Not wanting to pass the chance to do two things at once, saving plenty of time for us journos, McLaren KL launched the new McLaren GT in their just-launched showroom. The GT is McLaren’s way of turning the Grand Tourer segment on its head and shaking off all unnecessary items to present a high-performance car that’s light and powerful.
Shoehorned behind the passenger seats is the 4.0-litre V8, turbocharged to produce 612hp at 7,500rpm and 630Nm at 5,500 to 6,500rpm. The engine is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which McLaren calls Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG). The powertrain will deliver the car to 100kph from zero in 3.2 seconds and to 200kph in 9.0 seconds. The GT crushes the quarter-mile sprints in 11.0 seconds. And it has a top speed of 326kph.
Yet, it is the weight, not power, that defines the GT. With carbon fibre making up the MonoCell II-T, as well as the car’s rear upper structure, this grand tourer tips the scale at 1,530kg. We know of some sedans that weigh even more than that.
There are benefits to being lightweight. The GT will stop quick — 100-0kph in 32m and 200-0kph in 127m. The GT, being light in weight, should make better use of the double-wishbone suspension. On top of that, the GT features Active Damping with Proactive Damping Control that allows the driver to tweak the suspension electronically.
The McLaren GT comes at an estimated price of RM908,000 before tax. And you’ll definitely want options and customisations, too, which will add numbers to the price tag. It is worth it, isn’t it?
