A car with the status and capabilities of the McLaren 570S should have plenty of aftermarket tuning programs available to it. But the reality is there aren’t that many, which probably makes this new tuning kit from Novitec that much more appealing. The German tuner is most famous for developing programs for Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Maseratis, but it’s also begun putting in the work on McLaren models, most notably the 570S and 540C. Soon enough, a program for the 570GT will also be made available. For now though, the 570S takes center stage with a tuning program that includes engine upgrades amounting to an increased output of as much as 638 horsepower and 507 pound-feet of torque.

Even better, the engine upgrades are actually made up of three stages so 570S owners can choose which power gains suit them the best. All the work on the sports car’s 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine is complemented by modifications on the car’s exterior, suspension, and brake units while a new set of wheels complete the program’s offerings. Put them all together and it’s a pretty comprehensive tuning kit, something that a car like the McLaren 570S deserves.

It is surprising to think that a lot of tuners have yet to take stabs at the 570S when its big brother, the 650S, has already been the recipient of a handful of aftermarket programs. We’ll save our gripes for another day though. The important thing here is that McLaren 570S owners now have a high-profile tuner to go to in the event they want to get more out of their sports cars.

Now about that kit for the McLaren 570GT. When's that arriving, Novitec?

Continue after the jump to read more about the McLaren 570S by Novitec.

Exterior

Novitec has an aerodynamic kit available for the McLaren 570S. Big surprise, right? The kit is comprised of a handful of parts, each serving a specific purpose while also combining to help the 570S improve its overall function. Up front, there’s a new spoiler lip while the sides of the car feature side panels and covers on the side intakes. The rear section of the 570S gets most of the upgrades, including a massive rear wing, air intake, and covers on the sides of the rear bumper. All these parts are made entirely from carbon fiber and, according to Novitec, extensively tested in a wind tunnel to ensure that they’re of top-notch quality. Completing the tuner’s exterior program for the 570S is a new set of 20- and 21-inch aluminum wheels in the front and rear, respectively. These wheels are available in a variety of different finishes, including silver, black, anthracite, or custom options.

If the menu of upgrades look familiar, it’s because they’re actually similar to what Novitec Torado, the tuner’s Lamborghini-focused division, gave to the Huracán LP580-2 back in September 2016. That program also featured a carbon fiber aero parts, including a front and rear bumper, side skirts, and rear diffuser. It did have three spoiler options compared to just this one for the 570S. But other than that, the aerodynamic modifications on the two sports cars are similar in a lot of ways.

Interior

The bad news here is that Novitec has no available upgrades for the McLaren 570S. That doesn’t come as a shock because the tuner has never been known to include cabin dress-ups on its programs. Even the Huracán wasn’t exempt this so if you’re looking for upgrades to the interior, you better look elsewhere. The good news is that “elsewhere” can be McLaren itself.

Note: Interior of a standard McLaren 570S pictured here.

The British automaker has plenty of customization options available for its lineup of models, including the McLaren 570S. This could include wide range selections of Nappa leather, Alcantara, and carbon fiber. Bespoke interior specifications are also available as are tech options like a bespoke Bowers & Wilkins 12-Speaker Premium Audio System with 1,280-Watt surround sound.

Don't feel too bad if Novitec, or any other tuner, doesn’t offer interior upgrades for the 570S. That’s what McLaren’s customization division is here for.

Drivetrain

Off the bat, I can tell you that there are levels to Novitec’s engine upgrade for the McLaren 570S. At the heart of this three-stage upgrade is Novitec’s N-Tronic tuning module, a plug-and-play, processor-controlled device that can be connected to the engine’s own control unit to deliver a programmed increase in power. The most basic of these upgrades only involves the module, but it’s still good enough to increase the output of the 570S’ 3.8-liter bi-turbo V-8 engine of the 570S to an impressive 622 horsepower and 499 pound-feet of torque. It’s not much of an increase compared to the sports car’s standard output of 562 horses and 443 pound-feet of twist, but it’s still good enough to make get noticeable improvements on the car’s performance capabilities.

Should a 570S owner want more power, Novitec is also offering Stage 2 and Stage 3 kits. Both higher-grade programs also include the N-Tronic tuning module, but Novitec also added a power-optimised exhaust system with the tuner’s own stainless steel tailpipes and Tectonic software upgrade. The results help the 570S increase its output to 638 horsepower and 507 pound-feet of torque for the Stage 2 program and 646 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque for the Stage 3 program.

No performance numbers were mentioned, but considering that the Stage 3 kit for the 570S helps the McLaren attain power numbers similar to the 650S, it’s not out of the question to see the car do 650S-like numbers. That could mean that a Novitec-tuned 570S with a top-of-the-line engine upgrade could hit 62 mph from a stopped position in just three seconds to go with a top speed of 207 mph.

There’s no doubt that the numbers are impressive, but when compared to Novitec Torado’s kit for the Huracán LP580-2, there’s no competition. Sure, the McLaren program comes in three stages, which presents some variety in it of themselves. But the Huracán program is massive and a big reason for that was Novitec Torado’s decision to slap on two new superchargers to help boost the Huracán's 5.2-liter V-10 engine. Consider that on its own, the Huracán's 580-horsepower output is only slightly higher than that of the 570S. But with the help of Novitec Torado, the tuner now has an extra 250 horses to play with, thanks to its new total output of 830 horsepower, with torque numbers hovering somewhere in the vicinity of 600 pound-feet. The power increase is the biggest draw of that particular program, and those who avail of it should expect their Huracán's to be significantly faster than a Novitec-tuned McLaren 570S. A 0-to-60-mph sprint time of under seconds is certainly attainable, as is a top speed hovering in the vicinity of 215 to 217 mph.

The disparity in power gains is clear, but if you need to compare both, check out the figures below of the power and performance numbers of both models.

Not all that close, is it?

Suspension and Brakes

The most understated part of any tuning program can be found in a car’s suspension. It’s no different with Novitec’s program for the McLaren 570S, which counts a sports spring set and aluminum spacers as the only suspension upgrades included in the entire kit. To be fair, Novitec Torado’s suspension upgrade for the Lamborghini Huracán was limited to the same components.

Pricing

Even with the individual parts of the program firmly showcased in the tuner’s website, no pricing details were given for each part. That tells us that Novitec prefers that customers contact them directly to get an assessment of how much a kit like this is going to cost. Based on past programs though, I wouldn’t be surprised if the McLaren 570S kit fetches a price in the neighborhood of $50,000.

Competition

Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 by Novitec Torado

This particular program has already been mentioned a couple of times, but it still is worth mentioning again since the McLaren 570S and the Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 are direct competitors. So once more, the Huracán was the beneficiary of a significant engine upgrade that revolves around two new superchargers and a new sports exhaust system that’s available in either stainless steel or an Inconel alloy. These additions not only help the rear-wheel-drive Huracan increase its output to 830 horsepower and somewhere around 600 pound-feet of torque, but that new exhaust system aids in improving the Huracán's soundtrack. Expect a sprint time to 62 mph in a little under three seconds and a top speed in the neighborhood of 217 mph with this tuning kit.

Read the full review here.

Porsche 911 Turbo S GT3 Stinger by Topcar

The Porsche 911 Turbo S is also another direct competitor to the McLaren 570S. Like the McLaren, the range-topping 911 Turbo S tops at just a shade under 600 horsepower. Unlike the McLaren, the 911 Turbo S is an aftermarket favorite. That’s a weird little fact, but it’s also true; there are plenty of programs for the iconic Porsche sports car, one of which is this kit developed by Topcar. The Russian tuner went all-out, most notably with the 911 Turbo S’ twin-turbo flat-six engine, which sees its output increase to 750 horsepower, 170 horses more than the sports car’s 580-horsepower standard output of 580 horsepower. With the mods in place, the 911 Turbo S is now capable of going from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds to go with a new top speed of 217 mph, just like the Novitec Torado-tuned Lamborghini Huracán.