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Vancouver, BC — Hot on the heels of its debut at the New York Auto Show, we got a chance to get up close and personal with the latest addition to the McLaren fleet, the 570S.
The “S” in “McLaren 570S” stands for “Sports Series”, which is basically the last of 3 “Series” at McLaren; the other two being “Super” (the 650S) and “Ultimate” (the P1). It’s an interesting tack, likely a move to make folks realize that while the 570S is by no means an inexpensive car (it will run from $215-230,000), it does provide an alternative for those looking for something sporting , yet different from the likes of the Porsche 911 Turbo S or Audi R8 V10.
And what a compelling alternative it is.
For starters, it makes use of an all-carbon fibre tub; indeed, McLaren Automotive kind of got its start here, what with the partnership formed with Mercedes-Benz and the creation of the SLR, which uses a CF tub developed by McLaren at their Woking plant.
However, The engine for that car wasn’t, which is not the case for the 570S, which uses an all-McLaren, turbo’d V8. It’s good for 562 horsepower and 444 lb.-ft. of torque, which puts it right on par with the Audi and Porsche, and helps the 570S reac 100 km/h faster than the Lamborghini Huracàn.
Drawing from countless years of Formula 1 experience—even Porsche and Audi can’t claim that—all the curves, creases and intakes you see on the 570S are there for an aerodynamic reason. The door tendons channel air into the radiators, providing cooling and downforce at the same time, while flying buttresses cut out of the rear roof pillars are essentially aerodynamic add-ons. Much of this can be finished in carbon fibre, although that will be optional. Carbon fibre brake discs, however, come as standard on all cars and save 17 kilos of unsprung weight.
Inside, consideration had been made to making the 570S more liveable on the day-to-day. Indeed, if its going to compete with the establishment, then owners will at least need to believe they can drive it as an everyday car.
The doors open up and outwards for easier access, made easier still by side sills that have been lowered by three inches. Getting over big side sills into a low-slung sports seat is often the bane of every supercar owner (especially in the case of the 570’s McLaren F1 ancestor, whose central driver’s seat meant you had to step over an entire seat in addition to the side sill).
Once in the car, the 570 has a fully-functional infotainment system, complete with optional 12-speaker Bowers Wilkins sound and front/rear parking cameras. So no; you don’t have to hang out of an open door when parking, like many did with the Lamborghini Countach. There’s even 40L more storage space than you’ll find in an R8. That’s pretty good.
The 570S is in production now, with deliveries beginning later this summer. We can’t wait to see how it stacks up.
