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I've not owned a Mac but have driven the 12c, 650s, P1 and most recently, the 570s. The above post about the pros and cons of mclaren's is pretty accurate in my opinion. I'd add that I don't care for the feel of the paddle engagement - doesn't have the satisfying feeling of a Ferrari or a PDKS.
That said, the 570s was very compelling for me. It's like a full grown go kart and is quite a sense of occasion to drive. Remarkably comfortable, super fast, great visibility, and sounds purposeful but not obnoxious. Maybe not quite the car the 650 is but at its price point and deprecation exposure is far more compelling than a new 650. Assuming the 570 spider comes with the same retractable hard top as the 650, I think that will be a great car and perhaps a decent value.
I agree as well... after test driving both a LP580-2 and LP610-4 back in March, I also test drove this Vermillion Red 570S. Loved it!
I may want one sooner or later but I'm also waiting to see how I will like the all-new NSX assuming I can hopefully test drive one since my local dealer said they will eventually be getting a factory demo. I think by next spring/summer I may have to choose from either the next .2 GT3 or one of these two.
I agree as well... after test driving both a LP580-2 and LP610-4 back in March, I also test drove this Vermillion Red 570S. Loved it!
I may want one sooner or later but I'm also waiting to see how I will like the all-new NSX assuming I can hopefully test drive one since my local dealer said they will eventually be getting a factory demo. I think by next spring/summer I may have to choose from either the next .2 GT3 or one of these two.
The 570S in black is a beast. McLaren is killing it right now--the only car I legitimately would like to trade my V12 Vantage for is a 650s, but I just can't get past the front air intake that extends into solid body around the headlights. I can accept trading a manual for paddles, but that intake bothers the hell out of me. I know it's irrational--they're fantastic cars.
I spent this past week as a guest of Mclaren on their rally from SoCal to Montereycarweek, courtesy of a very very nice friend.
I had the incredible pleasure of having a P1 as my chariot on the road for the trip which I drove extensively, I sat in a 675LT for hours and drove it for some autocross (with an embarrassing power-oversteer which had me knocking over a few cones) and test drove the 570s to my heart's content. With all this fresh in my mind I'll offer the following:
The P1 is just the P1. It's insane.. so many modes, so many aspects to explore, so fast, such great steering, such great brakes.. sounds to die for. There is Definitely a heavy lump of batteries sitting in the back which adds some pendulum swing, and in tight twisty curvy roads with camber changes, it could use some rebound damping adjustments as you can make the back-end skip. The owner drives it quite well and masks this, i do not so i felt this. Yes, it's insanely powerful, exquisitely detailed, and allows you to open it up on the road for brief bursts of stomach churning acceleration. It's a spaceship, I'll never afford it.. but it's amazing.. the particular car was an even more rare validation prototype model.. it literally doesn't get any better than this:
there were a few other P1's on the rally.. one very very special prototype made for a special owner, all in carbon.. lets just say there were moments of mild competition between the two.
I have a nice video of a civilized drag race on a closed road Mclaren set up for us which I'll post here.. two P1 prototype chassis going at it.. not something you see every day.
My fiancee also drove it in the Carmel Valley mountains and this is everything she had to say about it:
The 675LT is the sweet spot of the range if you have $500k to spend. For brief spurts its 99% as fast as the P1, it's massively lighter feeling, has the same insane suspension and wonderful steering feel, only you don't feel any pendulum swing or the suspension working very hard to keep it all together. It feels like the world's most comfortable road-legal race car. It's absolutely perfect.. find one with a roof scoop and hold on it to it forever.. If you have the $, this is the best car under a $1M.. no contest, end of story.. it's perfect. The kind gentleman who I navigated for and who let me drive the autocross specced his so perfectly, that it looked like it's a mini-mclaren F1 LM in papaya orange. he's also an incredibly fast racer with some of the fastest Laguna Seca lap times in this car. Keeping it all anonymous, but if you know him, he's as gracious as he is a good driver.. an incredible combo.. thank you 675LT owner, you're one of a kind. I would want a 675LT over the P1.. it's perfect.
it's easily as fast as this car next to it.. no contest:
The 570s, is probably the best car you can buy under $200k. the steering is the same excellent mclaren steering as on all the cars, and rotors with less weight to carry around, while not as aggressive as the 675LT, have a fantastic brake feel. The interior feels very well made, not like the early mc12's. The suspension, while not the same magic ride as the bigger cars, has incredible suppleness to it. There is some turbo lag, definitely. but when you're on boost it's fast as *****, faster than almost any road car.. and feels superbly planted. The 570 clearly benefits from having the same carbon chassis, motor and steering as the P1.. there is a huge intrinsic value built into that car, and you can feel it. If I didn't have my eyes on a manual gt3 for late 2017... (fingers crossed).. this would be my next car. After the gt3, the 570s WILL be my next car.
lastly, i can say that mclaren is working incredibly incredibly hard to build up its customer base. Every single interaction is authentic, humble, open, and searching for feedback. From their very top people to their sales guys, every single person there did their heartfelt utmost to create a new customer.. and they did.
The absolute highlight of this Mclaren experience was getting to buy beers (well, actually i ordered them but they ended up being free) for two of my heroes from when as a kid i had read "Driving Ambition - Mclaren F1 story".. Gordon Murray & Mansour Ojjei. I had casually mentioned in convo to someone that G.Murray was my hero.. and that I had often walked through the airport in Bologna wondering which chair they had sat in in the terminal as they first conceived of the mclaren f1 project.. well, a few days later there i am at a table perstering Ojjei and Murray on what thay conversation was like.. to a tee, they were nice, and answered all my fanboy questions. I'm a future mclaren customer, 100% sold.
Drove the 570gt this weekend in Monterey and was underwhelmed. It was materially less car than the 570S. I know Mclaren wants the 570 to be a daily use car but I think that's unlikely in any meaningful way and the GT just didn't feel that special to me. I want to go drive the 570S again to regain my excitement for the 570.
As for Mac working on every customer interaction, I had a negative one at the test drive hospitality area. I had a product question and was directed to a young man who I was told could help me. I shared that I had a deposit on a 570s spider and asked what he could share with me about a possible debut. He very matter of factly said "there is no 570 spider". I said I knew it hadn't been announced but was wondering if there was any news to keep me engaged. He just repeated the prior line and didn't offer any other explanation. He seemed quite full of himself.
At today's used prices, it is hard to overlook the 650S. Having driven the 570S and 570GT, and having owned both 12C and 650S, I like the "super series" cars more in just about every way. The spec sheets may be similar, but there is more to a car than just numbers.
Notable, the hydraulic suspension found in everything but the "sports series." The media seems to praise the 570's conventional suspension, but I feel the hydraulic suspension is the one thing that sets the equipped McLarens apart from every other car in the world.
Without elaborating in great detail, here's a list of things I like better about the super series:
- Hydraulic suspension - more planted, better acceleration, better control of body movement, better power delivery to the ground over bumpy surfaces (huge!)
- Active aero - very trick, drops down under full acceleration, comes up when you crest a hill or hard on the brakes
- Mid range torque - after driving the 650S, the 570S feels relatively anemic in real world driving situations, when you are outside of the peak power band
- Analog tachometer - don't like the digital display in the newer cars
- HVAC - system is controlled with buttons and *****, not touch screen
- Spider available - the ability to drop the top on a nice day with essentially no performance tradeoff is really nice, dropping the rear window down with the top up unleashes an orchestra of mechanical engine, turbo, and exhaust noises that is unmatched in any coupe
- Interior - feels more expensive and more of a cockpit
- Steering wheel - the perforated leather on the super series feels much better to the touch, the 570 steering wheel feels too cheap
- Larger Windshield - extends further down and gives you a better view of the road directly in front of the car
- Styling - this is subjective, but I like the super series styling better, the 570 is a bit slab-sided in comparison and has overly exaggerated headlights
- Exhaust pipes - the exhaust outlets above the bumper is a special touch, compared to the more conventional location of the 570
Having said all that, the 570 is a great "first McLaren," but there are better options within the brand at the same price if you don't mind buying pre-owned.
Why I like McLaren's products better than Porsche's GT department? The McLaren is a thrill at any speed, and a GT Porsche is only a thrill when pushed hard; I can enjoy a McLaren in any situation; on any road; and at any pace.
Rennlist is becoming a McLaren guy forum...as long they pay advertisments who cares...or not ?
Mc is nice but the front look designed by my 5yrs old son
that s why you need to hide it a little using black color
seen in person the 570 gave the feeling of a little toy not a 200k supercar
Turbo lag compared to modern turbo is worst (i.e. than 488)
i would definitively buy a 488 instead
Originally Posted by C.J. Ichiban
Each model has their ideal color. For me the 570 looks better in subdued colors like black and grey vs green.
Hello CJ we are friends with Sean La Bonte nice to see you here.
We own a silver 570S and also a 991 GT3 RS and we can make some objective comments about the Mac.
I also totally agree with your points that the 570S looks good in black or darker colors as it hides the big headlight affect and also creates less contrast visually with the roof and dark grey engine and center section of the rear bumper.
Here are some general highlights from our perspective on the 570S.
Positives:
-Incredibly compliant ride as good as Porsche 991 Turbo. This car can actually be a daily driver and is as comfortable to drive as a BMW 5 series.
-Amazing power once the turbo builds in high rpm range where it can smoke almost every car out there
-High quality interior leather work with beautiful modern design
-Steering feel is as surgical as the 991 GT3
-Handling is on par with GT3
-Ample frunk space for long trips
-New mono cell 2 makes it much easier to get in and out of car due to sloping front design and is incredibly stiff
-Driving Visbility is miles ahead of the Huracan and almost as good as 991 GT3
-Exotic vertical door appeal which is cheapest car with this feature besides BMW i8
-Digital dash that changes with each sport and track mode is brilliant and very functional
-Lots of front ground clearance even without the axle lift option
-Bowers sounds system is miles ahead of Lamborghini but not quite as good as Burmester system on 991 Turbo
Negatives:
-Electronic handbrake can be unresponsive at times and requires several attempts
-Headlight and Tail light design have been universally criticized creating an awkward look on lighter and brighter colors
-Lack of immediate power until 5k rpm power band unlike the immediate raw power from a GT3 RS NA engine. This engine needs to be wound up to really feel the power as it reminds us of BMW E92 M3 and E60 M5 in this way.
-Navigation graphics is outdated and vertical orientation is awkward viewing perspective with the standardization of 16:9 aspect ratio
-Axle lift should be a button instead of a stalk lever which is finicky to use as it also controls the vehicle digital menu. It also takes 2.5 times longer to fully activate compared to the 991 GT3 RS
-Cupholder design is only useful for smaller sized cups
-Exhaust sound can never match a GT3 RS
-Ceramic brake feel is not as good as the CCB on Porsche as pedal feel and modulation is not as sensitive like Ferrari 488 which has same issue. Brembo produces both the CCM and CCB and the only reasons we can see McLaren and Ferrari using CCB ss solely for cost reasons as the CCB are far superior in every way besides the higher costs which is what Porsche uses.
Car is overall incredible value at $200k price point with carbon fiber tub, vertical exotic doors, strong performance and very compliant daily driving ride comfort.
I don't see many manufacturers catching up to Mclaren especially on developing a mass production carbon tub at this price point for years. It will be interesting to see what Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche will do next as Mclaren has set a new technical bar.
Here are some photos of our vehicle doing Fuel Run to Monterey alongside our GT3 RS.
Last edited by VorsteinerNA; 08-27-2016 at 12:18 PM.
08-17-2016, 01:18 PM
