Lorenzo meets McLaren GT
“5 days, so until 27.03” – it says as we are handed the key of the McLaren GT. 5 days in March, mentally we had adjusted to spring-like temperatures, maybe one or two rain showers. Petrus, or whatever weather god, had probably confused our request for a British sports car with the weather typical of that country. The result: 5 days of rain, snow and wind – the wiper continuously at work. On a rainy & snowy Monday, photographer Lorenzo Kikisch nevertheless meets the super sportscar from Surrey. With him – his camera, as always: set to monochrome.
Helpful reminder: the exterior color of the McLaren is called “Ember Orange”.
09:30 – a ray of hope. Literally. The rain pauses and offers Lorenzo the opportunity to not have to protect the camera from the precipitation at our first location. Time to take a few steps back and take in the design of the Brit from the side. The sharp, yet aerodynamically flowing lines quickly become apparent. “Everything is for a reason” emphasizes the British sports car manufacturer, because nothing in the GT’s design is without purpose – everything simply has a reason. Invisible to the eye, the airflow is directed through precise shapes, curves and channels in and past the body.
The vehicle’s broad and striking presence are emphasized at the front by the so-called “hammerhead line” that runs horizontally across the nose and draws the eye to the sides of the vehicle.
In the (optional carbon) front splitter, this line is found in a slightly more pointed version. This ensures that the highest aerodynamic pressure is generated in the center and the airflow is directed under the vehicle and into four low-temperature radiator ducts in the front bumper.
“Unique for a GT – the dihedral doors.”
The dihedral doors are unsurpassed in terms of drama. When open, they offer exciting, unique perspectives.
In the meantime, the floodgates of the sky are wide open and we escape for a few minutes into the GT’s interior. On Lorenzo’s camera a pattern of raindrops runs through. “Fortunately the camera is waterproof” Lorenzo answers me while he wipes the lens with his sweater.
Speaking of raindrops, it’s time to look at the rear of the super sports car. The large glass tailgate, starting at the B-pillar, is reminiscent of a raindrop – coincidences do happen. But it is precisely this shape that allows for an incredibly long and large storage space, 570 liters to be precise. At least if you add the front trunk with its 150 liters. More than a current BMW 3-series.
The tailgate ends just before a fixed wing which, in addition to its aerodynamic function, also dissipates the warm air from the 4.0-liter V8 mid-engine. At the same time, it reflects the characteristic arrowhead sticker of the legendary McLaren F1. The narrow LED taillights are framed by open surfaces that also allow heat to escape from the power unit.
The lightweight material aka carbon also permeates the rear section of the exterior of this GT. Starting below the license plate, the carbon encases the sports exhaust system and extends beyond the diffuser, where it ends just before the underbody protection. Thanks to the use of this material, the McLaren weighs in at just 1530 kilograms, not least because of the carbon fiber passenger cell, also known as MonoCell II-T.
When Lorenzo makes it clear to me after about 4 hours that he has all the pictures, I have rarely been so happy to be allowed to pronounce the obligatory “It’s a wrap”. Not because I didn’t enjoy the view of the McLaren during the shoot, but more because I was already thinking of myself on the Brenner Autobahn, “fleeing from the rain” towards Italy. Instead, it’s back to the office – to continue dreaming of the British Dolce Vita.
McLaren GT
Engine: 4.0L V8 Twin-Turbo
Power: 620 HP @ 7,500 rpm
Weight: 1530 Kilograms
Acceleration: 0-100 km/h in 3.2 s
V-Max: 326 km/h
Photos: Lorenzo Kikisch
