What's the news?
A more practical McLaren, that's what. That's relative, mind, as while the new 570GT adopts a hinged rear hatch and revised styling at the back to add some space, it's pretty far from what you'd call 'useful'. The numbers say the combined (remember there's a stowage compartment under the nose) load capacity is 350 litres. That's more than a Ford Focus, but the reality is you'll do well to get anything other than bespoke McLaren luggage in there, and you can forget about the Labrador jumping in the back. It'd be cruel to pop a Chihuahua in there, not least as, with the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo 570hp V8 engine under the 'touring deck' it'd get a bit hot in there.
McLaren is touting the 570GT as its most road-biased car yet, winding back the spring rates a bit, likewise the steering ratio and bumping up the interior luxury, adding that 'useful' space and adding about eight per cent to the price. Small beans at this level, and worth every bit of the premium for the styling changes it brings. If we had one complaint with the 570S it was the fussy rear styling. The 570GT addresses that, and some, removing the short flying buttresses for longer, more elegant lines. In that longer roofline there's a fixed glass panoramic roof, while the access hatch opens kerbside on either right- or left-hand drive examples. Obviously the aerodynamics have changed a bit, so there's a kicker aero strip along the trailing edge of the body, which, to us at least, looks tremendous.
Along with the slightly softer suspension and slightly less quick steering is a more road-biased brake set up, the standard carbon ceramic brake discs of the 570S being replaced by iron ones. Otherwise it's pretty much the 570S underneath, which means crazy performance, with 100km/h arriving in 3.4 seconds, 200km/h in 9.8 seconds and a 328km/h top speed. Plenty quick for your Grand Tour then. Just remember to pack light.
Anything else?
This one came as a bit of a surprise when we got an early chance to have a good look at it. We were expecting the 570 Spider to arrive first, but that is pencilled in to arrive in the next 12 months or so. This thing's so pretty we're not sure why you'd want the 570S, and if you miss the sharper edge it promises a quick call to the people at McLaren's MSO could have those spring rates dialled back to 570S spec, likewise the steering and brakes. We'll see if that's necessary when we drive it soon, but seriously doubt it...