McLaren officially in India: First dealership launched

British supercar manufacturer, McLaren has officially landed on Indian shores with its GT and supercar model lineup. It will be the first official McLaren dealership in India, 41st in the APAC region and 120th globally. The portfolio for India will start with the GT followed by the supercar lineup which includes the McLaren  GT, the Artura hybrid, the 720S and 720S Spider, and the- 765LT and the 765LT Spider.

Infinity Cars in Mumbai will be exclusively importing McLaren cars in India, with the dealer already being associated with brands like BMW, Ducati, Porsche, BMW, Ducati and Mini. Lalit Choudhary has been appointed as the chairman and MD of McLaren Mumbai. Let’s take a look at McLaren’s model lineup.

McLaren Artura

For the first time ever a McLaren isn't powered by the racy twin-turbocharged V8 but comes with an all-new 3-litre twin-turbo V6 with an electric motor. The combination of engine and e-motor produces a combined output of 671bhp and 720Nm. It is mated to a new eight-speed twin-clutch gearbox. It accelerates from 0-100kmph in just 3 seconds and 0-200kmph takes only 8.3 seconds with the claimed top speed being 330kmph. The Artura comes with McLaren’s next-generation carbon fibre chassis structure, termed MCLA, which weighs about 6kg more than the one in 720S due to the integrated battery housing and additions of a few components. It comes with a 7.4kWh battery which can provide 30km of electric-only drive at speeds up to 129kmph. It takes 2.5 hours to charge via a normal wall socket and is mainly intended to be used in urban areas or as a power addition to the engine. The Artura will be launched in the beginning of 2023.

McLaren GT

As the name suggests, the GT is a grand tourer and is catered more towards covering long distances comfortably. It is powered by a 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 611bhp and 630Nm mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The car weighs just 1530kg and is capable of going from 0-100kmph in 3.2 seconds while 0-200kmph comes in just 9.0 seconds, with a top speed of 327kmph. The GT uses a double wishbone suspension setup with adaptive dampers, the same as the Sports Series models which are now discontinued. Standing true to its GT name, Mclaren has managed to squeeze in 420 litres of cargo space at the rear and 150 litres under the frunk.

McLaren 720S

Continuing on the underpinnings of the 650S, the 720S is built around a modified version of the monocoque which has been stiffened and sees some weight reduction. The 720S gets a 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 which puts out 710bhp and 770Nm. The engine is equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. This gets the car from 0-100kmph in just 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 341kmph. The 720S uses Proactive Chassis Control 2. McLaren’s adaptive suspension setup eliminates the need for anti-roll bars.

McLaren 720S Spider

Things always get hot when you take the top off and the McLaren 720S does so by calling it the 720S Spider. Although McLaren engineers had to modify the 720S’ monocoque and remove the central spine to accommodate the folding hard-top roof set-up, they didn't have to add any extra strengthening to the tub and hence managed to keep the dry weight of the car to 1229kg, only 49kg more than the coupe. The engine remains the same 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 710bhp. The Spider also accelerates to 100kmph in 2.9 seconds and can still reach a top speed of 341kmph. The active rear spoiler gets repositioned to better accommodate the weight distribution change. Suspension-wise, the 720S Spider uses the same Proactive Chassis Control 2 setup.

McLaren 765LT

McLaren India also dropped a bomb by unveiling the limited run and blazing fast 765LT for India. It comes with a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 754bhp and 800Nm which enables it to go from 0-100kmph in just 2.8 seconds and 0-200kmph in 7.0 seconds. McLaren claims the top speed to be a blazing fast 330kmph. At 80kg it is significantly lighter than the 720S coupe it is based on. Moreover, it also gets the LT aerodynamic package which includes a carbon fibre front splitter, both bumpers, side skirts and a larger longtail active rear wing. The Proactive Chassis Control 2 setup is retained but the front is lowered by 5mm and the front track has been widened.

McLaren 765LT Spider

Just when you think you are done drooling over the 765LT, the 765LT Spider breaks cover. It is the only 765LT ever made. The 765LT Spider gets the same twin-turbocharged V8 engine as the 765LT with the exact same power figures. A new addition to the spider is the full titanium exhaust system. Although the chassis needed some tweaks for the spider, it did not need any extra stiffening. Despite it being 49kg more than the 765LT the 0-100 takes the same 2.8 seconds while the 0-200 takes 7.2 seconds a mere 0.2 more than its hard top version. The top speed remains the same at 330kmph with the roof up.

With McLaren officially coming to India, it will mean that more enthusiasts will buy into the brand and it will also make life easier for existing owners. McLaren says the 720S has seen phenomenal interest from buyers already while the 765LT is already sold-out. With a head start like this, the future of McLaren India sure seems bright even. What would be your pick out of this line-up presented in India?