Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
McLaren’s automotive division took a different approach to mid-engined supercars with the introduction of the Sports Series in 2015. The British brand’s most affordable nameplates are selling like hotcakes, and the plan is to improve the yearly volume to 6,000 cars by 2025.
Do pay attention to “cars” because McLaren isn’t going to launch a utility vehicle, at least not in the nearest of futures. The thing is, the Sports Series starts to show its age in comparison to the Super Series.
The MV614 hybrid prototype in the photo gallery serves as the test bed for the next generation of Sports Series mid-engined supercars, and as the name implies, whatever’s hiding under the hood is supplemented by an e-motor. In the case of the Speedtail, the twin-turbo V8 with 4.0 liters of displacement is joined by an electric motor that generates 308 horsepower.
While that may be more get-up-and-go than the 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo in the Honda Civic Type R, don’t expect the Sports Series Gen 2 to benefit from the same ratings because it would defeat the purpose of McLaren’s three-tier lineup. The question is, what kind of engine should we expect?
The dual-piped exhaust system pretty much replicates the design of the 720S, but the blue-ish color of the muffler indicates that it’s made from a titanium alloy. In the case of the 570S, this option is called the MSO Defined Titanium SuperSports Exhaust in the automaker’s configurator.
In other words, McLaren will likely retire the 3.8 for a downtuned version of the 4.0 in the 720S. Because the Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD develops 610 PS and the Ferrari Portofino boasts 600 PS, the logical step for the Sports Series would be to hit or surpass the 600th mark. Only the limited-edition 600LT and 620R feature so many ponies at the present moment.
On the other hand, don’t forget that McLaren will present the automaker’s twin-turbo V6 architecture in March at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. An all-wheel-drive supercar and plug-in hybrids are also planned, which renders our original expectation to nothing. Is the successor of the 570S actually a V6-engined PHEV? The second fuel filler door appears to suggest that.
Now take a look at the digital instrument cluster. The animation may look similar to the 720S, but the daytime running lights, air vents on the upper part of rear fenders, and doors are different in design. The wheels also appear somewhat different from the 720S, but nevertheless, let’s wait until McLaren rolls out a pre-production prototype to get our confirmation.
The MV614 hybrid prototype in the photo gallery serves as the test bed for the next generation of Sports Series mid-engined supercars, and as the name implies, whatever’s hiding under the hood is supplemented by an e-motor. In the case of the Speedtail, the twin-turbo V8 with 4.0 liters of displacement is joined by an electric motor that generates 308 horsepower.
While that may be more get-up-and-go than the 2.0-liter VTEC Turbo in the Honda Civic Type R, don’t expect the Sports Series Gen 2 to benefit from the same ratings because it would defeat the purpose of McLaren’s three-tier lineup. The question is, what kind of engine should we expect?
The dual-piped exhaust system pretty much replicates the design of the 720S, but the blue-ish color of the muffler indicates that it’s made from a titanium alloy. In the case of the 570S, this option is called the MSO Defined Titanium SuperSports Exhaust in the automaker’s configurator.
In other words, McLaren will likely retire the 3.8 for a downtuned version of the 4.0 in the 720S. Because the Lamborghini Huracan Evo RWD develops 610 PS and the Ferrari Portofino boasts 600 PS, the logical step for the Sports Series would be to hit or surpass the 600th mark. Only the limited-edition 600LT and 620R feature so many ponies at the present moment.
On the other hand, don’t forget that McLaren will present the automaker’s twin-turbo V6 architecture in March at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. An all-wheel-drive supercar and plug-in hybrids are also planned, which renders our original expectation to nothing. Is the successor of the 570S actually a V6-engined PHEV? The second fuel filler door appears to suggest that.
Now take a look at the digital instrument cluster. The animation may look similar to the 720S, but the daytime running lights, air vents on the upper part of rear fenders, and doors are different in design. The wheels also appear somewhat different from the 720S, but nevertheless, let’s wait until McLaren rolls out a pre-production prototype to get our confirmation.
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