Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 101

T

he 570GT is the fl agship of
McLaren’s Sports Series,
the entry level of its three-tier
range. Priced at $415,000, it sits
above the less well-appointed
570S Coupe at $395,000 and
the 540C, the most affordable
McLaren at $350,000.
Visually and mechanically the
trio are almost identical, but “GT”
— Gran Turismo — gives the game
away: this is the most luxurious
car McLaren has built, designed
to be more practical for long-
distance touring and everyday use.
It differs from other McLarens
in one important respect: there’s
an additional 220-litre luggage
area behind the seats, accessed
by a glass lid. With an additional
150-litre compartment under the
bonnet, it makes 570GT a genuine
weekender. It also gives the car a
unique cabin line.
The doors pivot skywards in
the signature McLaren manner
but the sills are lower while the
seat and steering wheel power-
slide out of the way, so it’s easier
getting in and out. The cabin
is unlike anything else on the
market. The layout makes sense
but all the switchgear is unique.
Infotainment and navigation

functions are accessed via a

tablet-style touchscreen and

small cluster of buttons. It’s as

crisp graphically as an iPhone,

accepts swipe and tap commands

and works just as you expect.

Ahead, virtual dials reconfi gure

into change-up lights when in

Sport or Track mode. There’s a

delightful wheel, daringly naked

of any buttons. The low driving

position feels just right and vision

is good by supercar standards.

The rear window distorts a little,

though, and luggage could block

the view altogether.

Sports Series models share

a carbon fi bre chassis and

McLaren’s turbocharged 3.8-litre

V8 engine, which develops 419kW

here, driving power to the rear

wheels via a seven-speed dual-

clutch transmission.

Left in auto, it’s easy to live

with around town as the gearbox

slides seamlessly through

the ratios. Harnessing this

engine’s potential on a twisty

road means working it hard

into the mid-range and above. It

builds from 4000rpm and really

hits its stride at 5000rpm, with

maximum power at 7500rpm.

The turbos whoosh, the exhaust

sounds purposeful and the car

is suddenly determined to race

to the horizon.

At 3.4 seconds to 100km/h, the

570GT is slower off the mark

than many rivals but after that

it really gets a move on, hitting

200km/h in just 9.8s. In full

attack mode, paddle-shifters

thump through gears without a

pause in power delivery.

With modest mass of 1.4

tonnes and fi rst-rate body

stiffness, the 570GT will skip

between corners and then hang

on tight, with little body roll. It

turns in with confi dence and its

dynamic limits are multiples of

legal speeds, although it will

eventually understeer a little.

It’s hard to believe this is the

touring McLaren. The steering

feels light and, although

McLaren has slowed it a little

compared with other models,

still quick. Over rough tarmac

the wheel comes alive in your

hands, alerting the driver to grip

levels but also delivering some

unwanted kickback.

Other concessions to comfort

include softer-than-usual springs,

more sound deadening and special

Pirelli P Zero tyres designed to

reduce road noise. But McLaren’s

race DNA still dominates. Rubber

roar intrudes along with rumble

and thump, while occupants get

jolted around over rough tarmac.

The ride can be abrupt.

The 570GT may be McLaren’s

idea of a grand tourer, but to

most it will feel like a supercar

with luxury fi ttings.

By Phil King

MCLAREN 570GT FROM $415,000

THINGS WE LIKE

 Supercar performance

 Supercar handling

 Rich cabin ambience

 Weekend practicality

 Easy to drive around town

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

 Abrupt ride quality

 Intrusive tyre noise

 Engine sound a bit meek

 Rear window distorts vision

 Kickback through steering

SPEX

 Made in England

 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol/

seven-speed automated manual/

rear-wheel drive

 0–100km/h in 3.4 seconds (claimed)

 7.4L/100km highway; 16.5L/100km

city; 98 octane premium; CO 2

emissions are 249g/km

 Warranty: Three years/unlimited

kilometres

 Standard: Stability control, four

airbags, leather upholstery, sunroof,

TFT instruments, touchscreen

infotainment, navigation, Bluetooth,

dual-zone air, 12-speaker Bowers

and Wilkins audio, four-piston brake

calipers, 19-inch front/20-inch rear

wheels with Pirelli PZero tyres

 Redbook future values: 3yr: 55%;

5yr: 41%

Safety

Not yet tested

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money



Overall



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