McLaren's first attempt at a more road trip worthy GT was the 2016 570GT with it's larger cargo area, softer suspension settings, and more creature comforts. But you still couldn't put golf clubs or a skeet gun in the cargo area, so the McLaren GT was announced at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show and customers could even order a full-size McLaren golf bag for an additional $6,800. McLaren had a GT car, but is it any good?
To find out I picked up a new GT at McLaren of Dallas and took it to Madill, Oklahoma, for lunch at El Tequila Mexican Restaurant. The route I had chosen was about 225 miles, I only had the car for the day, and heading across state lines made it feel more like a real road trip. Escaping the traffic of the Dallas Metroplex I headed north towards the Red River and I start getting comfortable with the GT. Adjust the lumbar support, notice that the infotainment is still slightly more complicated than it should be, but this seems to a standard feature in McLarens. But since I basically know where I am going I don't both struggling with the navigation system.
Nearly every surface of the interior is draped in Nappa leather and while it feels more luxurious than a 570S or a 600LT it doesn't have many of the features that the competition might have like massaging seats, adaptive cruise control, or wireless phone charging. But it is still a McLaren, click over into more aggressive driving mode and you can feel all 612 horsepower scream to life, the tires chirping all the way through a third of seven gears. But it's not a track day, So I pull back on to US 75 and cross the Texas/Oklahoma border headed towards Durant, Oklahoma.
The Choctaw Casino appears on the horizon, I contemplate stopping and perhaps shooting some photos of the car, but instead, a pair of Neoclassic funeral cars caught my attention, Of course, I pulled into the funeral home to check them out. The McLaren's dihedral doors looked even more modern next to the strangely proportioned Prinzing formal sedan and Grand O’Vale hearse, photo snapped, I jump back in the GT. Turning off the main road it's time for some country roads and to do a very road trip like stop at a local historical site, Fort Washita.
Fort Washita was closed...
Lunch wasn't bad and based on the reviews of the competing restaurants in Madill, I think I made the right choice. It was time to head back towards Texas and contemplate the miles I have already put on the GT. The McLaren GT finds itself in a strange position having one foot in the supercar world and one in the GT, this duality does seem to have made for some strange decisions. Like why does the GT have a power closing rear trunk lid button and why does it have so many different buttons to open the trunks?
While the McLaren GT does offer more cargo space, visibility, and is tuned to be a bit more civilized, it still is more supercar than a grand touring car. I get the feeling it was designed specifically for the country club member who wants a supercar that can hold golf clubs. The kind of car that will make a splash in the parking lot and impress valets, but isn't too dangerous or outlandish. It is perfectly priced for that market as well, just over the 570S and well below the 720S, that being said a GT still starts at just over $213,000.
So how does the McLaren GT stack up as a mile-eating road tripper? I would rate it as fair, most GT cars offer four seats, a normal trunk, and a lot more amenities at this price range than the McLaren. A Bentley Continental GT starts at just over $200,000 and Aston Martin Vantage starts at $146,000, or if you really want a two-seat, mid-engine, sportscar that can hold golf clubs the new C8 Corvette starts at only $59,995. On paper, it doesn't make sense, but McLaren's are special, rare, and owning one puts you in a very elite club of automotive enthusiasts. Is the McLaren GT a great road trip car for most people? Likely no, but it is the most road trip friendly McLaren you can buy and it was perfect for a drive to Madill, Oklahoma on a Thursday for lunch.
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