McLaren’s Most User-Friendly Supercar Is A Steal 5 Years After Its Arrival

If you’re looking for a user-friendly supercar but would rather not pay the price of a new one, McLaren’s comfortable GT presents a practical solution. A five-year-old example of this livable exotic now has a compelling used market price, especially when you consider that in the high-performance car world, this can be both your daily driver and your supercar. So, why is the McLaren GT so tempting?

Base Trim Engine

4.0L Twin-Turbo V8 Gas

Base Trim Transmission

7-Speed Automatic

Base Trim Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

McLaren GT is a Real-World Bargain

In absolute terms, a selling price of between $128,000 and $160,000 may not scream the word “bargain,” but in the context of what you get – and McLaren’s supercar pedigree – it’s nonetheless strong value. Many of these vehicles on the market have low mileage, are often kept in a garage, and serviced at full McLaren dealerships. Yes, they have suffered from depreciation, as do nearly all exotic cars, but the GT tends to hold its value better than expected. This is often due to their practicality and usability, as well as McLaren’s growing reputation for reliability.

Many of the vehicles that owners have listed for sale are certified pre-owned examples. A few of these GTs even have extended factory warranties and most have full service histories. Those elements alone should provide first-time supercar owners with plenty of extra peace of mind.

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McLaren Designed the GT With the US Market in Mind

The McLaren GT came to the US market in early 2020 and represented a pronounced shift from the company’s erstwhile offerings. After all, if you were to buy a McLaren prior to that point, you’d be looking at a purposeful and sharp-edged, track-focused machine. Instead, McLaren wanted to appeal to US consumers who had everyday driving needs in mind. Prospective buyers tended to take longer road trips and needed something that was more of a grand tourer than a fully exotic vehicle.

Many McLaren owners live in California in places like San Francisco, where they deal with steep city streets, precipitous driveways, and lots of speed bumps. To help make the GT a sensible daily ride, the company installed a front axle lift system to cope with some of these demands. While the shape of the GT is unmistakably exotic, it’s still got a genuine cargo area underneath the rear hatch. Again, this makes it a practical proposition for many consumers as they search for an upscale grand tourer.

Performance That Lives Up to the Brand Name

Powering the GT is a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine, which gives 612 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. This connects to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual clutch transmission, with exceptional acceleration and a top speed that’s north of 200 mph. Yet, with all that performance on tap, you’ll still get a smooth ride out of your GT, as McLaren has tuned the suspension to prioritize comfort and composure, rather than track-day aggression. Again, this makes the car a more realistic buy, with its blend of comfort and capability. It’s so much softer than the 720S but nevertheless has sharp handling and chassis response due to its proactive damping control suspension.

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An Interior That Blends Practicality with Comfort

In the past, some would criticize McLaren’s for their no-nonsense and rather sparse cabin interiors. However, the company changed that approach entirely in the GT and you will now find a cabin that has fine leather and Alcántara, with optional soft grain materials. You’ll also get a perfectly capable and modern infotainment system, with a seven-inch vertical touchscreen, as well as full navigation, Bluetooth capability and voice commands. You may not find Apple CarPlay in the earliest version, though.

Designers have sculpted the seats with extended drives in mind and buyers will also find a dual-zone climate system in place. There’s a panoramic roof option which can feed natural light into the cabin to enhance the feeling of space. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the amount of cargo room, which features more than 20 cubic feet. That’s more than the amount of usable space you’ll get in a Chevrolet C8 Corvette, for example.

Considering the Costs of Ownership

Buying a McLaren GT is one thing, but what about looking after it? Yes, servicing may still be a premium experience and annual maintenance at a certified McLaren dealer could range between $2,500–$3,500. You may still be able to get a factory service package or warranty, and this could be a major selling point for many. And remember that as this is more of a grand touring car than some other McLaren models, previous owners may have driven them rather more gently. Fuel economy is quite strong given the level of performance and EPA figures show between 15 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. Such figures wouldn’t be far out of line if you were comparing to a luxury SUV or a V8 sedan.

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The McLaren GT Stands Up Well to Its Competitors

You could look at several GT competitors and find many excellent solutions but perhaps none strike the same balance between performance, daily usability, and exclusivity. For example, there’s the Aston Martin DB11 V8, which is in the same ballpark figure price-wise. However, it’s quite a lot heavier and slower. The Porsche 911 Turbo S may be faster and still quite practical, but not as rare as a McLaren GT of that era.

There’s Something About a McLaren

McLaren’s GT certainly has an exotic brand pedigree and it somehow feels more special than many luxury sedans or sports coupes in that bracket. It has a stunning carbon fiber structure as well, which gives it a certain amount of presence on the road. Don’t forget that these cars could become collectible in the future, as McLaren turns towards electrification, and meaty engines start to drop away. If this approach starts to dominate new model development, the 2020 McLaren GT with its pure twin-turbo V8 could morph into a milestone car. Consider that these vehicles only came out in limited numbers, and they certainly offer a dynamic and analog driving experience, so don’t be surprised if these models hold or perhaps gain value over the next decade.

GT Owners Seem to Love Them

A little research shows a lot of happy McLaren GT owners who often cite the car’s surprising usability as its standout feature. Many seem to use their cars for daily commutes and love the practicality of this easy exotic. After all, they may struggle to load their luggage into a Ferrari for a long weekend trip, but that’s certainly possible with the GT.

McLaren’s Daily-Use and Second-Hand Supercar is a Tempter

Perhaps McLaren took a gamble with the GT, especially as it’s a brand that is best known for building an uncompromising machine. Yet that gamble certainly paid off and in a 2020 version of this car you’ll find a supercar that’s meant for daily life. At current prices, the 2020 McLaren GT represents a unique opportunity for American buyers. Here, you can find something that’s certainly fast but not frantic, exotic but in no way delicate. And when you consider that one of these cars is now less expensive than a top-of-the-line Range Rover, the price makes even more sense.

In your McLaren GT, you’ll now get an exotic that isn’t afraid of slow-moving traffic or speed bumps. In fact, it’s a car that you can drive and enjoy every day and still get some of your supercar thrills.

Sources: McLaren, Kelley Blue Book