The McLaren GT is often dismissed as the least rousing Macca of the modern era, but still, the naysayers ignore a few things about it. For starters, the predecessor of the GTS wouldn't have been possible without the awe-inspiring Speedtail. We also have to remember that it's rocking a touring-oriented version of the MonoCell II carbon-fiber tub introduced by the 570S and less powerful 540C.
But more importantly, the GT benefits from the company's vast experience in all things Formula 1. Be it lightweight materials, aerodynamics, or drivetrain, the hideously underrated GT is a stupidly fast car in both a straight line and in the corners.
McLaren claims 3.1 seconds from zero to 60 miles per hour (approximately 97 kilometers per hour), whereas top speed is rated at 203 miles per hour (326 kilometers per hour). Pictured at the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility, the 2023 model in the clip below reached 206.332 miles per hour (332.059 kilometers per hour) in less than 2.7 mi (4.3 km).
It's a hugely impressive result, and even more so when accounting for the windy conditions (18 miles per hour). Its twin-turbocharged V8 may not sound as exotic as the Prancing Horse's F154 twin-turbo V8, but even so, enthusiasts will never mistake McLaren's 4.0-liter mill for a good ol' small block.
Gifted with a flat-plane crankshaft à la Ferrari's motor, the M840T in the GT was upgraded for model year 2024. Enter the GTS, which is the heavily revised successor of the GT. Increased crankshaft torque enabled by revised ignition timing and more aggressive combustion phasing unlocked an additional 15 metric ponies over the GT, resulting in 635 ps (626 mechanical horsepower).
Photo: McLaren
Another difference from the previous model is the curb weight. 22 pounds have been removed, meaning 3,351 pounds (1,520 kilograms) for the DIN curb weight. A practical supercar with two luggage compartments totaling 570 liters or 20.1 cubic feet, the GTS produces the same 465 pound-feet (630 Nm) as the GT. It's rated at 203 miles per hour as well, but as you already know from the video below, it can do better at wide-open throttle.
Macca worked its magic on the electro-hydraulic steering system as well, and McLaren also tuned the suspension system for more high-speed stability, improved cornering, and maximum compliance in comfort mode. Bodied in aluminum to keep the production costs in check, the GTS rolled out in December 2023. For some reason or another, McLaren hasn't made pricing information public.
Even so, it's pretty obvious that McLaren will charge a bit more than the GT, which ended the 2023 model year with a sticker price of $208,490 in the United States market. Slotted below the recently updated Artura in the automaker's model range, the GTS comes standard with Nappa leather seats.
Standard content further includes a recycled carbon-fiber composite roof, comfort seats, navigation, digital radio, and twin-spoke forged alloys that can be spruced up with titanium bolts. Every GTS comes with a three-year/unlimited-mile warranty.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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