When McLaren launched its Sports Series in 2015, it was the company’s first attempt at a supercar you could live with. The 570S sat below the 650S and 720S in the range, but the engineering shared with its older siblings meant it never felt like the cheap option.
Carbon, Even Down Here
The 570S is built on a carbon fibre monocoque called the MonoCell II. That alone separates it from most rivals in its price bracket, which still use steel or aluminium structures. The carbon tub keeps the weight down to around 1,440 kilograms while creating a torsional rigidity that you can feel through the steering as soon as you turn into a corner.
The 3.8 litre twin-turbo V8 produces 562 horsepower. Zero to 100 km/h takes 3.2 seconds. Top speed sits at 328 km/h. The numbers are not as eye-watering as the 720S, but the car is just as engaging on the kind of roads we drive.
Engineered for the Road
McLaren tuned the 570S to be more accessible than the 650S that came before it. The steering is lighter at low speeds, the ride is softer, the sound deadening is more generous. Out on the open road in the Yarra Valley, this all adds up to a car that you can lean on for hours without fatigue.
Push harder and the chassis comes alive. The hydraulic steering is some of the most communicative in the segment, telling you exactly what the front tyres are doing. The brakes are progressive. The gearbox snaps between ratios with the same crack as the more expensive cars in the range.
A Driver’s Car First
Where the 720S is overwhelming on a first introduction, the 570S is welcoming. It is the car many of our guests remember most fondly at the end of the day, especially first-time supercar drivers. The performance is still well beyond what most road cars can offer, but the chassis is friendly enough to let you find the limits without surprises.
Inside the Sports Series
The cabin is recognisably McLaren. Carbon fibre trim, a vertical infotainment screen, a small steering wheel with no buttons on it because McLaren wants you to focus on driving rather than scrolling. The dihedral doors are here too, which is half the reason every passing pedestrian asks for a photo.
A Future Modern Classic
Production of the Sports Series has ended. The replacement, the Artura, is a hybrid V6 with a very different character. That means cars like the 570S sit at the end of a specific era for McLaren, the moment when the brand was still doing high-revving twin-turbo V8s in everything. Driving one now feels significant for that reason.
On Your Day With Us
Most guests pair the 570S with the 720S to feel the difference between McLaren’s Sports Series and its Super Series. We recommend it. It is the kind of back-to-back comparison you cannot easily make anywhere else.
