Autoblog Senior Editor Steven Ewing drives the 2016 McLaren 650S Spider from Baltimore to Detroit.
TranscriptSTEVEN EWING: McLaren wanted to send a 650S to Detroit for all the local media to test. And I very seriously suggested that they should just let me drive the car from the East Coast back to the D. Next thing I knew, I was on the flight to Maryland, where a bright green 650S would be waiting with my name on it. Ooh, boy.
I'm here in the McLaren 650S, and this car is awesome. It looks super cool. The interior-- everything is Alcantara and suede and carbon fiber, and it feels light. But it also feels comfortable, and it's quiet, and it's well-equipped.
It's got 641 horsepower. It'll hit 60 miles an hour in just under three seconds. It'll top out above 200 miles an hour. And the price as tested is a little expensive. It is $351,000.
So we've got about 250 miles in total today. We're just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is halfway between Baltimore and our home base of Detroit. So far I love this car. It is awesome on the freeway. It's great on back roads. Top up, top down, it's outstanding. As far as I can tell, there are no drawbacks to doing a road trip in this supercar.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
This car just sort of-- it just goes. And I have someone looking at me. I just want you to know, everyone, that what is happening right now is I have a guy in a Ford Escape, who is literally driving off the road right now because he wants to get such a good look at this thing. So let's give him a show.
[ENGINE REVS]
[LAUGHS]
That'll do it. So here I am, driving through Ohio on the beautiful Ohio Turnpike, which is sort of my last stretch home before getting into Michigan. And I will be completely honest with you. The only thing I don't like about this car on this long-distance trip is the racing seats. I am a little wider than most people, and I'm filling the bucket, basically, is what I'm saying.
So it's not totally uncomfortable. It's just snug. And it's fine for a short distance. It's totally fine. The problem is after a long distance in the car, you start to like-- your butt gets sore, and your legs get sore. And it's not as comfortable as a car with real seats.
This car wasn't just designed and built to be an supercar. It's not just some other Ferrari competitor, some other Lamborghini competitor. It feels different. It looks different, and I think a lot of that comes through in the way that this car drives so nicely in everyday situations or at lower speeds.
The suspension is really smooth. It's got plenty of power when I need it. Visibility is as good as it's going to get in a supercar like this. And the interior's nicely appointed. I've got individual climate control here on the doors. I have everything I need in the instrument panel in front of me.
I've got a full infotainment system with Bluetooth, navigation, a bunch of apps, Sirius Radio, everything I need right here. It's so, so easy to drive. I mean, the steering isn't quick or darty. It's nice and progressive. But it's still got a ton of response right on center, and it's got a nice way.
The suspension isn't crazy. The wheels aren't going to take me all over the place. I'm just kind of relaxed, having a nice drive right now.
This is the part of the McLaren road trip that is a little not fun. I am doing 63 miles an hour. I'm in traffic. I'm on the freeway. I'm in Ohio, and it's pouring.
Unfortunately, most of the rest of the drive back to Detroit was filled with rain. In fact, I put just under 600 miles on the McLaren, and a lot of it was on wet highways. But that's OK because the other times, the times when I was on hilly, curvy, empty, backcountry roads, the car was awesome. It's a drive I would definitely do again, but I want different seats next time.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
For Autoblog, I'm Steven Ewing.
[SHOUTS]
[LAUGHS]
This car is fast, and I love it.
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