Supercars are called super for a reason: these are not everyday sedans. They’re more powerful, more strikingly designed, and more expensive than the cars we usually drive to work. But there are some things you probably don’t know about supercars. I’ll use the 2017 McLaren 570GT to illustrate.
- You can’t just get in and out. Here’s how to enter and exit a supercar with doors that open up, like the McLaren’s scissor doors. Put your right foot in, glide into the form-fitting seat, and then bring in your left foot. Reach up to close the door. On exiting, reverse the process: left foot out, rise from the seat, and then bring your right foot out.
- There’s a “frunk.” That’s a totally unofficial term for “front trunk.” Since the McLaren’s 3.8-liter turbo V8 is behind the seats, as it is in many supercars, most of the usable storage is actually up front.
The frunk
- They ride real low. Speed bumps, driveway entrances — just about everything is in danger of scraping the bottom of a supercar. McLaren has added the ability to lift and lower the chassis at the touch of a lever to save the undercarriage in town and increase aerodynamics at speed.
- They have wonderful, mostly useless, sound systems. My test McLaren had the optional Bowers & Wilkins stereo installed, and it sounded great the couple of times I used it. Supercar engineers make an effort to tune the engine’s sound, and I didn’t want their efforts to go to waste.
- The things you think are standard, like a place to put your purse or a cup of coffee, are not. The cup holder in the 570GT is tucked underneath the center console, kind of by your ankle. The designers did thoughtfully design the rear hatch to open from the side rather than the bottom, making it easier to use the extra storage near the engine on the “touring deck.”
McLaren GT570 storage
The takeaway here is that supercars, even “the most practical model ever launched by McLaren Automotive,” are exceptional. They are built for people who view driving as a pleasure, not a task to be endured. These are for owners who are willing to pay $215,000 in the case of the 570GT to hear the engine wind through the twisties all the way to the cabin in the mountains. These drivers are not bringing huge coolers or entire wardrobes along. So while supercars are not very good for mundane chores like getting groceries, picking up one kid after school in the 570GT would be certifiably awesome — as long as their backpack isn’t too big.