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McLaren 570S kicks off new Sport Series

McLaren makes sports cars. Right? Well, not quite: it has until now made supercars like the 650S, and what you might call hypercars like the P1. But Woking has long been previewing its upcoming assault on the sports car market with the introduction of its new, (relatively) more accessible Sports Series. And at long last, here it is. It's called the 570S, and it represents McLaren's first foray into the upper end of the sports car market populated by models like the Porsche 911 Turbo, Audi R8 and Mercedes-AMG GT. It's based, of course, around the same basic parameters as its higher-end stablemates, and that means a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, mounted smack in the middle of a carbon monocoque chassis. 30 percent of the engine components have been redesigned, and instead of kicking out 641 horsepower like the 650S or 903 hp like the hybrid P1, the 570S (as its name suggests) offers 570 metric horsepower. That's 562 hp by our count, backed up by 443 pound-feet of torque. That's quoted to be enough to send the baby Mac from a standstill to 62 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds, to 124 in 9.5 and on to a top speed of 204 mph. (All of which is even more impressive when you consider, as McLaren claims, that its low fuel consumption means the 570S will be exempt from the gas-guzzler tax.) There'll be a less potent, more accessible version positioned alongside it, but the point is clear: a McLaren can be no slouch, and the new Sports Series is no exception. The performance is enabled by its light weight: the redesigned MonoCell II chassis weighs just 80 kilograms (176 pounds), contributing to a 2,895-pound dry weight that McLaren says is over 350 pounds lighter than its nearest competitor, contributing to a power-to-weight ratio of 434 metric horsepower per ton. The tub has been redesigned to allow for easier ingress and egress, making the prospect of using it as a daily driver that much more realistic. It even has the upwards-swinging dihedral doors that are a signature of every road-going McLaren, and which you'd usually only find on a vehicle a couple of categories up the market. The overall size is roughly comparable to that of a 911 or R8 – barely any longer, a little wider and a little stouter in height. It's actually a little longer than the 650S (but shorter than the 675LT) and comes cloaked in aluminum body panels that bare more than a passing resemblance to the shapes of its big brothers.

Chris Harris spends a couple of days with the McLaren P1

Driving a supercar like the McLaren P1 during a launch event is one thing. And Chris Harris has done that, bringing his film crew along to document the experience. But driving one cross country on public roads over the course of days is another matter entirely. So to see how Woking's hybrid hypercar behaves as a daily driver, Harris drove one around and in between two of the UK's finest racing circuits. Documented in the video above, everyone's favorite British automotive journalist picks up a black P1 at Anglesey – that picturesque circuit by the seashore in Wales – and drives it to Goodwood, home of the Festival of Speed and so many other octane-drenched extravaganzas. Along the way (and in between track lapping sessions), he treats a stranger to a drive, drags it against an Audi RS6 and highlights the finer points of experiencing a supercar out in the wild. It's well worth the 19 minutes of play time, so check out the footage to see what it's like to live with nearly 1,000 horsepower under your right foot. Related Video: Related Gallery McLaren P1 News Source: Chris Harris on Cars via YouTube McLaren Hybrid Supercars Videos mclaren p1

2015 Malaysian F1 GP springs hot, humid surprises [spoilers]

In the two weeks since Australia both Mercedes and Ferrari spoke of the improved performance from their respective cars. In Malaysia, Ferrari showed it. Lewis Hamilton still put his Mercedes-AMG Petronas on pole position, but Sebastian Vettel got within two whiskers of the Brit, lining up second just 0.074 behind. Afterward, Vettel said Ferrari could win the race if everything went well. But in qualifying we didn't know how much of Ferrari's performance was truly down to the car and how much was down to the wet weather that struck near the beginning of Q2. The rain didn't hamper Nico Rosberg's run – the German said "I just didn't drive good enough" – and he took third spot in the second Mercedes-AMG Petronas. Showing what the Infiniti Red Bull Racing chassis can do when the power unit is working properly, teammates Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat grabbed fourth and fifth. Whippersnapper Max Verstappen, in his second race, qualified in sixth with an excellent drive through the rain; just 0.030 behind Kvyat, he said he could have got fifth if he hadn't had a running problem with his brakes. Williams head of vehicle performance Rob Smedley said he wouldn't complain about Mercedes' advantage, but Felipe Massa has spent the whole season so far banging the alarm about Ferrari's pace. He says Williams has lost its straight-line advantage, part of the reason the first Grove car is back in seventh, while Valtteri Bottas is in eighth. Between them was Romain Grosjean in the Lotus, but he got dropped two positions for a pit-lane infraction in Q2, so he'll be tenth. Ahead of him is Marcus Ericsson in the Sauber, who would lead the charge to turn in another surprise for the Swiss team. But the real surprise came from the Scuderia Ferrari, who, on a bright, sunny day proved that they don't need to add water for race-winning pace. While Hamilton got made usual awesome start at the lights, Vettel channeled that other famous German Ferrari driver and immediately cut across the track to intimidate Rosberg, maintaining his second place position into the first turn. Arguably the race-winning move came three laps later at that same turn, when Ericsson plunged in too fast and swapped ends, beaching the rear of his Sauber in the gravel trap. The safety car came out when the recovery truck emerged to retrieve the Sauber, and nearly all of the front-runners took to the pits to swap out of the medium tires. Vettel, however, didn't.

This is what 16 McLaren F1 GTRs sound like on track at the same time

McLaren is known first and foremost for making racing cars, but when it made the legendary F1, it never intended to take the speedster racing. Fortunately, McLaren changed its mind in the end with the creation of the all-conquering F1 GTR. Because McLaren only made 28, seeing just one GTR is a rare opportunity. But at the Goodwood Members' Meeting this past weekend, McLaren didn't just bring a few of them together: it brought out a staggering array of 16 of them, all running around the track at the same time. The ensuing cacophony is a sound to hear, and you can take it all in from the video above, captured by supercar spotter Marchettino. Related Video: News Source: Marchettino via YouTube Motorsports McLaren Racing Vehicles Supercars Classics Videos Goodwood mclaren f1 gtr

McLaren confirms 570S coupe for New York debut

As far as building blocks go, McLaren sure manages to make a lot out of what it's got. Take a carbon monocoque, a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 and a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and you've got the starting point for the MP4-12C, the 650S and the P1 (to say nothing of its various racing models and such). In Geneva it expanded its range even further with the addition of the 675LT and P1 GTR, but it's about to open a whole new chapter next week in New York with the debut of the new Sports Series. The long-anticipated sports car range from Woking will breed a wide range of variants, and McLaren has now confirmed the name and some preliminary details of what we can expect from the first iteration. Called the 570S, the coupe will pack a 562-horsepower version of that turbo eight into its carbon structure with room for two in a "beautiful, aerodynamically optimized form." McLaren also promises "class-leading levels of performance coupled with optimized handling characteristics and driving dynamics." Sounds promising to us, but we'll have to wait another week or so before the Brits are ready to lift the veil entirely. In the meantime you can ogle the latest teaser image above and the brief statement before for a taste of what's to come. Related Video: McLAREN LAUNCHES ITS SPORTS SERIES RANGE IN NEW YORK WITH THE 570S COUPE NEW YORK (March 25, 2015) – McLaren Automotive announces today that the first model in its Sports Series family will be named the 570S Coupe. This V8 powered, carbon fiber-structured two seater will show its beautiful, aerodynamically optimized form for the first time when it debuts at the 115th New York International Auto Show. With the launch of the 570S Coupe, McLaren will display its entire three-tier model line-up for the first time globally. Every Sports Series model will share its DNA with the Super Series and Ultimate Series that sit above it in the McLaren hierarchy. A pure McLaren, offering class-leading levels of performance coupled with optimized handling characteristics and driving dynamics, the 570S Coupe marks the first time McLaren has offered its original and race-derived technologies in the sports car segment. In line with the naming convention that began with the 650S, the number 570 gives away the power output of this first McLaren Sports Series model: 570PS (562HP).

McLaren confirms Alonso's return for Malaysia

Formula One will have one more multiple world champion on the grid in Malaysia as McLaren has confirmed that Fernando Alonso will indeed be returning to the cockpit this weekend. The former two-time champ suffered a major crash during pre-season testing in Barcelona a month ago, and subsequently sat out the season opener in Australia earlier this month. The team refuted rampant rumors that there had been some sort of electrical glitch related to the hybrid Energy Recovery System that caused Alonso to pass out behind the wheel, insisting that nothing out of the ordinary occurred. Since the crash, McLaren reports that its star driver "has followed a rigorous, specialised training programme, designed and closely monitored by leading sports scientists, to ensure his safe and timely return to racing." He visited the team's headquarters in Woking, England, where he met with his engineers and spent some virtual time behind the wheel of the team's state-of-the-art simulator. That means this weekend will mark Fernando's first time racing for McLaren since the end of 2007 when he spent one season with the team, before returning to Renault, with which he had won his two world titles. After two more seasons, he switched to Ferrari, but after failing to emerge from Red Bull's shadow in the seasons that followed, Alonso returned to McLaren. It's a difficult time to be driving for the British team, though: after dismal pre-season testing mired by Alonso's crash and mechanical difficulties related to the new Honda engine, his substitute Kevin Magnussen failed to make it to the starting grid in Melbourne while team-mate Jenson Button managed to finish, but no better than dead last. News Source: McLaren Motorsports McLaren F1 malaysian grand prix

This is what it's like to drive McLaren's unbridled P1 GTR

McLaren is used to making the most of what it's allowed to do within certain limits. Those limits may be set by government regulators who determine what is and what is not acceptable for use on public roads, or by motorsport governing bodies like the FIA and ACO who determine what's fair to race on the track. But the P1 GTR is another beast entirely. Like the Aston Martin Vulcan or Ferrari FXX K, the McLaren P1 GTR represents the very best of what Woking can do without any restrictions beyond the engineers' own capabilities. Which is all well and fine in theory or sitting still on a show stand, but given the nearly $3 million price of entry, most of us will never find out what it's like to actually drive on a track like it's meant to. Fortunately the blokes over at Autocar had just such a chance to take Britain's finest out on the track at the Losail circuit in Qatar, and were good enough to bring a GoPro camera or two along for the ride. The video is only about five minutes long, and half of it is taken up by preparations and explanations from McLaren's affable factory test driver Chris Goodwin, but it represents our best look yet at what it's like to drive this gentleman racer's plaything flat out. Related Gallery McLaren P1 GTR View 18 Photos News Source: Autocar via YouTube McLaren Coupe Special and Limited Editions Supercars Videos mclaren p1 mclaren p1 gtr

McLaren flanks upcoming new Sports Series

If you think major automakers like Volkswagen and General Motors have been making the most of their technologies, just look at McLaren. The British supercar constructor developed a carbon-monocoque chassis, 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission for the MP4-12C with which it launched in 2011, and has used those basic building blocks as the backbone for everything it's done since. Next up will be the new Sports Series, and what we're looking at here is our first glimpse at a completely undisguised body panel for that new model line. Granted there's not a whole lot to see from the teaser images above, but it does show us a substantial section of the vehicle's flank. Central to its profile is the side intake, which to our eye would seem to pay homage to its earlier logo – a streamline form of its original kiwi bird mascot – it used throughout the 1970s, much as the headlamps and other elements on the 650S and P1 take their inspiration from the company's current boomerang-shaped logo. The carbon accent flows from the front wheel well into the airtake aft of the door. Like the P1 but unlike the company's other supercars to date, the wing mirrors are fixed to the door rather than the window frame, and of course the whole thing is decked out in Woking's signature shade of orange. Beyond that, we'll have to wait... but not for much longer as McLaren is set to take the wraps off its new entry-level model in a few weeks' time at the New York Auto Show. That's when and where it will join the company's existing Super Series and Ultimate Series as McLaren's most accessible and highest-volume model line yet – what the company is referring as a defining or "Black Swan" moment. It'll be built around those same building blocks but with a detuned engine to take on the likes of the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 Turbo and GT3, coming in a variety of body-styles and states of tune. News Source: McLaren via Facebook McLaren Coupe Supercars 2015 ny auto show mclaren sports series

McLaren Sports Series promises at least seven variants

Just how many different supercars can McLaren offer? The answer may yet surprise us even more than we anticipated. The British racing outfit is building a growing range of models around the same basic architecture that has already bred five different variants across two families: the Super Series (with the 625C, 650S and new 675LT) and the Ultimate Series (P1 and P1 GTR). That's already impressive as it is, but the addition of the upcoming new Sports Series promises to expand Woking's model line even further. Much further. According to the latest from Car and Driver, which sat down with McLaren's affable chief executive Mike Flewitt at the Geneva Motor Show last week, the new Sports Series will come in enough flavors to put an ice cream parlor to shame. We've known for some time that the company's upcoming entry-level range would come in at least three body styles, if not four. There'll be a coupe, a convertible and an unconventional GT version. But there will also be a number of engine specs available. The base model will wear the letter C, like the pared-down Asian market 625C. The next step up will be distinguished by the letter S, like the 650S. Both will be offered right from launch. But a third version could follow to serve as a baby brother to the new 675LT. Even if the latter is only offered in one body style, that means the Sports Series will come in seven different versions – giving potential buyers a similar array of choices they'd find if they went for a Porsche 911 or Audi R8. Pricing is similarly expected to target the upper end of the 911 range, landing somewhere between the 911 Turbo and 911 Turbo S, which sell for $152k and $184k, respectively, in the US. Even at the upper end of that range, that's still substantially less than the $265k starting price for the 650S. To make up the difference, the Sports Series will do without active aero and suspension, but will still employ a similar carbon monocoque chassis and 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – albeit de-tuned from upwards of 600 horsepower to somewhere in the 500-horse range. We'll have to sit tight and wait for more details, but the wait won't be long now as the McLaren Sports Series is set to debut at the New York Auto Show next month. News Source: Car and DriverImage Credit: McLaren New York Auto Show McLaren Convertible Coupe Supercars mclaren sports series

McLaren Sports Series plays in snow ahead of New York debut

For a relatively small automaker – in terms of output, at least – McLaren sure has had a lot of new product to showcase lately. And in typical style, it's not showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon. After presenting both the 675LT and the P1 GTR in Geneva, Woking is gearing up to unveil the new Sports Series at the New York Auto Show next month. But before it does, the British racing team turned supercar constructor has released this teaser video for its upcoming "entry level" range. Captured playing in the snow, this McLaren Sports Series prototype is still wearing heavy camouflage, but already shows early promise. Joining the Super Series (which includes the 650S and 675LT) and Ultimate Series (P1 and P1 GTR), the new Sports Series will be based on similar architecture – with a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 nestled in the middle of a carbon-fiber chassis – but with less power and a (relatively) more accessible price tag to go after the likes of the Porsche 911 GT3 and new Audi R8. We're looking forward to seeing the finished product in the flesh next week at the Javitz Center in Manhattan. News Source: McLaren via YouTube New York Auto Show McLaren Coupe Supercars 2015 ny auto show mclaren sports series