- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 2 seats
- Engine
3.8TT, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
419kW, 600Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 10.7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto (DCT)
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2017 McLaren 570GT new car review
What is it?
It’s McLaren’s unique interpretation of a luxury car. The 570GT fuses all the best bits of a genuine supercar with a little more practicality, a little more comfort and higher-quality materials.
How much does it cost and what do you get?
The 570GT is the third – and most expensive – member in McLaren’s entry-level Sports Series range, sitting above the base 540C and track-focused 570S.
It costs $438,000 (driveaway) and comes with a fully leather-lined cockpit, plusher carpets, a glass roof and a higher-quality Bowers and Wilkins audio system above the regular list of standard equipment on the 570S, which already includes a digital instrument cluster, climate control and a portrait-style infotainment screen with nav, digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity and performance apps.
The most unique element of the 570GT, however, is its side-opening hatchback that allows access to a leather-lined parcel shelf – which McLaren dubs a Touring Deck – that provides an additional 220L of luggage capacity, enough for a couple of a small overnight bags.
What's under the bonnet?
Technically, there’s more storage space with a deep 150L well in its nose.
But under your luggage is a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 that produces 419kW and 600Nm and drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
That’s enough to propel the 570GT from 0-100km/h in just 3.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 328km/h with a claimed average fuel consumption of 10.7L/100km.
What's it like to drive?
It’s still a genuine supercar, with all the performance and character you’d expect from a mid-engined machine developed by the road-going division of a Formula One team.
But the GT’s road manners have been refined over the 570S with slightly softer suspension settings, conventional steel brakes – rather than race-bred carbon ceramic stoppers – and more road-biased Pirelli tyres.
Ultimately, it’s still a – very – fast machine that can destroy your senses when you unleash its full potential, yet, in the same breath, it can be extremely docile around town.
The dual-clutch transmission is smooth and unobtrusive, the suspension is naturally stiff but never to the point of back-breaking, the steering is gorgeously direct and delicate in its weighting but not so razor sharp that it feels its driving on a knife edge and the engine lopes along effortlessly at low revs. It's an easy supercar to drive. And an easy one to admire.
What's it like inside?
Here’s where the GT really stands apart from other McLarens.
For starters, the glass roof makes the two-seater cockpit seem more airy while the extra luggage space behind the seats (which we didn’t use but looks big enough for a couple of day bags) added to the sense of space.
The tan leather in our test car looks classier than the exposed carbon in other models, giving the GT a more exclusive feel.
Otherwise, both occupants sit low in the two-seater cockpit within snug-fitting bucket seats and have excellent vision through the huge expanse of glass.
The proprietary infotainment screen is easy to use with its tile-like interface and the Bowers and Wilkins audio system belted out crystal clear tones and tunes.
Is it safe?
Like all other supercars, any McLaren is too expensive for ANCAP to submit to independent crash testing.
But, considering its handling abilities, it should be able to avoid an accident pretty easily in the right hands.
If not, its carbon fibre construction is designed to be super strong plus there’s four airbags.
Would I buy it?
Hell yeah. The 570GT is still a supercar first and foremost, so you’re getting a mid-engined machine from a Formula One team – and the performance you expect from that – with more class in the cabin and more comfort in terms of its on-road manners. What’s not to like about that?
What else should I consider?
A Porsche 911 Turbo mixes the same blend of high-end luxury, supercar-like performance and everyday useability to great effect, as does the latest-generation Audi R8 V10.
If you’re after something a little more relaxed, but still with some punch, then an Aston Martin DB11 or a Bentley Continental GT are also British-built alternatives.
2017 McLaren 570GT Price and Specifications
Price: From $438,000 driveaway
Engine: 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol
Power: 419kW at 7500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 5000-6500rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, rear-wheel drive
Fuel use: 10.7L/100km