McLaren GTS is a more focused supercar grand tourer

In truth, the GTS is an answer to oft-levied criticisms of its predecessor that it’s a car without clear direction. Too McLaren supercar to be a proper grand tourer but too soft to compel like the rest of the McLaren range, the GT’s limbo act confused many. The GTS, McLaren hopes, will make more of a supercar out of it.

So what have they actually done? Well, for a start, there’s more power and less weight, with the 635PS 4.0-litre V8 now shifting 1,520kg. That’s 15PS up and 10kg down. The sportier modes (Sport and Track) are now more aggressive delivering a more effervescent character – fuel-cut-informed kick-in-the-back gearshifts anyone?

Overall the suspension, steering and driving modes have all been re-tuned for a more dynamic feel, albeit without sacrificing the approachable road manners of the old GT. A recycled composite roof comes as standard for a nice low centre of gravity, though you can have a panoramic glass roof as an option.

Believe it or not the design has been revised, with a slightly more aggressive nose and bigger vents along the rear haunches. These pair with the new ‘turbine’ wheels to tauten up what was already a fairly handsome car somewhat.

On the inside we get new double pipe-patterned seats that remind us of Ferrari’s ‘Daytona’ option. Practicality wise, this is still by far the most usable McLaren with the 420-litre rear boot retained along with the 150-litre frunk. As for options, we’d maybe leave the glass roof but stump up for the meaty Bowers & Wilkins 12-speaker audio system.

Truthfully this has the potential of being the car the GT probably always should have been – more McLaren, slightly less grand tourer. Supercar thrills with some practicality thrown in. If you want one, well, deliveries are set to begin next year with prices expected to open in the £190,000 range, or almost directly in line with the Ferrari Roma this car serves to indirectly rival.