McLaren 570S/540C pricing revealed

The leap from an Audi R8 or Mercedes-AMG GT to a McLaren just became smaller following the release of the 540C priced from $350,000.

The new ‘baby Mac’ costs around $50K more than an AMG GT or V8-engined R8, yet it undercuts a Ferrari California T by about the same amount. It also matches a Porsche 911 Turbo.

The 540C is the range opener in a new McLaren Automotive Sports Series line-up due to launch early next year.

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With a 1311kg kerb weight and 397kW/540Nm from a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, the entry car can still get to 100km/h in 3.5 seconds and on (tally-ho!) to 200km/h in 10.5sec.

That time to the ton is three-tenths faster than an AMG GT, three-tenths slower than a 911 Turbo and a match for the last of the line R8 V10 Plus.

It’ll take buying the McLaren 570S to match the Porker’s turn of speed thanks to an uprated 419kW/600Nm and scales that move up by only 2kg compared with the entry car.

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Priced at $408,000, the 570S shifts towards $444,900 911 Turbo S territory. It also slightly undercuts the $428,000 Lamborghini Huracan, which also does the 100km/h sprint in an identical 3.2sec.

There now isn’t a huge jump to the McLaren Sport Series range that consists of the 650S coupe ($459,250) and Spider ($505,750).

Both get even more grunt (474kW/678Nm) from essentially the same engine and lower the 100km/h time to 3.0sec flat – a match for 911 Turbo S.

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You’ll need $616,250 for the real Mac Daddy, the 675LT that even exceeds the $550,000 Ferrari 458 Speciale and does a 200km/h sprint in an astonishing 7.9sec (watch it at the limit here).

With the new entry McLaren models, though, it’s all about closing the gap – for those buyers who are in between R8 or AMG GT, and Huracan or 458 Italia, there is now another answer beyond Porsche 911.