McLaren’s new 570S and the future of fast cars.

Thought Thursday: McLaren’s new 570S and the future of fast cars.

The super car segment has never been as versatile as it is today, with choice being on the side of the consumer. I feel sorry for the man or woman who has the fortune to spend on a car such as this, because when you’re spending upwards of R2,5 million, it’s not a case of eeny meeny miny mo. Or is it? I wouldn’t know because I have never had the “nice life problem” of being in such a predicament. If I was in that position though, I would need to do some thinking before signing any papers, especially after McLaren decided to make things a little bit more complicated.

What would I buy if I had R3 million?

Traditionally, If one wanted something fast and expensive that could be used everyday, the Porsche Turbo was the answer to all your needs. It was the best value for money performance car that would not make you look out of place when you played golf with your Ferrari and Lamborghini owning friends. That changed when the new Porsche Turbo S came out costing around R3 million rand. That being said the Porsche Turbo clientèle are a very specific group of individuals, so even though the cost of the new car increased drastically, they still bought the new car. This is because these clients require everyday usability coupled with immense power, something the Turbo offers second to none. Until now it seems.

The folks from Woking have introduced a car that may make the folks from Stuttgart lose sleep. Say hello to the McLaren 570S, a 0-100 km/h in 3.2 second, 3.8 litre twin turbo car that looks like a younger version of the P1. This car aims to look the likes of the Porsche Turbo right in the eyes and face off with it like arch enemies in an old western movie. The 570S is the entry level McLaren, called the Sports Series segment for the brand. The car produces insane numbers even though it is the entry level McLaren, with 419 kW and 600 Nm. The most ludicrous bit about the 570S is the fact that it can get to 200 km/h in 9.5 seconds.

What will be the preferred choice?

The problem is that the top offerings in this choice of car, all represent the same thing, power, sophistication and success. They all offer extraordinary performance and amazing dynamic attributes and lastly they both are very beautiful cars. The McLaren is more flamboyant aesthetically, especially with doors that open up the way they do. This both a positive and a negative, in terms of elusiveness its a negative but at the same time, if you’re spending that amount of money you want something that will set you apart. The fact that the McLaren is so different is what may give it an edge against its competitors.

McLaren is clearly on a mission, a mission to change the way we look at super cars. In a short space of time, cars like the MC-12, the 650S and the P1 have solidified the brand into a staple in the super and hyper car segment. One get’s a feeling of determination from the brand, a determination to be the best. This determination is working because a few years ago when one thought of the best super cars, automatically you would think Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche. Today I think many would say Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche. The future shall be very interesting indeed. Happy Thought Thursday Motorists.