Super car builder McLaren has been on fire lately. Did you know it? The British company has been expanding production and their model range, now with the 570S Coupe which debuts at the New York Auto Show.
Part of their new Sports Series entry-level super-cars if you will, the 570S will start well under $200,000 and will compete head to head with the likes of the Audi R8, the Porsche 911 Turbo, and Ferrari California.
The mid-engined 570S shown here testing in camouflaged form is built structurally from carbon-fiber with aluminum body panels in a design language McLaren calls “shrink wrapped”. The body design is as bold and racy as we’ve seen, showing familial DNA with the more expensive Super Series and Ultimate Series models like the P1 and 12C.
Large LED headlights up front seem carved into the shape while bright LED lights up the rear much in the same way. Aerodynamic ovations here are purposeful and as much about cooling the engine as they are about downforce.
Behind the cockpit is a high-revving 3.8 liter twin-turbocharged V8 unique to the 570S. It revs out 562 horsepower to the rear wheels through a seven-speed SSG transmission. McLaren says it will accelerate from 0-60 in about 3.2 seconds and tops out at 204 mph.
While its fast, McLaren boasts that it is quite fuel-efficient for its power, and much thanks to its relatively light 2,895 pound curb weight. Thus it can give 25.5 mpg on the EU cycle. That is more optimistic than our EPA’s system but it still comes to the U.S. without the gas guzzler tax.
While the 570S is priced down it still comes with standard carbon ceramic brakes, adaptive dampers, and anti-roll bars from the Super Series. Suspension drive modes as expected are the familiar ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Track’.
Making this McLaren approachable and livable was as important as making it attainable. The interior and cockpit are designed for easier ingress and egress, better outward visibility, and daily life in mind.
This starts with lower rocker beams to make getting in and out easier, sculpted leather seating, and crafted leather upholstery across the dash, console and door panels. Attention was given to storage space too both in the cabin and under the front hood.
And it wouldn’t be a street car without a full infotainment system with all the latest audio, navigation, and connectivity features we expect in the Toyota Camry. A more street-car oriented TFT instrument cluster sits ahead of the driver too.
The 570S can be likely be had for under $200,000 but you will want to take advantage of the many customization options inside and out which are near infinite with leather, audio, carbon-fiber, color and performance options. Live a little.
