McLaren is working on a new, more usable type of supercar to be called the GT, and the firm on Tuesday confirmed that the covers will come off on May 15.
A new teaser shot, plus our own spy shots of prototypes, reveal that the McLaren GT will wear an evolution of the styling first seen on the McLaren Speedtail, the automaker's “hyper-GT.”
2020 McLaren GT supercar spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
While McLaren has hinted that its new GT won't slot into any of the brand's current series and will be a standalone car, performance is thought to be similar to the current Super Series champion, the 720S. This means there's likely to be a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 with about 710 horsepower behind the cabin.
Speaking of the cabin, McLaren's head of global communications, Roger Ormisher, told Motor Authority on Tuesday that a 3-seat layout similar to the design used in the legendary F1 supercar and upcoming Speedtail was never a consideration for the GT.
McLaren Speedtail design theme
The reason the car was always going to have two seats, according to Ormisher, is because such a design allows for both comfort and space, which a GT needs. It also meets airbag regulations in the United States, which the Speedtail doesn't. To get around the issue, U.S. owners of the Speedtail will need to bring the cars in under “Show or Display” rules should they want to drive it on public roads.
Where the GT is expected to stand apart is via extra storage, which is thought to lie above the engine bay and accessed via a liftback rear windshield. As part of the development, McLaren conducted a 1,000-mile road trip from Spain to the United Kingdom. The purpose of the trip was to ensure the car is up for the task of cross-country drives with a full set of luggage onboard.
