McLaren 600LT at McLaren Leeds

[_Leg_]

mcl570 said:

In-the-know said:

Looks fairly basic inside, no carbon interior or Sill finisher or alcantara.

Have you failed to spot the Carbon Tunnel, Carbon Surrounding the Nav/Gears, Carbon Paddles, Carbon Seats, Carbon Stems on the steering wheel??????

Oh, and you must've not spotted the Alcantara padding no the seats!

If you follow the conversation between us back, rather than just reading his comment in isolation, you'll realise he's talking about the 570S Spider I posted. That had no alcantara nor carbon.

Easy mistake to make, especially with three cars being discussed in the same thread. :-)

[theRossatron]

mcl570 said:

Have you failed to spot the Carbon Tunnel, Carbon Surrounding the Nav/Gears, Carbon Paddles, Carbon Seats, Carbon Stems on the steering wheel??????

Oh, and you must've not spotted the Alcantara padding no the seats!

you mean the alcantara padding on the carbon seats?

[MDL111]

_Leg_ said:

MDL111 said:

Are those silver coloured switches plastic or metal?
Looking forward to your thoughts on the car

Metal I think, hard to tell as they're quite thin.

Cheers

[In-the-know]

garyhun said:

He's obviously not in-the-know

On the 570s Spider? Original part of the thread?

[anonymous-user]

In-the-know said:

garyhun said:

He's obviously not in-the-know

On the 570s Spider? Original part of the thread?

Cheer up

[ghost83]

What do you think of it leg? I’m going up there to have a look at the 600lt shortly! What else they got in?

[993AL]

ghost83 said:

What do you think of it leg? I’m going up there to have a look at the 600lt shortly! What else they got in?

Double check that it's still there first, there's one going elsewhere today but don't know if it's the same one doing the rounds.

[_Leg_]

Quick sum up. A couple of inevitable comparisons to my 458s as, well, that's my point of reference.

Positives

It's very well dampened on uneven surfaces.
The materials used to build it, inside and out, are very high quality and put together well (as far as I can tell over 3 days)
Apart from the front it looks great. I still don't like the front on the sports series although it looks better in person than in pics.
It has very neutral handling in track mode with traction off. Easy to chuck around, predictable. Some may like this.
It sounds ok above 5000rpm
It's quick once the turbos come on boost
Exceptional front end grip when turning into sharp corners at speed

Negatives

It's too comfy, soft, whatever you wish to call it. When driving it under normal road conditions I could be in an Audi or Mercedes. The lack of sound doesn't help. It sounds bloody awful below 5000rpm.
Whilst it sounds better above 5000rpm it still sounds poor. C'mon McLaren, if Mercedes can get some noise out of their blown V8s, so can you.
The steering doesn't provide quite as good feedback and feel in comparison to my 458s. That's not really a criticism.
Throttle lag due to the turbos is a pain and means it isn't as easy to steer on the throttle as a 458.
It has very neutral handling in track mode with traction off. Easy to chuck around, predictable. I prefer something a bit livelier. Some may not.
The cockpit is bland. Really nice materials but bland. However, that may well just be the spec on this one as the 600 LT I sat in was much nicer.

Overall I like it much more than I thought I would. I can understand why people like them but it's not for me. I've been driving it hard, in full track mode, around the roads I know very well and it hasn't once induced a laugh, big grin or 'wow' moment. It has induced 'oh it handled that well' moments both in me and passengers I've taken out but not once have I heard any 'holy st' type responses. To quote my neighbour (who came with me in my 458 Spider round the Alps and Dolomites earlier this year), "it's a bit tame isn't it, doesn't feel like it's trying to kill you", and a supercar should be a bit of a bd IMO.

Great car, well put together, just lacks drama. It's all good but there are no amazing bits. I could live with a 570S every day much more easily than I could a 458 but I would have much more fun on a road trip or blast out in the 458.

I fear I would be saying similar things about a 488 in terms of sound, turbos etc though. I'll have to get hold of one.

720S next. Might be a bit more of a wild animal, hopefully. Rather fancy getting my hands on a 600LT although the chances are slim. I could feel my wallet twitching when I sat in it.

I've warmed to the brand a little though. Not that the 570 is for me but I understand what they're about now and can see why owners like them.

EDIT - Oh, there was one scary moment last night on the way back from dinner out with the Mrs. Parked up outside the shop, roof on, blonde woman gets out of a hatchback and walks right up to me and offers me her phone number. I assume she hadn't seen my wife sat in the McLaren. I declined the number (for personal safety's sake) but when I got back in the car you would think I had shagged said blonde lady on the bonnet with the Mrs sat in the car.

All I did was go to the bloody shop.

Edited by _Leg_ on Thursday 9th August 10:53

[RamboLambo]

_Leg_ said:

Quick sum up. A couple of inevitable comparisons to my 458s as, well, that's my point of reference.

Positives

It's very well dampened on uneven surfaces.
The materials used to build it, inside and out, are very high quality and put together well (as far as I can tell over 3 days)
Apart from the front it looks great. I still don't like the front on the sports series although it looks better in person than in pics.
It has very neutral handling in track mode with traction off. Easy to chuck around, predictable. Some may like this.
It sounds ok above 5000rpm
It's quick once the turbos come on boost
Exceptional front end grip when turning into sharp corners at speed

Negatives

It's too comfy, soft, whatever you wish to call it. When driving it under normal road conditions I could be in an Audi or Mercedes. The lack of sound doesn't help. It sounds bloody awful below 5000rpm.
Whilst it sounds better above 5000rpm it still sounds poor. C'mon McLaren, if Mercedes can get some noise out of their blown V8s, so can you.
The steering doesn't provide quite as good feedback and feel in comparison to my 458s. That's not really a criticism.
Throttle lag due to the turbos is a pain and means it isn't as easy to steer on the throttle as a 458.
It has very neutral handling in track mode with traction off. Easy to chuck around, predictable. I prefer something a bit livelier. Some may not.
The cockpit is bland. Really nice materials but bland. However, that may well just be the spec on this one as the 600 LT I sat in was much nicer.

Overall I like it much more than I thought I would. I can understand why people like them but it's not for me. I've been driving it hard, in full track mode, around the roads I know very well and it hasn't once induced a laugh, big grin or 'wow' moment. It has induced 'oh it handled that well' moments both in me and passengers I've taken out but not once have I heard any 'holy st' type responses. To quote my neighbour (who came with me in my 458 Spider round the Alps and Dolomites earlier this year), "it's a bit tame isn't it, doesn't feel like it's trying to kill you", and a supercar should be a bit of a bd IMO.

Great car, well put together, just lacks drama. It's all good but there are no amazing bits. I could live with a 570S every day much more easily than I could a 458 but I would have much more fun on a road trip or blast out in the 458.

I fear I would be saying similar things about a 488 in terms of sound, turbos etc though. I'll have to get hold of one.

720S next. Might be a bit more of a wild animal, hopefully. Rather fancy getting my hands on a 600LT although the chances are slim. I could feel my wallet twitching when I sat in it.

I've warmed to the brand a little though. Not that the 570 is for me but I understand what they're about now and can see why owners like them.

EDIT - Oh, there was one scary moment last night on the way back from dinner out with the Mrs. Parked up outside the shop, roof on, blonde woman gets out of a hatchback and walks right up to me and offers me her phone number. I assume she hadn't seen my wife sat in the McLaren. I declined the number (for personal safety's sake) but when I got back in the car you would think I had shagged said blonde lady on the bonnet with the Mrs sat in the car.

All I did was go to the bloody shop.

Edited by _Leg_ on Thursday 9th August 10:53

Fair summary I would agree.
The problem with McLarens is they are so damn good they can feel a little ordinary unless really on it but even then they handle it so well .
Sadly No turbocharged engine is going to sound like a Naturally Aspirated car. A MSO Titanium exhaust would help a lot and would be a must for me on a 570

The LT derivatives address all of your concerns in abundance and feel like a different beast. More sound, more drama and just a load more engaging.
I love that McLarens are light in the first place but with the stripped out track focussed LT's they really do come alive.

I know exactly what you mean about attracting gold digger women - I'm sure its the "Billionaire Doors"

[MDL111]

thank you for the review - very interesting (I am not a fan of the looks of the 540/570 - but that is personal preference)

Interesting that you say the Ferrari has better feedback through the steering, as every review I read says McLarens have the best steering of all supercars/so much feel etc and people quite often write along the lines of Ferraris are direct but not much feedback

I will need to try one some day, but for me it would have to be a 675LT or maybe a 720 (I am warming to these more and more looks wise - not surprising I guess)

[rex-knd2s]

Great review there and tend to agree with it even though i own a 570s.

I do think they have to been seen in the flesh as pictures don't do them justice. Not driven a Ferrari but haven driven all the German rivals this was miles ahead for me, but its down to taste. The Italian sort of equivalents are much more expensive and find it difficult to compare (or to afford for me), but do think they are rivals.

Total agree on the noise, mine has the sports exhaust and would love to hear a MSO to see if its worth the investment.

[ghost83]

Well been upto Leeds and that 600LT is simply stunning

Told me they have a couple of allocations left for the coupe and spider

Told me 220 for the coupe but will be on 720 territory with w few options

720spider next year and the LT variant 2yrs away

Showed me around their current facilities and I think I will try and get a drive at some point

[RamboLambo]

Great car but a lot of money for a sport series car especially when 720S can be had for less. Must have had some cancellations as most dealers are complaining about lack of allocations unless McLaren are magically going to extend production and build some more due to demand

[indapendentlee]

rex-knd2s said:

Great review there and tend to agree with it even though i own a 570s.

I do think they have to been seen in the flesh as pictures don't do them justice. Not driven a Ferrari but haven driven all the German rivals this was miles ahead for me, but its down to taste. The Italian sort of equivalents are much more expensive and find it difficult to compare (or to afford for me), but do think they are rivals.

Total agree on the noise, mine has the sports exhaust and would love to hear a MSO to see if its worth the investment.

The MSO exhaust is sensational - actually makes it sound like what you'd expect/want from a V8 with 500+ brake...

[tyrrell]

I have the Titanium MSO exhaust on my 570S Spider and it sounds fantastic, especially in town echoing off buildings and walls

[PompeyReece]

tyrrell said:

I have the Titanium MSO exhaust on my 570S Spider and it sounds fantastic, especially in town echoing off buildings and walls

Is the MSO exhaust what makes the very low, deep rumble sound when idle?

I drove past a stationary McLaren (think it was a 12C) on the way in to the Silverstone Classics and just sat there it was ticking along like a demon.

[RamboLambo]

PompeyReece said:

Is the MSO exhaust what makes the very low, deep rumble sound when idle?

I drove past a stationary McLaren (think it was a 12C) on the way in to the Silverstone Classics and just sat there it was ticking along like a demon.

I doubt a 12C has a MSO titanium exhaust on it. More likely to be standard sports exhaust which makes a nice loud sound but still does not scream like a naturally aspirated car which TBF no turbocharged cars do.

Best sounding McLaren to date is the 675LT that does crack, pop and bang on both up and downshifts. Combination of titanium exhaust and mapping to explode excess fuel

[tyrrell]

MSO Titanium exhaust has only been available on 570S since late last year.

[_Leg_]

I've re read my comments above and whilst I stand by them please don't think the car wasn't anything but good. At this level it's like comparing one malt whisky against another. They all start at great and work their way up.

I also think many of the negatives I've stated are probably intrinsic to 'progress'. A 458 is easier to live with than a 355 which is easier to live with than anything that came before and that 'progression' continues on. I just wonder when it's gone too far? The more it continues the more that supercars may become too "every day" and too easy to live with, drive and own such that they become mainstream.

Dunno. It's a funny time in car land. "Better' has been interpreted as more power, faster, better handling and automation whereas in reality, for cars like these, "better' should simply be interpreted as "more fun".

Says a lot that this is the first year I haven't bought a car in many years. I can't see anything new that I fancy.

[ghost83]

When you dropped it off was he aventador Sv there? That was nice! They have quite a few 720s in dont they! I was blown away with that 600lt if I’m honest I thought it was stunning and seemed special!

He reckoned the upcoming 720lt variant will be amazing (2yrs off)