McLaren's new entry-level sports car isn't just another Porsche 911 competitor; it's basically a detuned version of the 650S for around $100,000 less.
The 570S uses the same twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 as the 650, but it's been dialed back to 562 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. But even with that slight reduction in power, the 570S can still crack off a 0-62 MPH run of 3.2 seconds and hit 124 MPH in 9.5 seconds on its way to a 204 MPH top speed.
The 180-pound carbon fiber MonoCell II chassis helps keep the weight down and the rigidity up, and partnered with lots of aluminum, McLaren claims a dry weight of 2,895 pounds – around 300 pounds less than a 911 Turbo. Yes, citing a dry weight and noting that the figure is dependent on the 570S being fitted with "lightweight options" is a bit of cheat, but still…
The interior gets the same floating center stack and touchscreen, and if you care, it's got 150 liters of boot space, the most of any McLaren and about 35 liters more than a 911. See? It's practical, too.
McLaren hasn't announced pricing yet, but the best guesstimates right now are right around $180k. The hard-top 650S starts at $265,500, which makes the 570S around 70 percent of the car for two-thirds of the price.
UPDATE: McLaren said at its press conference in New York tonight that another, lower-powered variant, the 540C, will debut in Shanghai for the Chinese market.
Contact the author at damon@jalopnik.com.
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