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The McLaren 570GT is slower and softer, and maybe that's a good thing

If there was ever a car that could do with a bit less going on, it's the new McLaren 570S. The company's design chief, Robert Melville, says that McLaren design is a "purist statement" with no excess. We think he need to examining the prescription of his spectacles. In the case of the 570S particularly, there's a distinct possibility that less might actually be a great deal more. Now, meet the new GT version of the 570S, which makes its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week. The on-sale date is in July, with the first US deliveries taking place in late 2016. This is a case where GT does not mean performance, but instead the traditional definition of Grand Touring. With a swipe of his felt tip pen over a just a few panels (roof, rear wings, and deck), Melville and his team transformed the look and mien of this British mid-engine supercar. They've transformed its usefulness, too, with a sizeable hatchback behind the driver and passenger that gives an additional 7.8 cubic feet of space, now 12.4 in total. As vehicle line director Andy Palmer puts it, "more than that in a Ford Focus." And he should know, having worked on that ubiquitous Ford in a former life. The side-hinged glass rear hatch means curbside loading is possible, although you'll have to luggage across the coachwork, so watch for those brass sliders and zips. The hinge side varies according to left-versus right-hand-drive markets. The redesigned aluminium panels and additional trim adds more than 80 pounds to the car's claimed weight – 2,976 pounds compared to 2,894 in the 570S. There's an associated (though negligible) reduction in acceleration time with the GT, too – 3.4 seconds to 62 miles per hour, up from 3.2 in the 570S. The larger 0-124-mph sprint takes 9.8 seconds, compared to the S' 9.5, but never fear, the top end remains unchanged at 204 mph. The basic carbon-fiber tub remains, as does the mid-mounted Ricardo designed-and-built M838TE engine – a 3.8-liter, 90-degree, quad-cam, dry-sump, twin-turbo V8, which pumps out 562 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, running through a seven-speed, twin-clutch, semi-automatic transmission to the rear wheels. There are, however, chassis changes to suit the GT car's long-distance ambitions. While a significant minority of 570S owners will take their car to the track for the occasional speedy lap or two, McLaren says that even fewer GT owners will indulge themselves like this.

McLaren Ultimate Vision GT | 1,134-hp hybrid with a crazy driving position

As with Gran Turismo 6, Gran Turismo Sport will feature special Vision GT cars, which are concepts designed by real car manufacturers for use in the video-game series. These cars imagine what a company might produce far into the future, as far as 2030 or later in the case of the car McLaren has just revealed as its contribution. It's called the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo, and it's a thoroughly wild hybrid. Starting with performance, the McLaren retains a certain amount of gasoline propulsion thanks to a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. This engine powers the rear wheels, while the fronts are powered by individual electric motors. The combined output is 1,134 horsepower and 940 pound-feet of torque. While there are some hypercars with greater output right now, those numbers become more impressive when you realize this virtual McLaren weighs a little more than 2,200 pounds, less than a current Mazda Miata. The light weight should also make the inboard carbon ceramic brakes highly effective, too. The light weight comes from a body and chassis created using a considerable amount of carbon fiber. That body has unique active aerodynamics that rely on opening and closing holes near air inlets to adjust drag and downforce. According to McLaren, this method is simpler and lighter than mechanical flaps for the same purpose. Aside from the remarkable performance numbers, the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo also has a remarkable cockpit. It has a large glass area for good visibility, but the party piece is the prone seating position that McLaren calls "motorcycle-like." It probably is a cool way to drive, though we do wonder how comfortable that position would be for a length of time. Interestingly, the McLaren isn't the first to imagine a Vision GT car with this sort of seating. The Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo did something similar. Much more of that car was outlandish though, since it was supposedly propelled by lasers. No, really, lasers. That's what Chevy said. Don't expect to see the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo on the road anytime soon, but you can get behind the wheel virtually very soon. It will be featured in Gran Turismo Sport for PlayStation 4, which goes on sale October 17. The car will also join another special sports car, the Fittipaldi EF7, designed by Pininfarina and racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

McLaren 650S to start at about $318,000 in Europe

Immediately following the reveal of a mid-engined piece of exotica like the McLaren 650S, one of the many, many questions that will be asked relates to the six-figure sum the 641-horsepower car will demand. Now, we have a rough answer - 232,500 euros, according to an alleged pricing guide leaked on on 650Sforum.com. That works out to $318,000, but in reality, the base US of the 650S is likely to be lower, what with things like Europe's Value Added Tax messing with the figures. Exterior carbon fiber items range from a 10,020-euro ($13,739 as of this writing) package that features CF versions of the rear bumper, door blades and front splitter to a 2,690-euro ($3,688) side intake. Like many exotics, there's a wide range of options to customize the cabin, with prices ranging from free (owners have their choice of a full leather cabin, a leather sport cabin, or an Alcantara-and-leather cabin at no cost) to 6,080 euros ($8,336) for carbon-fiber racing seats. Other intriguing items include a 5,670-euro ($7,774) sports exhaust and the option to go with steel brakes instead of the standard carbon-ceramic stoppers at no charge (but why?). You can hop over to the 650Sforum.com page and take a look at the entire list, including the leaked documents that revealed the pricing info. Have a look, and then let us know what you think a reasonable price is for this middling McLaren, by posting in Comments. Expect to hear more on the 650S ahead of its debut at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. Featured Gallery McLaren 650S View 10 Photos News Source: 650Sforum.com Rumormill Geneva Motor Show McLaren Coupe Performance pricing 2014 Geneva Motor Show mclaren 650s