New Superlight McLaren GT Makes Its Latin American Debut In São Paulo, Brazil

by McLaren | November 29, 2019

•McLaren GT makes its Latin American debut at exclusive event held at Yacht Club Santos Palace in São Paulo

•New model delivers classic Grand Tourer attributes of competition levels of performance and continent-crossing capability, yet is lighter, faster, more engaging and more usable

•Optimised for daily use with outstanding ride comfort, segment-leading cabin refinement and total stowage capacity of 570 litres including room for golf clubs

•True supercar performance for the Grand Touring segment: 0-200km/h (124mph) in 9.0 seconds and a top speed of 326km/h (203mph)

•The fourth new model launched under the Track25 business plan

McLaren Automotive, the British creator of luxury, high-performance sportscars and supercars, showcased the new McLaren GT at an exclusive event held at the Yacht Club Santos Palace, São Paulo on November 26, marking the Latin American debut of the long-anticipated vehicle. The key customers and enthusiast in Brazil were amongst the first in the region to have witnessed the new, superlight Grand Tourer during a glamorous evening featuring a design presentation by Esteban Palazzo, a member of the McLaren Design Studio and the car's Principal Designer born in Argentina.

The new McLaren GT, the fourth new model launched under the company's Track25 business plan, challenges the conventions of the Grand Tourer category with a compelling blend of beautiful design, high-quality, innovative materials, true supercar performance and McLaren driving dynamics and engagement.

'The new McLaren GT is designed to embrace the visual history of Grand Touring cars while remaining true to the pioneering McLaren design language and philosophy. The design process for this car has been relentless and I am extremely proud to have been able to present it on my home, Latin American, soil.'

Esteban Palazzo, Principal Designer, McLaren Automotive

'We are extremely proud to have showcased the new, superlight McLaren GT in São Paulo on its Latin American debut. Our goal was to challenge the conventions of the Grand Touring category and create a car which would appeal to both new and existing customers. The result is a true McLaren, with the best in class power-to-weight ratio coupled with enhanced luggage capacity and high-levels of everyday usability. We are delighted with the overwhelmingly positive reception of the McLaren GT in Brazil and I want to thank McLaren São Paulo for their continued support with growing our brand in this exciting, new market.'

Brett Soso, Managing Director of Middle East, Africa & Latin America for McLaren Automotive.

Positioned alongside the established Sports, Super and Ultimate Series families, the GT is a new McLaren for a new audience and provides an alternative to existing products in an expanding market segment. The new McLaren GT features a core carbon fibre structure that possesses exceptional strength and rigidity while enabling unparalleled driving dynamics and lightest-in-class kerb weight.

At as little as 1,530kg (DIN), the McLaren GT is more than 130kg lighter than its closest core competitor and with 620PS from its 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the power-to-weight ratio is a remarkable 405PS-per-tonne. Torque of 630Nm is produced between 5,500rpm and 6,500rpm, with more than 95% of this available from 3,000rpm to 7,250rpm. The new engine is mated to a 7-speed SSG transmission to deliver linear, seamless and relentless acceleration.

The performance statistics speak for themselves: with a launch control function optimising acceleration from a standing start, 0-100km/h (0-62mph) is achieved in 3.2 seconds (0-60mph in 3.1 seconds), 0-200km/h (0-124mph) is dispatched in 9.0 seconds. The maximum speed of the McLaren GT is 326km/h (203mph).

The bespoke MonoCell II-T carbon fibre monocoque also incorporates a carbon fibre rear upper structure, which allows the creation of a 420-litre luggage area below the front-hinged, full-length glazed tailgate. The tailgate has a soft-close function as standard and can be optioned as electrically powered. The resulting storage capacity allows for a golf bag, as well as luggage to be carried with ease, while a further 150 litres of storage at the front means that the new McLaren GT can accommodate a total of 570 litres.

Technology and modern craftsmanship share equal prominence in the car, with the finest high-quality materials, complemented by the company's most sophisticated infotainment system to date. It is among the fastest-operating in any car and features real-time traffic information accessible through the seven-inch central touchscreen.

As befits a Grand Tourer, ambient refinement was a priority for the new McLaren GT from the outset. And just as the steering response perfectly suits the wide range of Grand Touring use cases, so too do the tyres and brakes: McLaren and technical partner Pirelli have developed a bespoke P ZERO™ tyre for the new McLaren GT that meets the demands of high-performance driving and comfort and refinement in equal measure.

Additionally, a 10-degree approach angle allows the car to cope with the most aggressive traffic calming measures and speedbumps; in combination with underbody clearance of 110mm (130mm) with vehicle lift activated, this ensures the vehicle is usable in all urban situations – not only it is competitive with all rivals, but in 'lift' mode it is the equal of mainstream sedans.

The new McLaren GT is available to order now from McLaren São Paulo and first customer deliveries are scheduled before the year end. For more information on the award-winning range of McLaren sports and supercars, and full list of retail locations, please visit: http://cars.mclaren.com/.

Photo credit: McLaren
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