Set to arrive in 2024, the GTS is another rolling automotive sculpture from UK icon McLaren Automotive, which has coincidentally turned 60 years old and been scooped up by a concern in Bahrain.
Now that the kids have left the compound, it’s probably time to upgrade your wheels from that Ferrari FF four-seat family truckster. With time on your hands, nothing beats a good road trip, as long as you have space for your luggage. The Porsche Panamera is a bit long on doors and short on exclusivity, so thankfully, it’s McLaren to the rescue with their re-thought and reconfigured GT, now called the GTS. Two seats, two doors, 626 horses, supercar style and space for (much) more than just a rollie case. Better get two just to be safe.
Set to arrive in 2024, the GTS is another rolling automotive sculpture from UK icon McLaren Automotive, which has coincidentally turned 60 years old and been scooped up by a concern in Bahrain. McLaren will continue to produce stylish supercars and track-going F1 machines from its British base in Woking, just with less financial turmoil going forward – at least for now. As of press time, no price for the new GTS has been announced.
We expect the tab to come in around the $250,000 mark, but numerous options (don’t forget to add in the ashtray) will ultimately determine the final number.
Not optional is the 626-horsepower twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 that makes 14 more horsepower than the GT, while tipping the scales at 22 pounds less. The run to 60 mph should take about three seconds, and while cruise control is standard, it’s unclear if it can be set for the 203 mph claimed top speed. Here’s hoping.
The interior should be all-day comfortable, with spacious new heated “memory comfort” seats (just two, not the F1 or Speedtail’s three) and a large vertical touchscreen for tweaking performance, dialing up some GPS or finding cool tunes for the bespoke Bowers & Wilkins audio system.
The curving surfaces of the interior have an almost art deco flair. In a nod to old-school driving excitement, there are very few controls on the steering wheel, you’ll need to push buttons, turn dials or tap the screen. A configurable TFT display behind the wheel will keep you informed of the GTS’ vitals.
And finally, when it comes time to take that cross-country drive to the coastal retreat or mountain hideaway, there’s room for a fair bit of luggage behind the seats on a hard cowl lined with SuperFabric covering the V8, and space for tourist tchotchkes in a second smaller compartment – OK, it’s a “frunk” – under the hood. So far, I don’t see a roof rack in the options list, but surely someone can make that happen.
McLaren has not said how many GTS chassis it intends to build, but the first should start arriving in 2024. With their new financial footing and creature comforts of the GTS, now may be a good time to pull the trigger on a supercar you can drive every day, no matter the destination. And if you want a hybrid to save money on gas, there’s always the Artura.
This post originally appeared on Forbes.com.
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