Is the McLaren GT a failure ?

I previously owned a 12C and happen to love the marque. When I went to buy another exotic, I looked at all the usual suspects from Ferrari, Porsche, etc. Even put an order in on a Roma and a 296 before I drove the GT. The moment I drove the GT I knew it was the perfect car for me. In person, it's very elegant and understated, with exquisite interior materials. People seem to really gravitate to it as well, so I must not be the only person who loves it!

It's not a car for everyone, but it is the perfect supercar for how most people really use their cars. It doesn't try to rupture your spleen like most other exotics these days, nor is it trying to wake the neighbors like a 600LT or Lambo STO. It is a more mature product. It handles beautifully, rides comfortably, sounds great and is fast as hell. It is an exceptional exotic car in the traditional sense and just feels really "special." Unfortunately, these days manufacturers are tripping over themselves to build cars more and more extreme and less and less usable... so I don't know how big a market is for this particular blend of GT/Supercar. But to me it is perfect... FWIW, I've had mine for a year and 3K miles and she has been very reliable
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It’s grown on me tremendously this past year. I’m planning on adding one to the garage in the future.

 

Funny you said that, I've been hearing that from A LOT of people lately. I guess it just took a while for people to warm up to it. The reviews have generally been very positive, which has probably helped the public perception as well I can only surmise. In any event, If you have any questions regarding them, feel free to PM me.

 

Appreciate it. Am very familiar with the car and brand. I think Mclaren marketing dept sucks as they completely botched the messaging on the car. For 210kish- I don’t see how you can find a bette exotic for regular driving duties.

 

yes

 

I have a garage space next to my 488 waiting on delivery of my McLaren GT. It will be my executive exotic.

 

It is a failure in the sense that it does not seem to be selling well. But...i have seen a black one, and with the right wheels, it actually looks pretty slick.

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I think they are gorgeous in person, and maybe the nicest regular production Mclaren design.

For what it is worth, they just closed the order books on the GT and will not be resuming production until 2024 to make way for the backlog in Artura production and the release of the 750s. It is rumored that the GT will return as a GTS model.

 

So, the Artura has strong sales?

 

The Artura's launch was essentially aborted and the cars that where in route to customers where returned to the factory. The factory then set about redesigning whatever issues they felt would compromise the Artura's long term reliability and only recently began deliveries. There is now a considerable back log of cars that need to be delivered, plus new orders that are presumably coming in daily. . Mclaren is only capable of producing a comparatively small number of cars each year (they made more just under 5K in their best year and substantially less recently). I believe there are over 2K outstanding Artura orders and the 750S is allegedly sold out for up to two years depending on who you believe. In any event, just producing those outstanding arturas (plus new orders) and the 750s, will keep Mclaren's small factory quite busy just by itself.

 

Is the McLaren GT a failure ?


Judging from the available inventory in the US, I would say "yes".

At least from a sales perspective.

https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/new/nl-New-McLaren-Artura-d3238?sourceContext=NEW&gclid=CjwKCAjw67ajBhAVEiwA2g_jEIw2uXUQ1Nv9IM8jc2xm1JntpZyL3oxjO13Y-XxglKpoErY6cq88vhoCpwgQAvD_BwE

 

whats the maserati counterpoint?

 

It looks dated and unoriginal.

 

One friend who has had about two dozen exotics said of his McLarens the GT is his favorite (he’s had a 600LT Spider, 720S and two GTs).

Harry Metcalfe also said it was his favorite in his review (last few mins have his summary):

 

I recently drove a Huracan, a 720s and a 296 (again). If I had to do it over again 10x, I would still buy the GT every time. Its tough to find any respectable journalist having anything negative to say about the driving experience. Everyone seems to love it as much as I do. As for the public, I think most people who keep an open mind discover it is a superlative automobile. It's a shame Mclaren did such a terrible job marketing it and explaining it to the public. It is many things, but a true GT car it is not. It's just a more well rounded, more sophisticated Mclaren... at least it was. Who knows if they actually intend to restart production in 2024. It may prove to have been very short lived.

 

One issue for me is that I only like body colored roofs. It appears the gt (and 720) are only avail in black… so only a black car would work for me and that’s not really my pick. My other issue is primarily the bolted on look of the side scoops and the squared off belt line on the front nose… main question for me is if it uses the same tub, no extra room inside right? Still small?

Robb

 

Well, most of the roofs on both cars are glass with the exception of the window framing and A pillars. However, I suppose if you wanted them body color, you can just cut a check to MSO and they will do it in any color you like. As for the side scoops, I don't know what you are referring to, but they are integrated into rear quarter panels, but if you find the air intakes on the Enzo bolted on, its the same concept. as an aside, if you open the doors on the 720S you will see the same scoops. On the 720s, Mclaren just widened the door and directed the air between the outer door skin into the side radiators.

But hey, if the styling isn't for you, thankfully there are plenty of other cars to chose from.

As for interior room, the GT uses a modified sports series chassis. The GT is longer and wider with more interior room, but I wouldn't call it roomy like an F12. Its just roomy for a Mclaren. The seats are a smidge higher, doors open wider, sill seems a little lower, etc and it has ample space in the frunk and boot. It's also a very airy cabin.

 

Car looks like it has much to like.

thought this was a good watch.

 

Part of the issue is not too many people have the $ or inclination to semi daily and exotic. 911s and vettes are as close as you get. the Mclaren is really an exotic, but the Gt lacks exotic looks, its style is derivative that of a 90s F360.
As and example or two, without begin too outlandish the alfa 4c looks geta, and the R8 always had bauhaus class.

Even with some great styling this car would find it had going. Witness the Maserati MC20. Stunning looks to to many, but an exotic Gt car is a very hard space to sell into.

i heard it said many years ago that the problem with the ferrari boxer is it fell between two stools, wasn't hard core and wasn't lux gt.

The vetet and 911 pull off the lux gt , cause they're big comfy and relatively inexpensive, further up the food chain aston is struggling and they have some looks and fe which makes for a more comfy useable car.

For most if you're buying a +200k exotic it should look exotic, or stylish, the Mac Gt is neither.
One needs only look at the demand for a ferrai Roma over a cali to see that good style is very much part of the Gt car equation.

the Gt to me seems just a softened 570 with blandish looks, yeah it probably works better on road for how most people use a car but then a honda Civic type r has way more performance than how most peopel use an exotic.

Lotus emira does what the Mac gt does, plus offers a manual and great sonorous sound, the interior is arguably better too, and stylign more exotic.

Imo the other McLaren's get away with a lot, because the styling while being questionable is at least exotic and outre, and the performance feel is breathtaking, even then thats a limited market for cars that are how to put it excessive.

 

Out of curiosity, have you seen a GT in person? Because your reference to a 360 makes me think you have not. If not, I would strongly encourage you to reconsider your opinion once you do, and if you indeed have seen one in person, and you still believe the car is in any way reminiscent of a 360, ok...

Looks are obviously subjective, but if I had a dollar for the amount of people who have told me at C&C that the GT "is their favorite Mclaren" or... "its so stunning in person" I could probably buy that look-alike 360 too

In any event, I didn't post on here to defend the GT. If anyone is actually interested in them or learning more about them, I'm glad to share...

 

I saw 2 when they came out. At the time the Maclaren rep said that it was the one to buy as it was essentially a 570 for less $ and more useable.
I cant remember thinking about tis looks one way or the other, it wasn't offensive nor captivating like say a 458 or Roma.

i thought the 570 and 600lt looked good, not later hurricane or 458 good, but really pretty nice. the 765, in the flesh you're looking at a "machine" kinda evocative like a countach used to be, you know the kinda car you look at and think Id love to hop in that and give it a go.

That's the thing, to me an exotic is not a lux car, there is something in them that appeals to the little kid in me, or not.

Maybe the Mc20 and z06 vette are cars that straddle the line between Gt and appealing to the kid. The Mc20 has looks, and the vette, well that angry raucous z06 motor makes it happen.

Im no major fan of ridiculous cars like a bugatti, or even the valkyrie. I guess the bigatti, and paganis are useable and art(maybe) the valkyrie, whats it for, I guess its cool it exists.

To me GMD witht he T33 hit the nail on the head. had always hoped that maclaren would make a car closer to this. To its credit the Maclarens are light. Haven't driven a 720 or 760, but the motor in the others seemed to make lots of power after some lowdown lag but otherwise were not particularly smooth and sounded mroe like a blare than something sonorous.

i like the simplicity of the cockpits, and the way the two seats are centred as close to the middle as possible. Drive a 488 Ferrari after a Mclaren and it feels like you're sitting way out on outriggers.

Always thought that if Maclren had resolved their styling better(6000lts is a favorite), worked on the subjective issues in the powerplant they would be wiping the others in everything including sales.

Haven't seen an artura, but the writeups are good, and it seems to sit in a really good performance/price sweetspot. the hybridization if done right eliminates the feeling of lag and brings back a precision turbos not matter how good dont have.
Can also say the 570 gt4, had amazingly precise steering, even by track car standards.

there are so many good bits in Mclarens, but one feels that its very much a team of engineers type car than a coherent vison. the stylign, well stylists can come up with lots of concepost, but if the peopel judging those themes are more engineer driven, you dont get italian or french cohesion and style, not to say the latins always get it right, often they're very wrong, but when the do its a smash. maclren is a race company, driven by engineers who primarily think in objective terms.

That's why the Hurricane is so right, German practicality with latin out there. Even that v10 came from audi, but the latins made it sing and scream or at least sound that way.

I do agree with you that for the road and actual use the Gt is great.

 

Need pics please.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login I've had the car about a month and have put on 5K miles already! Took a single road trip of over 2500 miles and it's just an incredible machine.
Looks far better in person, drives beautifully, holds a weeks worth of stuff for two, and can be a soft, comfy cruiser or a buttoned down supercar.
For me, it's perfect.
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