McLaren 620R 2020 UK first drive

A few years back, McLaren entered the lucrative GT4 race arena and its 570S-based race car has done fine business ever since, winning on four continents and selling in triple-digit quantities.

I raced one at Spa and loved all bar two aspects: first, GT4 regs pegged its engine back to a tepid 430bhp just to give the others a chance; and once done, I had to leave it at the track.

Both of which problems this new 620R is here to solve. In broadest-brush terms, it is a street-legal GT4 car with an engine wound up to 610bhp. Contrary to what you might think, it is not a 600LT turned up to 11 but a distinct programme aimed at bringing as much of the GT4 experience to the street as possible without it being hideous to drive, which, with race-grade ground clearance, spring rate and suspension camber, the GT4 would likely be.

With a replacement due in the spring, it is also the last of the Sports Series McLarens. Just 225 will be built, down from the 350 originally mooted because, says McLaren, Covid-19 has delayed production and it needs the line for the new car. However, it is also true that, at £250,000 before extras, the 620R is by no means sold out.

Key attributes include fitment of the GT4’s two manually adjustable passive shock absorbers (with 32 clicks for bump and rebound), bespoke springs and bars, solid top mounts and the option of a bespoke Pirelli slick in addition to standard Trofeo R rubber.

The adjustable rear wing is essentially the GT4’s with softened radii for homologation purposes, while a new front bumper, splitter and (carbonfibre) bonnet contribute to 185kg of downforce at 150mph.

Inside, there are race harnesses as well as inertia-reel belts and carbon used for elements such as the shift paddles, steering wheel spokes and centre console. The lightest dry weight for the car is 1282kg.

On the road, the 620R is good enough. There are plenty of pure road cars that ride far worse and noise levels are acceptable. The new bonnet scoops hurt luggage space, but you’ll still be able to go away in it. And it is rather rapid: its 0-62mph time matches the deranged McLaren 720S’s, and by 124mph it has lost only 0.3sec to its 100-horsepower-stronger big sibling.

On slicks on the track, you can barely believe the 620R is road legal despite the fact that the rubber is significantly harder than the race tyres, which are fit only for the bin after about an hour. Even this very durable slick will not only take around three seconds off your lap time on a typical circuit compared with a Trofeo R, transforming your traction, braking and grip, but it’ll last significantly longer, too.