2016 McLaren 570S Coupe

Exterior

Ever since the 650S broke cover with a front fascia inspired by the P1, it became clear the Sports Series will also receive the hypercar’s front end. As a result, the 570S’ appearance is striking, as it features the same "designed by air" fascia, with aero blades below the front bumper, large LED headlamps, and a rounded nose. The 570S also received McLaren’s iconic dihedral doors, which employ a "floating tendon" that divides the airflow, channeling it into the side intakes and underneath the flying buttresses. As a result, drag is minimized along the profile of the 570S, while cooling and downforce are further optimized.

The rear is where the 570S is unique compared to the both the P1 and the 650S. The flying buttresses and the teardrop-shaped rear glass help direct air across the rear deck, improving heat evacuation and increasing downforce. The taillights are quite large compared to the rear fascia, while the apron is an all-new design for McLaren. The exhaust pipes are now flanking the intricate diffuser (the 650 has them mounted below the wing), which uses no fewer than eight vertical blades to make the sports car more aerodynamic. As much as I like the 650S, I must admit the 570S is by far the sexiest vehicle when viewed from the rear and that diffuser has "race car" written all over it.

Exterior Dimensions

Interior

Like every McLaren cabin, the 570S’ has been designed around the driver, with a focus on functionality and visibility. However, the new model was also conveived to offer improved day-to-day usability and enhanced roominess, two must-have features when competing against the Porsche 911. The intelligent and ergonomic design of the cabin provides the most usable space of any McLaren to date, according to the firm. Also, the 570S is equipped with a full infotainment system including a newly designed digital instrument cluster and a seven-inch touchscreen with integrated climate control, Bluetooth connectivity and either DAB digital or Sirius satellite radio.

The Brits also made sure the 570S is a worthy competitor for the 911 in terms of premium features by adding leather-wrapped seats, and leather-trimmed dashboard and steering wheel as standard. Customers looking for a sportier feel behind the wheel can have the standard seats replaced by racing units.

Further customization is possible using McLaren’s extensive options list for the 570S, which includes a wide range of Alcantara, Nappa leather and carbon-fiber selections. A McLaren Audio Plus 8-Speaker Upgrade System and bespoke Bowers & Wilkins 12-Speaker Premium Audio System with 1,280-Watt surround sound is also available. The Brits also mention the availability of bespoke interior specification similar to those introduced on the 675LT, which includes "selected colors and materials designed to best showcase the stylish cabin space and co-ordinate with each exterior paint color."

Drivetrain

As expected, the 570S hits the streets with 570 PS, which converts to 562 horsepower at 7,400 rpm and 443 pound-feet of torque from 5,000 rpm, on tap. All that oomph comes from a detuned version of the company’s ubiquitous twin-turbo, 3.8-liter V-8 that cranks out 640 horses in the 650S and 800 horses in the P1. Power is transferred to the rear wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission.

The 570S needs 3.2 seconds to hit 62 mph from standing start and 9.5 ticks to reach 124 mph. These figures make it 0.2 and 1.1 seconds slower than the 650S, respectively. Top speed sits at 204 mph, 3 mph less than the 650S, but downright impressive for the segment the 570S competes in.

But while the McLaren’s top speed will make 911 Turbo S drivers quite uncomfortable around the 570S (the Porsche can’t do more than 197 mph), the British sports car will be no match for the German in a straight line, as the Turbo S storms from 0 to 60 mph in only 2.9 seconds.

It might not be the quickest sports car on the market, but the 570S has plenty of other features to brag about. First, it’s lightest vehicle in its segment at 2,895 pounds, a figure that makes it a whopping 642 pounds lighter than the 911 Turbo S and 255 pounds lighter than the track-focused 911 GT3. Second, it delivers a class-leading power-to-weight ratio of 428 horses per tonne. And that’s downright impressive given the 911 Turbo S cranks out 349 horsepower per tonne.

The low curb weight resulted in good fuel efficiency and emissions ratings, estimated by the company at 25.5 mpg on the European combined cycle and 258g/km, respectively. Both figures are inferior to the 911 Turbo S’, but McLaren stresses that they will help the 570S benefit exemption from the gas guzzler tax in the U.S.

Drivetrain Specifications

Chassis, Suspension And Brakes

The 570S employs McLaren’s unique carbon-fiber, MonoCell II chassis which has been revised with focus on day-to-day usability. The chassis weighs in at less than 176 pounds, but it’s strong and stiff enough to provide optimum levels of performance and protection.

The suspension system, on the other hand, is new for the 570S, using independent adaptive dampers with front and rear anti-rollbars and dual wishbones. As always, the suspension setup is controlled by the "Normal", "Sport" and "Track" handling model. In "Normal" mode, the system provides a refined ride, while the "Sport" and "Track" settings turn the 570S into a more track-focused machine.

Stopping power comes from carbon-ceramic brakes, while grip is provided by Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires as standard.

Pricing

On the U.S. market the new McLaren 570S is priced at $184,900.

Competition

Porsche 911 Turbo S

The current 911 Turbo S comes with a 3.8-liter, six-cylinder engine that pumps out 560 horsepower and launches the sports car to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds on its way to a 197 mph top speed. With the recent spy shots showing a 991.2 refresh for the 911, we may well see a revision before the Sports Series hits dealers, but don’t expect it to feature massive improvements inside and out.

Priced from $182,700 and packed with luxury goodies and mind-boggling power, the Turbo S is also one of the most efficient sports cars in its segment. The coupe is estimated to return 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway, figures McLaren will have to match in order to steal customers from the German manufacturer.

Learn more about the 911 Turbo S in our full review here.

Audi R8

Redesigned for the 2016 model year, the R8 comes equipped with a ton of weight-saving components, like carbon-fiber-reinforced body and chassis components and an aluminum front end, which means the sports car can accelerate, handle and stop more effectively.

The updated 5.2-liter V-10 engine now churns 540 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque in the base model, while the uprated version generates 610 horses and 413 pound-feet in the V10 Plus version. But although the V10 Plus is significantly more powerful than the 570S, its 0-to-60 mph 3.2-second sprint doesn’t make it quicker than the McLaren. Top speed, on the other hand, is superior at 205.

Read more about it here.

Conclusion

As a competitor for the 911 Turbo S, the 570S further expands McLaren’s presence in the sports car market. On paper, the 570S is powerful enough to give the Turbo S a run for its money, but it remains to be seen whether it will be capable to match the Porsche’s dynamics and appeal. Knowing McLaren, the 570S should have everything it takes to send chills down the Turbo S’ spine, but it’s up to the customers to validate it by leaving their checks at McLaren dealerships.

But regardless of what on- and off-track comparison tests might reveal, the 570S (and the entire Sports Series for that matter), will live on as a very important addition to McLaren’s lineup, particularly because it brings the company’s race-bred technologies to a new audience and at a more affordable price than the 650S. What’s more, the 570S is likely to remain a much more exclusive sports car than both the Porsche 911 and the Audi R8.

• Love it
  • Gives McLaren a competitor for the 911 Turbo S
  • Plenty of power to have fun with
  • Suitable for day-to-day use
• Leave it
  • Tough segment
  • Significantly slower than the Turbo S
  • Some might not agree with the P1-inspired front end

Update History

Updated 10/23/2015: McLaren dropped a new promo video for its latest 570S coupe. Check it out by pressing the "play" button to learn how "the game changed" for the company. Enjoy!

Updated 10/13/2015: McLaren announced that the new 570S Coupe is now available for order. Deliveries should begin before the end of 2015 - depending on the market.

Updated 08/13/2015: McLaren dropped a new video showing the upcoming 570S testing in extreme conditions. The model covered in excess of 500,000 testing kilometers, on both race circuits and roads, in places like Arizona, Nevada, Northern Sweden and the U.K.

Updated 04/03/2015: McLaren announced prices for the new 570S Coupe which will be put on sale later this year. On the U.S. market the model will be priced from $184,900 - which is pretty much what everyone expected.

Updated 07/06/2015: McLaren has officially confirmed thatthe Sports Series lineup will expand to include a 570S Spider and Gran Turismo version.

Updated 04/02/2015: McLaren unveiled the first model in the new Sports Series family at the 2015 New York Auto Show. While no details were offered on the U.S. prices, on the UK market the new 570S will be priced at £143,250 - or about $213,000 at the current exchange rates. We’ve also added a series of new images taken on the show’s floor and a new video, so enjoy!

Updated 03/25/2015: McLaren officially confirmed today that the first model from the Sports Series family will be the 570S Coupe, which will be unveiled on April 1st at the 2015 New York Auto Show.

Updated 03/12/2015: McLaren dropped a new teaser image for its future Sports Series model, which will be unveiled next month in New York. Continue reading to check it out.

Updated 03/05/2015: McLaren released a first teaser video for the upcoming Sports Series and announced the model will be unveiled at the 2015 New York Auto Show.

Updated 01/15/2015: McLaren unveiled a new teaser image showing the carbon-fiber tub of its future Sports Series model. Also, it called its future model "a true McLaren for the sports car enthusiast," making our mouths a little drooly.

Updated 11/24/2014: McLaren unveiled a new teaser image of its future Sports Series sports car. As before, the image shows a car fully camouflaged and only part of it: this time the doors.

Updated 11/07/2014: After just yesterday McLaren confirmed the name for the third model in its lineup, today the company revealed the first official spy shot of the future Sports Series.

Updated 11/06/2014: McLaren has confirmed that the P13 will in fact be called the Sports Series, not the 500S as we all once thought. Additionally, McLaren clarified that this will be a sports car, not a supercar.

Updated 03/27/2014: According to CarAndDriver the next P13 should be powered by a 3.8-liter V-8 engine with an output of about 500 horsepower. This should be enough to sprint the car from 0 to 60 mph in about 4 seconds and up to a top speed of 185 mph. Prices will start in the $180k area. The new P13 is expected to be unveiled sometime next year.

Update 11/12/2013: We have created a rendering of the upcoming P13.

Spy Shots

TopSpeed Rendering

The above rendering was fairly straightforward to create, as all of the reports point to the Sports Series being essentially a downsized 650S with a few cues from the P1. Nearly all of the P1 cues are up front, including the nose and headlights. We’ll continue to update this rendering as more information comes forward.

Teaser images