The short answer is yes. The McLaren is blisteringly fast, with a 0-60mph of 2.9 seconds, and the car is strikingly gorgeous, especially with the gold alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero Trofeo R tires. But you can’t have your cake and eat it too with this car. The one piece racing seats make for a tight squeeze for anyone taller than 5′ 10″ and the bolsters make for an uncomfortable ride after a few minutes.
However, the uncomfortable butt-squeezing is quickly forgotten when you put the skinny pedal to the floor. The roar of the engine is instantly audible as the exhaust is only a few feet behind the driver’s head and the seven speed dual-clutch gearbox bangs off shifts with manic intensity. The suspension is stiff, allowing the driver to feel every single bump in the road, but the slight discomfort is instantly forgiven after you take a corner at 75mph and remember what the car was really made to do.
The interior of the McLaren is sparse, with the few controls available located on the center console. Much of the interior is wrapped in alcantara, giving it a futuristic feel and tasteful look.
The British supercar definitely stands out in a crowd. During my short ride-along, the driver got numerous thumbs ups from passerby and a few cars tried to race him. For good or bad, everyone notices you when you’re in a 675LT. This publicity makes it hard to really hammer on the car, especially in Northern Virginia, but the few times we were able to smash the loud pedal was well worth the wait.
Slowing down after a pull was no problem with the dinner plate sized brake rotors, an impressive 394mm in the front and 380mm in the rear. Interestingly enough, the McLaren shares its carbon-ceramic rotors with the Corvette Z06. While carbon-ceramic brakes are usually associated with astronomical maintenance costs, McLaren offers a one year warranty on their rotors and they are resurface-able up to five times, making the running costs a little more manageable.
All in all, the 675LT is the most exciting grocery-getter I’ve ever been in, which is what the owner primarily uses the car for. The exhaust note is incredible, making it hard not to get in trouble with this car. While, $350,000 is quite a hefty price tag, rest assured, it’s money well spent.
