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McLaren Sports Series May Be Named in a Similar Fashion to the 650S, to Make “Well Over” 500 HP

When McLaren first started talking about their all-new entry-level supercar back in 2013, we learned three things: it’s confirmed for a 2015 launch, it’s going to rival the Porsche 911 and it will be a little cheaper and less powerful than the berserk 650S.
McLaren Sport Series / P13 rendering 13 photos
Photo: Gabriel Brindusescu
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After a few spy shots, teaser videos and more info from McLaren and sources close to the carmaker, we learned that the 2015 New York Auto Show in April will be the place where the Sports Series will debut. Furthermore, CEO Mike Flewitt previously hinted that a hardcore Porsche 911 (991) GT3 was used to benchmark the mysterious P13 / Sports Series.

The M838T twin-turbo V8 engine was expected to be detuned for this application, but a report from Autocar cites an insider source that hinted at “well over” 500 horsepower. Even though the car’s name is still a mystery, the publication claims that it will probably be baptized after its output, in a similar fashion to how the McLaren 650S got its moniker.

First deliveries are slated for the fourth quarter of next year

Therefore, the 2015 McLaren Sports Series / P13 / 5xxS will probably arrive in the United States as a 2016 model year. Word has it the nameplate will also spawn a spider and a specially tuned version designed for the Asian market, as well as a track-oriented GT3 variant for privateer amateur racing.

Other than this update on the Sports Series, CEO Mike Flewitt also disclosed that the Woking-based outfit will open around 40 new dealerships around the world by 2016 in order to reach a yearly sales volume of 4,000 vehicles. As expected, most of the yearly output will be taken by the entry-level model.

Last but not least, it seems like the interconnected suspension and active aerodynamics of the 650S won’t arrive on the all-new Sports Series, which will reportedly boast with a carbon fiber tub, as well as a sub-4-second 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration. But will it obliterate the 911 GT3? Let's wait and see...
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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