will want to act quickly, as only 399 examples of the car will be built.
McLaren GT by MSO displays seat stitching as architecture and art form
Wed, Aug 14 2019McLaren Automotive deemed August 2019 to be "MSO Month" and has used its social media to rehash some of its best custom creations. What initially seemed to be a random back-patting exercise turned out to be build-up toward a special-edition release. McLaren has unveiled the GT by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) ahead of its public debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. McLaren unveiled its newest interpretation of Grand Touring in May 2019 as a light and luxurious supercar that can carry a bag of golf clubs. As customization is luxury currency, it was only a matter of time before the GT was handed over to MSO. Well-known for its use of unique colors, McLaren developed a new paint called MSO Defined Flux Silver for this car. That contrasts with MSO Bespoke Satin Graphite paint on the door skirts, front splitter, side mirrors, rear bumper, diffuser and brake calipers. The electrochromic roof and MSO Bright Pack, which includes a bright chrome upper window surround, polished titanium exhaust finishers, and Gloss Black Diamond Cut wheels, add extra dimensions to the exterior scheme. McLaren says the GT by MSO is inspired by British architecture, and the interior brings that idea to life. The slightly metallic Flux White leather is shaped with MSO Bespoke Geoform Stitching, which incorporates an artistic angular design inspired by the geometric canopy seen in the British Museum in London, England. MSO applied the unique look to the seats, sun visor, armrests and door panels. Further touches include Satin Graphite leather accents, debossed MSO logos in the headrests, MSO Bespoke Silver Infused Carbon Fiber gear shift paddles and steering wheel clasp, and bespoke floor mats. As usual, nothing was done to the car's engine, which is a 612-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 in this case. The McLaren GT by MSO will debut on the Concept Car Lawn at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on August 18, 2019. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.  Featured Gallery McLaren GT by MSO for Pebble Beach View 18 Photos Design/Style McLaren Coupe Luxury Performance Pebble Beach mclaren special operations mso mclaren gt
McLaren will return to IndyCar racing full-time after 40 years
Sat, Aug 10 2019LONDON — McLaren will return to full-time IndyCar racing in 2020 in partnership with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and Chevrolet, the British company announced on Friday. The move could give Spaniard Fernando Alonso, the double Formula One world champion who remains under contract to McLaren, another chance to win the Indianapolis 500 even if the Spaniard is not interested in a full season. The existing team will be renamed Arrow McLaren Racing SP, competing with two Chevrolet-powered cars and a possible third entry for Indianapolis. Former Indy 500 winner Gil de Ferran, the sporting director of McLaren Racing, will lead a dedicated group independent of the Formula One team. McLaren last competed full-time in the IndyCar championship in 1979. "We come to IndyCar in full respect of the sport, our competitors, the fans and the task ahead," said McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown. "It's definitely a very integrated partnership, technically, managerially and commercially," he told a conference call. He said McLaren, which faces a likely record 22 race season in Formula One in 2020 and are also contemplating a world endurance involvement from 2021 when the rules change to hypercars, were not biting off more than they could chew. McLaren has been mulling a full IndyCar campaign for some time, its decision influenced by failure to qualify Alonso for this year's Indianapolis 500 as a one-off entry. Brown said Alonso, who left Formula One at the end of last year, still wanted to win Indianapolis and McLaren wanted to do so with him. "He has not shown to date interest in competing in a full season," he added. "(For) Fernando, or someone else potentially, we would consider a third car entry at Indy only." Canadian James Hinchcliffe is committed through 2020 with Schmidt Peterson while Swedish former F1 driver Marcus Ericsson will be out of contract at the end of the year. Alonso wants to become only the second driver after the late Briton Graham Hill to win the "Triple Crown of Motorsport" and has already won the Monaco Grand Prix and Le Mans 24 Hours. Indianapolis is the only remaining race to win. This year's Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud told Reuters last weekend that Alonso's best chances of success at The Brickyard would be either by doing a full season or racing with an experienced team.
McLaren Denver commissions 600LT Pikes Peak Edition from MSO
Sat, Jul 27 2019McLaren Denver placed an order with McLaren Special Operations that turns the limited-edition 600LT Spider into the limited-to-six, 600LT Spider Pikes Peak Edition. Each car wears one of MSO's Bespoke or Heritage exterior colors, matte black vinyl stripes, and interior embellishments. The shades come in Black Gold, White Gold, Nerello Red, Volcano Red, Aurora Blue and Midas Grey. The MSO Club Sport Pack upgrades the outside with carbon fiber cantrails, carbon fiber front fender louvers, and titanium wheel bolts to affix the Satin Speedline Gold wheels. Inside, a Satin Gold band identifies top dead center on the steering wheel, and extended paddle shifters in Satin Gold hang out behind the wheel. Lightweight carbon fiber racing seats taken from the McLaren Senna get contrast stitching Satin Gold, the headrests embroidered with the Pikes Peak logo in the same color. A plaque reading "Pikes Peak Collection 1 of 6" alerts the world to the exclusivity. The 600LT Spider Pikes Peak Edition remains untouched otherwise compared to the standard open-top, a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 providing 592 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque suitable for charging up 14,000-foot mountains on Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires. In an environment where road-holding and braking would be especially important, the 600LT Spider upgrades its game with suspension bits from the 720S, carbon ceramic brake discs, and lightweight calipers. Price remains a mystery, but expect a healthy premium over the $256,500 MSRP for the 'regular' 600LT Spider.