2021 McLaren GT
Discussion
So, the day has finally arrived and I signed the paperwork to buy a new car to replace the M5. I've failed spectacularly to keep previous ownership threads updated but this one I'm really going to try and keep up to date (I promise!)
Before I talk about the car, a little bit of back story. Like a great many people, the last two years have been pretty tough for me. My Mum is terminally ill and my Dad has had some very scary health issues, both of which have basically robbed them of their lifelong retirement plans. I have decided that, while I am keeping half an eye on my retirement, I'm going to push the boat out and achieve an achievable dream now while I am able. I've wanted a "special" car in various forms since I was old enough to know what a car was so I thought well **** it, lets go buy one. Carpe Diem and all that.
I wanted a car that I could have loads of fun with on a weekend so initially went down the road of looking at Lotus Exige S3s. The mrs rightly suggested that we'd want to use it for long trips away and so on and an Exige would be a living hell for that. I didn't want another M car - as good as they are and as much of a BMW fanboi as I am, I wanted something much more special. My attention turned to a long term dream car of mine, a Ferrari 599. Unfortunately, they are just a little bit too old, not all that great to drive due to the F1 gearbox and the sheer size of the thing and the running costs can be berserk. I really wanted to like the California T and Portofino but they fell a bit flat for me. Great engine to drive but a bit soulless for a Ferrari and the interior quality isn't all that great IMO in terms of perceived quality. The Aston Martin DB11 AMR was another serious consideration. I loved a lot of things about the DB11 - the engine is absolutely ridiculous, the 'aura' around the car and the prestige of the brand is top notch as well. The seats are super comfortable and the split personality between GT mode and Sport/Track is the starkest of any car I can recollect meaning it is great to just pootle around in but fast when you want it to be. Unfortunately, it weighs quite a lot and can't hide it so when pressing on I was left with the impression that I'd be disappointed when I got off the autobahn/autoroute/autostrada and onto more fun roads. Merc ruled themselves out from consideration with their ridiculously rude service on multiple occasions. I'm never going back to them as a brand in future, bridges fully alight there. A shame, as I like the look of the GT R and it sounds like God gargling on spanners down a megaphone.
I've had a few conversations with people over the months and was repeatedly nudged to actually take a look at a McLaren 570GT and, for a bit more cash, a 720S. A lot of YouTube later and I had a booking in to go test drive a McLaren GT.
Sometimes, you get into a car and you just know its the one for you. That is what it was like for me with the McLaren GT. It is sporty enough to have serious fun - more than enough on the roads at least - without being absolutely totally bonkers like the 720S. 612bhp and relatively low weight means it isn't exactly slow even if it is 100+hp down on the 720S. It is at least as refined as the M5 in terms of ride comfort albeit very slightly noisier over savage bumps but is so so much sharper to drive, faster absolutely everywhere and feels just insanely special to be in and around.
So there we have it, my new car is a 2021 McLaren GT Luxury in MSO Defined Papaya Spark. It has the MSO Black Pack (largely good except the black wheels which are getting sorted) and some interior CF bits like the wheel and paddles which won't have been cheap knowing McLaren. There are other must-have options like the practicality pack, premium pack and panoramic roof as well, so the spec is pretty much exactly as I'd want it.
Dealer pics as I've not collected it yet:
Somehow I need to find a way to sleep between now and collection day!
N.B. X-posted from elsewhere so a few initial posts to catch things up here!
Before I talk about the car, a little bit of back story. Like a great many people, the last two years have been pretty tough for me. My Mum is terminally ill and my Dad has had some very scary health issues, both of which have basically robbed them of their lifelong retirement plans. I have decided that, while I am keeping half an eye on my retirement, I'm going to push the boat out and achieve an achievable dream now while I am able. I've wanted a "special" car in various forms since I was old enough to know what a car was so I thought well **** it, lets go buy one. Carpe Diem and all that.
I wanted a car that I could have loads of fun with on a weekend so initially went down the road of looking at Lotus Exige S3s. The mrs rightly suggested that we'd want to use it for long trips away and so on and an Exige would be a living hell for that. I didn't want another M car - as good as they are and as much of a BMW fanboi as I am, I wanted something much more special. My attention turned to a long term dream car of mine, a Ferrari 599. Unfortunately, they are just a little bit too old, not all that great to drive due to the F1 gearbox and the sheer size of the thing and the running costs can be berserk. I really wanted to like the California T and Portofino but they fell a bit flat for me. Great engine to drive but a bit soulless for a Ferrari and the interior quality isn't all that great IMO in terms of perceived quality. The Aston Martin DB11 AMR was another serious consideration. I loved a lot of things about the DB11 - the engine is absolutely ridiculous, the 'aura' around the car and the prestige of the brand is top notch as well. The seats are super comfortable and the split personality between GT mode and Sport/Track is the starkest of any car I can recollect meaning it is great to just pootle around in but fast when you want it to be. Unfortunately, it weighs quite a lot and can't hide it so when pressing on I was left with the impression that I'd be disappointed when I got off the autobahn/autoroute/autostrada and onto more fun roads. Merc ruled themselves out from consideration with their ridiculously rude service on multiple occasions. I'm never going back to them as a brand in future, bridges fully alight there. A shame, as I like the look of the GT R and it sounds like God gargling on spanners down a megaphone.
I've had a few conversations with people over the months and was repeatedly nudged to actually take a look at a McLaren 570GT and, for a bit more cash, a 720S. A lot of YouTube later and I had a booking in to go test drive a McLaren GT.
Sometimes, you get into a car and you just know its the one for you. That is what it was like for me with the McLaren GT. It is sporty enough to have serious fun - more than enough on the roads at least - without being absolutely totally bonkers like the 720S. 612bhp and relatively low weight means it isn't exactly slow even if it is 100+hp down on the 720S. It is at least as refined as the M5 in terms of ride comfort albeit very slightly noisier over savage bumps but is so so much sharper to drive, faster absolutely everywhere and feels just insanely special to be in and around.
So there we have it, my new car is a 2021 McLaren GT Luxury in MSO Defined Papaya Spark. It has the MSO Black Pack (largely good except the black wheels which are getting sorted) and some interior CF bits like the wheel and paddles which won't have been cheap knowing McLaren. There are other must-have options like the practicality pack, premium pack and panoramic roof as well, so the spec is pretty much exactly as I'd want it.
Dealer pics as I've not collected it yet:
Somehow I need to find a way to sleep between now and collection day!
N.B. X-posted from elsewhere so a few initial posts to catch things up here!
Picked it up earlier today. Couldn’t be happier!
I’d managed to keep it a secret from my partner as well, so I’m pleased to report that I am still alive and unhurt. A Jo Malone candle might have influenced that outcome somewhat!
L322 Range Rover, Mk7.5 Golf and a McLaren GT. Not a terrible 3-car garage
I’d managed to keep it a secret from my partner as well, so I’m pleased to report that I am still alive and unhurt. A Jo Malone candle might have influenced that outcome somewhat!
L322 Range Rover, Mk7.5 Golf and a McLaren GT. Not a terrible 3-car garage
Given that I moved house on the Saturday and collected the car on the Monday, the garage was in something of a state. I cleared enough room to get the car in but had about 1" front and rear clearance between the racking and garage door. Last night I spent some time clearing a much bigger space, moving the racking etc etc so now I've got about 2ft of room front to back.
Future plans are to seal and tile the garage floor in something like ribtrax, insulate/board the walls and ceiling and replace the doors and window. The walls are just a single skin of brick so I want to at least try and keep the temperature above the outside temp in the winter to some extent. Not so much for the car but for the other stuff in there. I've got a dessicant dehumidifier on the go in there in the mean time to take the edge off any moisture in the air. It doesn't feel particularly damp but still, it'll help.
Future plans are to seal and tile the garage floor in something like ribtrax, insulate/board the walls and ceiling and replace the doors and window. The walls are just a single skin of brick so I want to at least try and keep the temperature above the outside temp in the winter to some extent. Not so much for the car but for the other stuff in there. I've got a dessicant dehumidifier on the go in there in the mean time to take the edge off any moisture in the air. It doesn't feel particularly damp but still, it'll help.
One week update!
Had a few minor issues First one was that every single time I started the car I'd get a call from the tracker company. Seemingly a litany of random BS issues from the GPS signal being weak in the garage to being around tall buildings or it moving before the engine was started (wtf?!) etc. That is until I spoke to someone there who knew what they were doing and correctly diagnosed it as a weak battery in the tracker fob. Replaced that, did a reset and all my tracker woes were resolved! Second issue was that I was struggling to get it to lock and unlock sometimes but not always. After the tracker fob issue I thought I might as well try a new battery in the key and again, instant resolution of those issues. BMW replaced the batteries in my keys (where possible) on handover of previous cars so I'd presumed McLaren would have done the same but clearly not.
My only other issue so far is that the angle/height/curve of the front plate clearly disagrees with some ANPR systems I regularly use. This is a minor gripe but extremely irritating as doing something as simple as getting your arm out the window to wave a fob/card/whatever at a regular-height post is actually quite hard. In previous low cars (and I've had a few!) you could simply pop the door open a bit to get some more lean angle but that is impossible with dihedral doors... First world problems and all that but still...
Everything else is mega - the performance is more than adequate, the interior is a nice place to be and to live with on a long journey, the B&W sound system absolutely rocks and on a steady cruise at regular motorway speeds in regular motorway traffic over 200 miles it returned 32.2mpg which I did not expect. I have of course averaged somewhere around 11mpg elsewhere as it is definitely not frugal when you open the taps! One pull 0-60 saw the predicted range drop from 225 miles to 45 miles
The positive attention it gets is really surprising - so many people who love McLaren through the F1 team or the road cars have come up to ask to take photos of/with it. Obviously it is hardly subtle being bright orange and I expected it'd get the odd bit of attention but not quite this much. Especially because it is a GT which isn't top of the list for most people when it comes to desirable McLarens.
Took it to a couple of events over the weekend, one at The Motorist near Leeds and the other to Cars and Coffee Cheshire. Both events were superbly run and well attended and I'd recommend both to anyone into cars.
Had a few minor issues
First one was that every single time I started the car I'd get a call from the tracker company. Seemingly a litany of random BS issues from the GPS signal being weak in the garage to being around tall buildings or it moving before the engine was started (wtf?!) etc. That is until I spoke to someone there who knew what they were doing and correctly diagnosed it as a weak battery in the tracker fob. Replaced that, did a reset and all my tracker woes were resolved! Second issue was that I was struggling to get it to lock and unlock sometimes but not always. After the tracker fob issue I thought I might as well try a new battery in the key and again, instant resolution of those issues. BMW replaced the batteries in my keys (where possible) on handover of previous cars so I'd presumed McLaren would have done the same but clearly not.My only other issue so far is that the angle/height/curve of the front plate clearly disagrees with some ANPR systems I regularly use. This is a minor gripe but extremely irritating as doing something as simple as getting your arm out the window to wave a fob/card/whatever at a regular-height post is actually quite hard. In previous low cars (and I've had a few!) you could simply pop the door open a bit to get some more lean angle but that is impossible with dihedral doors... First world problems and all that but still...
Everything else is mega - the performance is more than adequate, the interior is a nice place to be and to live with on a long journey, the B&W sound system absolutely rocks and on a steady cruise at regular motorway speeds in regular motorway traffic over 200 miles it returned 32.2mpg which I did not expect. I have of course averaged somewhere around 11mpg elsewhere as it is definitely not frugal when you open the taps! One pull 0-60 saw the predicted range drop from 225 miles to 45 miles
The positive attention it gets is really surprising - so many people who love McLaren through the F1 team or the road cars have come up to ask to take photos of/with it. Obviously it is hardly subtle being bright orange and I expected it'd get the odd bit of attention but not quite this much. Especially because it is a GT which isn't top of the list for most people when it comes to desirable McLarens.
Took it to a couple of events over the weekend, one at The Motorist near Leeds and the other to Cars and Coffee Cheshire. Both events were superbly run and well attended and I'd recommend both to anyone into cars.
Excellent choice OP. We went through the same thought process last year and ended up with a 2021 GT in Volcano Red which continues to impress.
Also had problems with the tracker FOB battery upon delivery but at least I got an SMS from Vodafone telling me that the battery needed changing. You’ve got to wonder how long these FOBs are sat on a shelf unused before being allocated to a tracker/car.
Will be interested to see what you do with the wheels, I was quite glad that ours does not have the black pack (opportunity to post a photo) …
Enjoy in good health.
Also had problems with the tracker FOB battery upon delivery but at least I got an SMS from Vodafone telling me that the battery needed changing. You’ve got to wonder how long these FOBs are sat on a shelf unused before being allocated to a tracker/car.
Will be interested to see what you do with the wheels, I was quite glad that ours does not have the black pack (opportunity to post a photo) …
Enjoy in good health.
DRZ said:
Given that I moved house on the Saturday and collected the car on the Monday, the garage was in something of a state. I cleared enough room to get the car in but had about 1" front and rear clearance between the racking and garage door. Last night I spent some time clearing a much bigger space, moving the racking etc etc so now I've got about 2ft of room front to back.
Future plans are to seal and tile the garage floor in something like ribtrax, insulate/board the walls and ceiling and replace the doors and window. The walls are just a single skin of brick so I want to at least try and keep the temperature above the outside temp in the winter to some extent. Not so much for the car but for the other stuff in there. I've got a dessicant dehumidifier on the go in there in the mean time to take the edge off any moisture in the air. It doesn't feel particularly damp but still, it'll help.
Lovely car, This picture and the one outside your house are stunning, What are you using to take them? Future plans are to seal and tile the garage floor in something like ribtrax, insulate/board the walls and ceiling and replace the doors and window. The walls are just a single skin of brick so I want to at least try and keep the temperature above the outside temp in the winter to some extent. Not so much for the car but for the other stuff in there. I've got a dessicant dehumidifier on the go in there in the mean time to take the edge off any moisture in the air. It doesn't feel particularly damp but still, it'll help.
Jerry - I am thinking of just buying a set like yours so I can retain the OEM wheels in the correct finish. That's going to cost an arm and a leg though so I am leaning toward getting them refinished in a colour similar to BMW Ferric Grey or another gunmetal type colour. I want to get it right so I'm waiting a bit longer to see where my mind lands.
D1on - An iPhone 13 Pro Max! I sold my complete "pro" photography/studio setup over the winter and I reckon for at least 75% of the time my iPhone is good enough for lifestyle/travel stuff. I am probably going to end up with a small mirrorless of some sort, probably a Fuji.
D1on - An iPhone 13 Pro Max! I sold my complete "pro" photography/studio setup over the winter and I reckon for at least 75% of the time my iPhone is good enough for lifestyle/travel stuff. I am probably going to end up with a small mirrorless of some sort, probably a Fuji.
DRZ said:
Jerry - I am thinking of just buying a set like yours so I can retain the OEM wheels in the correct finish. That's going to cost an arm and a leg though so I am leaning toward getting them refinished in a colour similar to BMW Ferric Grey or another gunmetal type colour. I want to get it right so I'm waiting a bit longer to see where my mind lands.
D1on - An iPhone 13 Pro Max! I sold my complete "pro" photography/studio setup over the winter and I reckon for at least 75% of the time my iPhone is good enough for lifestyle/travel stuff. I am probably going to end up with a small mirrorless of some sort, probably a Fuji.
That's brilliant, I'm on android presently but i think your pictures have swayed me to get an iPhoneD1on - An iPhone 13 Pro Max! I sold my complete "pro" photography/studio setup over the winter and I reckon for at least 75% of the time my iPhone is good enough for lifestyle/travel stuff. I am probably going to end up with a small mirrorless of some sort, probably a Fuji.
Do you use any image apps on there or is that straight out the camera?
D1on said:
That's brilliant, I'm on android presently but i think your pictures have swayed me to get an iPhone
Do you use any image apps on there or is that straight out the camera?
Straight out of the camera, save for the first one where I obviously crudely blanked the plates. I would say they are representative of how "snaps" come out unedited.Do you use any image apps on there or is that straight out the camera?
JerryEXE said:
Excellent choice OP. We went through the same thought process last year and ended up with a 2021 GT in Volcano Red which continues to impress.
Also had problems with the tracker FOB battery upon delivery but at least I got an SMS from Vodafone telling me that the battery needed changing. You’ve got to wonder how long these FOBs are sat on a shelf unused before being allocated to a tracker/car.
Will be interested to see what you do with the wheels, I was quite glad that ours does not have the black pack (opportunity to post a photo) …
Enjoy in good health.
That is a beautiful colour combination for the GT Also had problems with the tracker FOB battery upon delivery but at least I got an SMS from Vodafone telling me that the battery needed changing. You’ve got to wonder how long these FOBs are sat on a shelf unused before being allocated to a tracker/car.
Will be interested to see what you do with the wheels, I was quite glad that ours does not have the black pack (opportunity to post a photo) …
Enjoy in good health.
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