2018 McLaren 570GT

The McLaren 570GT is a more user-friendly version of the 570S. The GT is part of McLaren's Sport Series.

Overview

While the 570S was designed for hot laps at the track, the 570GT was developed for buyers who want to use their supercar on a regular basis. Designers have consequently given the GT a more fastback-like silhouette and added a glass hatch mounted on a carbon fiber frame. The longer roof line frees up 7.8 cubic feet of storage space behind the seats, which bring the 570's total cargo capacity up to 12.4 cubes.

The 570GT is built around a carbon fiber monocell that weighs less than 200 pounds. On paper the monocell is similar to the one found under the 650S and the sold-out P1, but it has been designed specifically for members of the Sport Series family.

Aluminum body panels further reduce weight, and the 570GT tips the scale at 2,976 pounds in its lightest configuration. To put that figure into perspective, the sportier 570S weighs 2,895 pounds.

Life aboard

Accessed via doors that boast a greater opening arc, the cabin offers niceties such as power-adjustable heated seats with a memory function, posh leather upholstery on nearly every surface, an eight-speaker sound system, and an electric steering column. A standard panoramic glass roof fills the cabin with sun light, while a quieter exhaust makes it easier to sit back and enjoy the ride.

The 570GT comes standard with a full infotainment system centered around a seven-inch touch screen, leather upholstery, Bluetooth connectivity, and a fully configurable TFT instrument cluster. Alternatively, buyers can work with McLaren's Special Operations division to create a one-off coupe.

The heart of the beast

Like the 570S, the 570GT uses a mid-mounted 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that delivers 562 horsepower at 7,500 rpm and 443 lb-ft. of torque from 5,000 to 6,500 rpm.

Bolted to a seven-speed automatic transmission that spins the rear wheels, the eight-cylinder sends the GT from zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds, from zero to 124 mph in 9.8 seconds, and on to a top speed of 204 mph. Fuel economy nonetheless checks in at 19 mpg in a mixed cycle.

McLaren has tossed out the 570S' carbon ceramic brakes and replaced them with iron discs. The company has also improved the 570's day-to-day usability by making the suspension softer, and by slightly reducing the steering system's ratio.

Key competitors

There aren't many usable sports cars in the 570GT's price bracket. Buyers who value space can look at the Porsche 911 Turbo; it offers a usable front trunk and a back seat that's perfect for storing bags, but it's more brutal to drive daily than the 570GT.