2016 McLaren 570S Photos, engines & full specs

McLaren did more than just high-end supercars; it made a more affordable one for those who wanted to drive them on regular roads on a daily basis, and that meant more than just high-performance runs, and the 570S was the carmaker’s solution.

Usually, supercars are barely driven. Some of them are just garage queens, while others are mostly raced around tracks. But McLaren didn’t want to see its cars sitting behind closed doors or thrashed around corners by amateur racers. The British automaker wanted to see them on the road, which meant more than brute, powerful cars as comfortable as bicycles with wooden wheels. These had to be user-friendly, easy to drive around town, and still capable enough around a track. Of course, these were not exactly meant to do school runs, but they could if their owners could afford that. And for them, McLaren made the 570S.

It looked like a supercar with its rounded shapes and aggressive stance. The front fascia featured the same tear-shaped headlights visually extended downwards by vertical aerodynamic elements connected to the splitter. The two creases on the trunk’s lid at the front emphasized the car’s sporty look. The curved windshield and short greenhouse ended with a sloped windscreen at the back, which made the vehicle look fast. McLaren didn’t want to add a wing on the back to not spoil the beautiful lines of the vehicle. The rear fascia featured elliptic taillights and a black panel between them. Bellow, a massive diffuser flanked by chromed, triangular exhausts, made the car look fast even from behind, which was not common for many vehicles.

Inside, McLaren installed a comfortable, luxurious cabin. Yes, there were high-bolstered seats, but these were thick enough to absorb the bumps on the road, but they could still hold their occupants in place during high-speed cornering maneuvers. Between the two occupants, the automaker placed a center console, which housed the transmission buttons, and a storage compartment underneath the armrest. Furthermore, McLaren placed there three USB ports. On the center stack, the 570S featured a portrait-mode 7-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Behind the occupants, the automaker installed a small storage area that complemented the 150-liter (5.3-liter) frunk. The 570S was not exactly a grocery-getter, but it offered enough for a weekend away in two.

Even though McLaren didn’t make the 570S as a racer, that didn’t mean that the car couldn’t keep up with other powerful cars on the road. The mid-mounted powerplant was a 3.8-liter V8 helped by a pair of turbochargers to provide 570 PS (562 HP) to the seven-speed automatic (dual-clutch) gearbox. In addition, the suspension settings allow customers to drive it in comfort mode or in track mode. The latter transformed the ride from a plush one into a harsher one, more suitable for friendly races. Moreover, the drive selector also altered the engine response and how fast the gearbox changed gears.