Mileage: 3,016
Economy: 23.6mpg
McLaren Automotive is an incredible British success story. Established in its modern form in just 2010 and profitable by 2013, it doubled sales last year and is on target to reach 4,000 cars sold in 2017.
Much of that success is down to the introduction of the Sports Series, with the 570S racing off with last year’s Auto Express Performance Car of the Year Award.
So when McLaren asked if we’d like to add a Sports Series model to our fleet, we jumped at the chance and headed down to McLaren HQ in Woking, Surrey, to decide on which model and to get some guidance on choosing the right spec.
While it’s easy to have some fun with the online McLaren configurator, I decided on some expert advice, so enlisted the help of McLaren’s Donna Falconer, Senior Manager of Global Product Strategy and Planning.
The first thing to decide was which version of the Sports Series to go for. Although we’d heaped praise on the 570S, the slightly newer GT model appealed. As well as its slightly more practical rear, with a side-opening hatch that reveals a handy ‘Touring Deck’ luggage shelf, its slightly softer chassis settings would be welcome in a car that I’d be using as my daily transport.
Donna walked me through the colour and trim choices – a mind-boggling array that, frankly, without her guidance and good taste I could’ve gone very wrong with. In the end we settled on a colour scheme that was just on the subtle side of shouty, but was still classy with plenty of carbon fibre on display, too – highlighting the fact that every McLaren is built around a carbon fibre tub.
The price of the 570GT is £155,755, but with Donna’s encouragement and knowledge of what most customers choose, the list price of what would eventually become GT10 MCL rose to £194,225.
All good things come to those who wait, and we had to sit tight for seven months before we were able to take delivery at McLaren’s swish dealership in Ascot. Once there, sales specialist Steve Myers went through the tailored handover process. As Donna had carefully walked me through my order, Steve gauged how much info I needed for my handover – or how keen I was to get on the road. Very! It was as soon as I pressed the starter button that the real thrill of owning a McLaren came to life – each car is an incredible piece of design and engineering.
In the space of six weeks I’ve already covered 3,000 exhilarating miles. Every single journey is an event, even if I’ve rarely been able to make use of the 562bhp 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8. Thanks to a set of traffic lights on my journey home with a national speed limit road on the other side, I can verify the 0-62mph time of 3.4 seconds feels as fast as it sounds. A brief outing at sister title evo’s track day also confirmed the 570GT’s agility and grip place this car very much at the pinnacle of performance cars.
Yet for 95 per cent of the time, my car is driven at far more mundane speeds, when it also copes well. The ride is firm but comfy, as are the seats and driving position. My only wish is that the infotainment screen was bigger, more responsive and didn’t fail so often – the system in my wife’s Peugeot is way better. But then she doesn’t get a thumbs up from people on every journey.
- Model: McLaren 570GT
- On fleet since: April 2017
- Price new: £155,755
- Engine: 3.8-litre V8, twin-turbo, 562bhp
- CO2/tax: 249g/km/£140
- Options: Elite paint (£3,490), carbon fibre exterior packs 1 & 2 (£11,780), GT upgrade pack (£5,020), sports exhaust (£3,240), by McLaren designer interior (£2,520), superlightweight wheel with diamond cut finish (£5,010)
- Insurance: Group: 50/Quote: N/A
- Mileage: 3,016
- Economy: 23.6mpg
- Any problems?: Hydraulic nose lift mechanism replaced