Back into a McLaren, our Volcano Red GT
Discussion
The last thread which I created about our McLaren ownership (650S coupe) ended with this …
In fact, it took almost 18 months for me to organise a Caterham test drive (many thanks to Williams Automobiles) and then a subsequent visit to McLaren Bristol (our “local” dealer) which has resulted in us becoming the new owners of this 2021 Volcano Red GT …
Why the GT? I guess the answer to this one is that I forced myself to be brutally honest, listen to Mrs Jerry and then buy the car that best fits our usage profile rather than the car that everyone else would choose. A 650S was ruled out simply because we’d already done that and it was time to try something different, a 600LT was also ruled out as I’ll maybe do 1 or 2 track days a year (if at all) and long distance comfort has become more appealing than track ability and a 720S simply because finding a decent spec and colour at the correct price really is quite a challenge. Hence, we’ve bought the least loved(?), most marmite McLaren, at peak prices heading into winter with a fuel crisis ongoing …. Oh dear
The sales team at McLaren Bristol (mainly Ashley but also Ross) were very easy to deal with and if my relationship with the rest of the dealership follows the same path then I’ll be happy. Collection day had some nice touches …
Due to other commitments, the car hasn’t left the garage since it was brought home last week and I’d like to put some more miles on it before making too many comparisons. At this point I’ll just say it feels more modern, more comfortable and more luxurious than the 650S whilst remaining brutally fast. More detailed thoughts will follow and if anyone has questions then please fire away.
JerryDXB said:
I made a head over heart decision, dropped the price and finally had a bid which I accepted. This is what the equivalent of approx £70k looks like in Dirhams ...
It’s the first and only car that I’ve sold which I felt sad doing so but it is the correct thing to do at this point in time. I didn’t make it to 50k km, the car was showing just over 48k when I passed it on to its new owner yesterday ... which means I’ve driven over 92k km in McLarens since the 12C launch!
3 cars, 9 years, 92k km, Pure events at Silverstone and Spa, numerous track days at Yas and the Dubai Autodrome and some great local drives and events .... priceless memories.
I need to do some serious thinking about what next (when we return to the UK soon). Mrs Jerry is already saying it would be nice to have another McLaren (which is always a good thing) whereas I’m still thinking self assembly Caterham (420R) ... Watch this space!
… not long after that, we returned to the UK and almost immediately went into COVID lockdown. All thoughts of sports car ownership (whether McLaren, Caterham or anything in between) paled into insignificance compared to everything else that was going on and hence, other than a brief trip to McLaren Birmingham during one of the gaps between lockdowns to view a VY 650S spider, nothing was done to put a 2nd car in the garage.It’s the first and only car that I’ve sold which I felt sad doing so but it is the correct thing to do at this point in time. I didn’t make it to 50k km, the car was showing just over 48k when I passed it on to its new owner yesterday ... which means I’ve driven over 92k km in McLarens since the 12C launch!
3 cars, 9 years, 92k km, Pure events at Silverstone and Spa, numerous track days at Yas and the Dubai Autodrome and some great local drives and events .... priceless memories.
I need to do some serious thinking about what next (when we return to the UK soon). Mrs Jerry is already saying it would be nice to have another McLaren (which is always a good thing) whereas I’m still thinking self assembly Caterham (420R) ... Watch this space!
In fact, it took almost 18 months for me to organise a Caterham test drive (many thanks to Williams Automobiles) and then a subsequent visit to McLaren Bristol (our “local” dealer) which has resulted in us becoming the new owners of this 2021 Volcano Red GT …
Why the GT? I guess the answer to this one is that I forced myself to be brutally honest, listen to Mrs Jerry and then buy the car that best fits our usage profile rather than the car that everyone else would choose. A 650S was ruled out simply because we’d already done that and it was time to try something different, a 600LT was also ruled out as I’ll maybe do 1 or 2 track days a year (if at all) and long distance comfort has become more appealing than track ability and a 720S simply because finding a decent spec and colour at the correct price really is quite a challenge. Hence, we’ve bought the least loved(?), most marmite McLaren, at peak prices heading into winter with a fuel crisis ongoing …. Oh dear
The sales team at McLaren Bristol (mainly Ashley but also Ross) were very easy to deal with and if my relationship with the rest of the dealership follows the same path then I’ll be happy. Collection day had some nice touches …
Due to other commitments, the car hasn’t left the garage since it was brought home last week and I’d like to put some more miles on it before making too many comparisons. At this point I’ll just say it feels more modern, more comfortable and more luxurious than the 650S whilst remaining brutally fast. More detailed thoughts will follow and if anyone has questions then please fire away.
Good morning all, many thanks for the positive comments. It appears that the colour is universally approved of … it was definitely one of the factors that sealed the deal. It had a Gtechniq ceramic coating done prior to collection and looks absolutely stunning in direct sunlight. There seem to be many more silver and grey GTs out there than the more “interesting” colours so this was a good result for us.
The general public seem to approve and the attention the car received on the trip home on a slow and congested, Friday afternoon, southbound M5 was something I had forgotten happens. I guess that I’ll have to get used to this.
The general public seem to approve and the attention the car received on the trip home on a slow and congested, Friday afternoon, southbound M5 was something I had forgotten happens. I guess that I’ll have to get used to this.
justin220 said:
I really liked the GT when I test drove it. I couldn't beleive how different it was from my 540C.
The best part for me was the active exhaust, it sounded so much better than Mine.
I likened it to the Lotus Evora in comparison to my 540 being like an Exige / Elise
Looks great in VR
You are right about the exhaust. This car has the standard exhaust rather than the sports exhaust (which, before experiencing, I would have said was a must have option) and I cannot see why you’d want/need anything else in this type of car. Discreet in comfort and non-active modes and then sounds great when driving a little harder in active/sport mode with the valves open.The best part for me was the active exhaust, it sounded so much better than Mine.
I likened it to the Lotus Evora in comparison to my 540 being like an Exige / Elise
Looks great in VR
It also sounds much more turbocharged than the 650S ever did with the whooshes and whistles being very apparent. Maybe not for everyone but something I like a lot.
djangoW said:
"other than a brief trip to McLaren Birmingham during one of the gaps between lockdowns to view a VY 650S spider, nothing was done "
Thank you SO MUCH for NOT buying that VY 650S . as its mine now and am enjoying it hugely!
Nice one, glad to hear you are enjoying it.Thank you SO MUCH for NOT buying that VY 650S . as its mine now and am enjoying it hugely!
The 650S remains great value for money (relatively speaking) and Volcano Yellow is definitely the best colour for them (but I could be biased
).T70RPM said:
I have the same car (GT) in the same colour.
Had it six months, 3000 miles, hasn't missed a beat, gets great reception everywhere, super comfortable, crazy fast, but then gives over 30 mpg on a bimble round the Cotswolds.
In the flesh, in Volcano red, it's absolutely stunning.
Absolutely the right McLaren for me, can't fault it.
You have very good taste Had it six months, 3000 miles, hasn't missed a beat, gets great reception everywhere, super comfortable, crazy fast, but then gives over 30 mpg on a bimble round the Cotswolds.
In the flesh, in Volcano red, it's absolutely stunning.
Absolutely the right McLaren for me, can't fault it.
Edited by T70RPM on Wednesday 6th October 13:20
I still haven’t had the opportunity to put many miles on the car but did get caught in the rain earlier in the week which left the car looking fairly dirty. Gave it a clean earlier today (the Gtechniq coating makes this so easy) and hence will take the opportunity to post some clean pics …
I’m really loving the Volcano Red.
A few thoughts on the initial miles … the car is a very nice place to be (a combination of leather and alcantara) and, like all McLarens, is brutally fast. It feels easier/more effortless to drive quickly than the 650S and I remember the 650S being more raw. The induction and exhaust noises are addictive, torque seems never ending and the gearbox software seems to be greatly improved (I’ve not yet felt the need to pull a paddle as the car just seems to know which gear to be in at all times and it seems more eager to downshift in auto than the 650S ever did). I reckon I must have gotten used to the very soft brake pedal in our family car as the GT brakes (standard iron discs) do not fill me with confidence and seem to require an almighty shove (albeit they work when you do so). I remember saying this the first time I drove a 12C so I’ll likely get used to it and maybe they’ll improve as I put more miles on it (still below the recommended 650 miles for running in the engine and brakes at this stage).
Other thoughts, whoever decided to put the reverse camera display behind the steering wheel needs a good slap, having the vehicle lift operating by a single button on the right stalk is a good idea and the upgraded B&W stereo doesn’t seem to like the old USB stick I used in the 650S (I’ll get a new one to try before I say there’s an issue).
More to follow.
I’m really loving the Volcano Red.
A few thoughts on the initial miles … the car is a very nice place to be (a combination of leather and alcantara) and, like all McLarens, is brutally fast. It feels easier/more effortless to drive quickly than the 650S and I remember the 650S being more raw. The induction and exhaust noises are addictive, torque seems never ending and the gearbox software seems to be greatly improved (I’ve not yet felt the need to pull a paddle as the car just seems to know which gear to be in at all times and it seems more eager to downshift in auto than the 650S ever did). I reckon I must have gotten used to the very soft brake pedal in our family car as the GT brakes (standard iron discs) do not fill me with confidence and seem to require an almighty shove (albeit they work when you do so). I remember saying this the first time I drove a 12C so I’ll likely get used to it and maybe they’ll improve as I put more miles on it (still below the recommended 650 miles for running in the engine and brakes at this stage).
Other thoughts, whoever decided to put the reverse camera display behind the steering wheel needs a good slap, having the vehicle lift operating by a single button on the right stalk is a good idea and the upgraded B&W stereo doesn’t seem to like the old USB stick I used in the 650S (I’ll get a new one to try before I say there’s an issue).
More to follow.
I forgot to mention in my first post that Rybrook make very good espresso which is served in nice branded cups. I do like branded espresso cups so insisted that they threw a set in as part of the deal. Initially I don’t think they thought I was serious … but I was … and these turned up today …
Well done to Ashley for humouring me!
Well done to Ashley for humouring me!
CyCy said:
Holy crap, Jerry, you live down the road from me - was looking at the car until I noticed the neighbourhood! I believe you're the third McLaren owner in the area - the chap in the gated area next to you has one too! 570S last I saw.
Small world, let me know if you are passing and I’ll make you an espresso in a McLaren Bristol cup The car just down the road is a 570GT.
CyCy said:
Ah yes, perhaps it is! 2 years ago I dropped by to check out a house for sale in that little gated group, and turned up in my 720S - the chap living in that house came dashing outside and invited me into his garage to check out his car, was a really lovely interaction.
We were driving a diesel Merc courtesy of Hertz when we viewed so didn’t even get a second glance. The house we ultimately bought had a lovely GT3 RS under a cover in the garage and this prompted the inevitable discussion about cars with the agent …Agent: “and one of the neighbours has a McLaren, the only one in town I think”
Me: “really, we’ve also got one. What model is it?”
Not sure he believed me at the time.
Have had a lengthy chat about McLarens with the guy you mention.
Six months and just over 1700 miles in and therefore about time I updated this thread.
Other than some very minor issues, which I’ll cover later, the car has performed well. It has been used for short local blasts, long day trips and various weekends away. As it’s supposed to be a GT I’ll write more about the latter 2. The 400 mile day trip really showed what the car is capable of and, if required, I could have driven for longer and further at the end of the day. Set the cruise control on the motorway at a sensible speed and it’ll achieve 35 mpg whilst being a bright, airy and very comfortable place to be. Even at 35 mpg you do occasionally have to stop and refuel and I’ve got to admit that this becomes a rather interesting experience. I can no longer dash into the services, refuel and then dash out again but have to allow 10-15 minutes for questions and photos at each stop. Get off the motorway and the car makes very easy work of A and B road overtaking opportunities. When you do reach your destination you then need to find the end parking space away from everyone else and I’m becoming very good at this …
Weekends away have seen us testing the luggage carrying capabilities and this is something that requires a fair bit of trial and error. Although there is a lot of space under the rear hatch the area immediately above and behind the rear wheels is rather shallow and therefore best suited to soft bags, lap top bags, suit carriers, coats and that type of thing. Carry on type bags get lashed down behind the rear seats (but this then does impact the view in the rear view mirror) or go into the front boot (my preferred option). You can get a lot of stuff in but, as said, requires some trial and error. I would not be surprised if I were to replace a lot of our luggage with pieces measured to fit better.
First trip away saw me again bagging an end parking space …
I didn’t realise our room overlooked this space, but was not complaining …
And I then get to make sure it’s still there first thing in the morning …
Another trip away and another end space …
Only a couple of minor issue to date.
The front number plate fell off soon after I got the car home. McBristol would have collected the car and sorted this out but it hardly seemed worth bothering them for such a minor thing. I sourced some double sided tape from Amazon and reattached it myself … on reflection I should have bent it a little more before before refitting as a couple of weeks later and the edges started to come away again. I decide to remove the plate and have another go … as I’m sawing through the remaining double sided tape with a piece of string I’m thinking “do not damage the paint work, do not damage the paint work” and then when the plate pops off I fumble it and drop it onto the front splitter. The sharp edge of the plate catches the edge of the splitter and I now have an a small scratch there! It’s not large and not visible from a distance but was absolutely furious with myself.
There have also been minor glitches with steering wheel and seat sensors not working and hence affecting the comfort entry and exit. I’m putting this down to limited use for now and will monitor over the coming months as the weather allows the car to be used more.
I can forgive the minor glitches and continue to really enjoy the car. Mrs Jerry recently stated that “we definitely bought the right car” which is a first for her and something that I absolutely agree with.
Other than some very minor issues, which I’ll cover later, the car has performed well. It has been used for short local blasts, long day trips and various weekends away. As it’s supposed to be a GT I’ll write more about the latter 2. The 400 mile day trip really showed what the car is capable of and, if required, I could have driven for longer and further at the end of the day. Set the cruise control on the motorway at a sensible speed and it’ll achieve 35 mpg whilst being a bright, airy and very comfortable place to be. Even at 35 mpg you do occasionally have to stop and refuel and I’ve got to admit that this becomes a rather interesting experience. I can no longer dash into the services, refuel and then dash out again but have to allow 10-15 minutes for questions and photos at each stop. Get off the motorway and the car makes very easy work of A and B road overtaking opportunities. When you do reach your destination you then need to find the end parking space away from everyone else and I’m becoming very good at this …
Weekends away have seen us testing the luggage carrying capabilities and this is something that requires a fair bit of trial and error. Although there is a lot of space under the rear hatch the area immediately above and behind the rear wheels is rather shallow and therefore best suited to soft bags, lap top bags, suit carriers, coats and that type of thing. Carry on type bags get lashed down behind the rear seats (but this then does impact the view in the rear view mirror) or go into the front boot (my preferred option). You can get a lot of stuff in but, as said, requires some trial and error. I would not be surprised if I were to replace a lot of our luggage with pieces measured to fit better.
First trip away saw me again bagging an end parking space …
I didn’t realise our room overlooked this space, but was not complaining …
And I then get to make sure it’s still there first thing in the morning …
Another trip away and another end space …
Only a couple of minor issue to date.
The front number plate fell off soon after I got the car home. McBristol would have collected the car and sorted this out but it hardly seemed worth bothering them for such a minor thing. I sourced some double sided tape from Amazon and reattached it myself … on reflection I should have bent it a little more before before refitting as a couple of weeks later and the edges started to come away again. I decide to remove the plate and have another go … as I’m sawing through the remaining double sided tape with a piece of string I’m thinking “do not damage the paint work, do not damage the paint work” and then when the plate pops off I fumble it and drop it onto the front splitter. The sharp edge of the plate catches the edge of the splitter and I now have an a small scratch there! It’s not large and not visible from a distance but was absolutely furious with myself.
There have also been minor glitches with steering wheel and seat sensors not working and hence affecting the comfort entry and exit. I’m putting this down to limited use for now and will monitor over the coming months as the weather allows the car to be used more.
I can forgive the minor glitches and continue to really enjoy the car. Mrs Jerry recently stated that “we definitely bought the right car” which is a first for her and something that I absolutely agree with.
paralla said:
Pictures really don't do Volcano Red justice.
A couple of years ago GVE had a 650S (I think, McLarens all look the same to me) in the showroom and it looked so good I wanted to lick it.
All of the volcano colours looks sooooo much better in real life, especially in direct sunlight. The one show is indeed a 650S.A couple of years ago GVE had a 650S (I think, McLarens all look the same to me) in the showroom and it looked so good I wanted to lick it.
supersport said:
Nice, it's a stunning colour.
How did you convince the number plate to stay bent? I have a similar issue.
Mine has metal (aluminium?) plates so I clamped one end in a workmate and simply used brute force to bend the other end. I bent it slightly further than necessary to stop the ends springing out again.How did you convince the number plate to stay bent? I have a similar issue.
RSbandit said:
Must say I really like the look of these especially the rear 3/4 view, a 2 yr old one is priced below older 720's and 600Lts so they've come on my radar as a potential replacement for my 570s.
I'm sure its rapid but how do you find the noise? Any videos I've seen it sounds more like the 12c/650s than the later sports/super series cars.
Any other likes/dislikes? Any plans to track it at some point? Think I need to take one for a test drive ....seems this is the forgotten McLaren model which is a shame as its actually quite a cohesive design to my eyes.
I agree with you on both the rear 3/4 view and also that 2 year old cars are now starting to look like ”good” value compared to the other cars in the range. I think the spec on some of the 2 year old cars may be a little variable as I read a lot of stuff only became standard on the 2021 update to make them look like better value. I think the 2021 cars also had something done with the brakes to give more feel (though I’d question if that was totally successful).I'm sure its rapid but how do you find the noise? Any videos I've seen it sounds more like the 12c/650s than the later sports/super series cars.
Any other likes/dislikes? Any plans to track it at some point? Think I need to take one for a test drive ....seems this is the forgotten McLaren model which is a shame as its actually quite a cohesive design to my eyes.
The car is blisteringly quick, I’d say on a par with the 650S we had but it’s almost 2 years since I last drove a 650S and my driving style is much more sedate since we moved back to the UK so my memory could be playing tricks. Keeping that fact in mind, the noise … I’d say very different to the 12C/650S. To me the GT is much more obviously turbocharged when driven hard with the whistling and whooshing being very apparent and I don’t remember this being as apparent in the 650S. This could be due to the 650S having a sports exhaust and the GT a standard exhaust and hence the exhaust note being more muted in the GT? The GT does have an active exhaust and this can be quite noticeable, it definitely sounds like a V8 … a turbocharged V8 and I like it a lot.
My biggest “dislike” so far are the brakes … iron discs and 4 piston callipers at the front and they do need a mighty shove to have the effect you’d like. Is that because I’ve got used to driving overly servoed, slower cars (I almost put myself through the windscreen driving my in-laws Note after swapping out of the GT
) or is it that the ceramics of the 650S were significantly better? I don’t know but I do know that I don’t miss the horrible squealing of the 650S brakes (particularly after been driven hard). I do miss the fact that the ceramics don’t create significant brake dust … that’s just a pain.I suspect I will take the car along to a Pure day (or 2) this year and that will allow me to really make a judgement on the brakes. However, I’m not expecting it to be on a par with the 650S on track and will, no doubt, drive accordingly.
I’d certainly recommend taking a test drive.
DRZ said:
I just put an update in my ownership thread comparing and contrasting the GT to the 720S I'm currently driving around in. I have to say, as good as the 720S is, I did buy the right car when I picked the GT.
Options wise they are all over the place - I believe the 2022 cars basically have done away with all the option packs to add the stuff that really should have been there from the start. IMO, the bare minimum is a Lux with the practicality pack but the premium pack is a very nice to have. Mine is a Lux with both packs and some MSO bits but not CF overload which is probably the sweet spot. I personally don't understand why anyone would ever want the Pioneer spec in these cars and it is telling that most of the ones that sit around in the lower part of the market are Pioneer spec cars...
Brakes, yes they do take some getting used to in terms of quite how hard you need to press the pedal but once you're over that I find them to be very good at hauling the car to a stop. They aren't as immediate as the carbon ceramics on the 720S but they are enough to be confident with, at least that's my view on them. I've only had mine since the beginning of March but I've already done about 800 miles and I'd say the brakes were the thing I most needed to adjust to.
I spotted your 720S comparison … very well written and informative so thank you for that. It appears that we both agree that we bought the right car (folks agreeing on PH, wherever next Options wise they are all over the place - I believe the 2022 cars basically have done away with all the option packs to add the stuff that really should have been there from the start. IMO, the bare minimum is a Lux with the practicality pack but the premium pack is a very nice to have. Mine is a Lux with both packs and some MSO bits but not CF overload which is probably the sweet spot. I personally don't understand why anyone would ever want the Pioneer spec in these cars and it is telling that most of the ones that sit around in the lower part of the market are Pioneer spec cars...
Brakes, yes they do take some getting used to in terms of quite how hard you need to press the pedal but once you're over that I find them to be very good at hauling the car to a stop. They aren't as immediate as the carbon ceramics on the 720S but they are enough to be confident with, at least that's my view on them. I've only had mine since the beginning of March but I've already done about 800 miles and I'd say the brakes were the thing I most needed to adjust to.
).Afraid that I don’t agree with you on the Lux vs Pioneer though, I specifically wanted a Pioneer as I wanted some alcantara on the seats (and the only difference between the 2 specs is leather vs alcantara). But I guess we cannot agree on everything.
Anyone looking at GTs and wondering what each options pack contains, this should help …
Edited by JerryEXE on Wednesday 6th April 17:16
Nine months and 3000 miles into ownership and the car is just back from it’s first annual service at McBristol. Only non-routine items were a small piece of external trim that was loose being reattached and a safety recall on the driver’s airbag. (The steering column sensor issues I mentioned early in this thread having gone away and not present in the car’s memory). £777 in total which was slightly less than I had anticipated and included the use of a fairly new Audi A6 whilst my car was with them (said Audi being more than adequate, and actually a fairly nice place to be, for trudging up and down the M5). The car was filthy when I dropped it off as we were just back from a 500 mile weekend trip but looked like new when collected earlier today. All things considered, I’m very happy.
Zanderman said:
Really nice review and comprehensive sharing of your experience!
I am looking for a GT car that still has some sporting credentials and has some prestige and sexiness to it. My requirements for a car have changed from using it a few times a week for short journeys and fun to a lot of fairly tedious motorway miles every 2 weeks or so. I bought a S class to do those miles and as you might expect it is perfect for those kinds of miles but isnt very exciting or interesting. Perfect whilst I figure out my next move.
I recently got rid of my 992 C2S (which was a superb car) because it was just a bit to small and not that comfortable for me on those long journeys. I have been considering the usual - Bentley Continental (current model), S63 AMG coupe, M5 Comp etc. I also have looked at a couple of the Ferrari options but putting big miles on them seems like a bad idea…… I hadn’t even considered a McLaren, they are beautiful and exotic but you wouldn’t necessarily consider them along side the ones I was looking at.
My question is around your cars GT credentials, the sporting aspects I take as red but would you use it for motorway munching? How is it getting in and out of?(I am getting on with dodgy knees and far to fat for a standard McLaren/supercar (couldn’t get in or out of a regular super car without looking ridiculous!) Does the perceived quality issues surrounding Mclaren worry you? I need a reliable car but no idea if the quality thing is just noise….
I guess I am trying to see if it is more GT or sports car. It is way more exciting than the other options I am looking at but would be keen to get your views before I go and check one out.
Thanks!
Good day, glad you like the thread so far. Looks like DRZ has comprehensively answered your questions in his response above (his Reader’s Car thread is definitely worth a read). I found myself agreeing with all of it but especially this paragraph …I am looking for a GT car that still has some sporting credentials and has some prestige and sexiness to it. My requirements for a car have changed from using it a few times a week for short journeys and fun to a lot of fairly tedious motorway miles every 2 weeks or so. I bought a S class to do those miles and as you might expect it is perfect for those kinds of miles but isnt very exciting or interesting. Perfect whilst I figure out my next move.
I recently got rid of my 992 C2S (which was a superb car) because it was just a bit to small and not that comfortable for me on those long journeys. I have been considering the usual - Bentley Continental (current model), S63 AMG coupe, M5 Comp etc. I also have looked at a couple of the Ferrari options but putting big miles on them seems like a bad idea…… I hadn’t even considered a McLaren, they are beautiful and exotic but you wouldn’t necessarily consider them along side the ones I was looking at.
My question is around your cars GT credentials, the sporting aspects I take as red but would you use it for motorway munching? How is it getting in and out of?(I am getting on with dodgy knees and far to fat for a standard McLaren/supercar (couldn’t get in or out of a regular super car without looking ridiculous!) Does the perceived quality issues surrounding Mclaren worry you? I need a reliable car but no idea if the quality thing is just noise….
I guess I am trying to see if it is more GT or sports car. It is way more exciting than the other options I am looking at but would be keen to get your views before I go and check one out.
Thanks!
“Compared to an S Class (I owned a W220 many years ago), you're going to find the GT to be small, loud, compromised on luggage space (less than most mid engined cars but still...) and one or two notches less comfortable on UK roads but 10000% more exciting, more dynamic, more interesting etc etc.”
I’ve done a lot of motorway miles in ours and it copes but it is not the perfect motorway cruiser. After the recent experience with the diesel Audi A6 courtesy car I do find myself asking “if I had to do 500 motorway miles in a day, which would I take?” and the honest answer would probably be the A6 (or any other large, comfy saloon). Of course, it’s never just motorway miles and you have to consider how you’d be driving before and after said miles and adding that into the question always flips the answer back to the GT.
With regards to reliability (and potentially being put off), this is our 4th McLaren … the first was a lemon (but still better than the 458 I looked at to replace it, controversial comment there which I await the trolling for
), the second good, the third almost faultless and this one the same as the third. In fact our Kia has been back for more warranty work than the GT (and the less said the better about the Cayenne that preceded the Kia). The internet seems to blow most McLaren issues out of all proportion so take most non owner comments with a pinch of salt.As DRZ said, take a test drive and see what you think.
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