2020 Mclaren 570S

While McLaren terms the 570S as a sports car just below the stature of modern icons like the P1 and the Senna, its crazy performance numbers indicate that this sports car won’t just compete with the likes of the 911 or other sports cars. Instead, it challenges the very top of the pyramid, which includes rivals like the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R, the Audi R8 V10 Performance, and the Aston Martin DB11 V8. With the performance DNA of the McLaren family running deep within the 570S’s veins, the coveted supercar aims for the top.

The McLaren 570S keeps the buying process simple for the customers by only offering a single trim level for its coupe configuration. Buyers can also select the Spyder convertible configuration, which we will review in a separate article. There are also multiple packages available with the 570S Coupe. The Track package is a stellar option for buyers who want to enjoy the full performance gimmicks of the McLaren, as this package adds lightweight wheels, a sport-tuned exhaust, more carbon-fiber elements, and a telemetry system to record your sensational lap times. The Luxury package adds interior goodies like heated and power-adjustable front seats, and a 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system. A detailed showcase of all the features with the 2020 McLaren 570 is included below:

Which trim should you buy?

If you decided to splurge in all your fortune to acquire the 2020 McLaren 570S, you better bring home the supercar in style. With only a single trim on offer, the McLaren 570S is very easy to customize. To grab more eyeballs on the streets, we will be choosing one of the flashier paint jobs. Choose any one of the packages to avoid the sticker price from getting too exorbitant.

Powering the 2020 McLaren 570S is a potent 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine that looks to have originated straight out of a Formula 1 factory. This engine can satisfy your taste buds with its delicious horsepower of 562 hp and torque of 443 lb-ft. The coupe sports a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that reacts to all the instantaneous power shifts seamlessly.

The 570S’ lively V-8 engine is under the spotlight here, giving you a tireless performance to take down highways and streets alike with its blitzkrieg speed. Although this engine is a more tone-downed variant compared to the 600LT, you will be left clutching your seatbelts when you push down the accelerator. With its crazy power output, the McLaren 570S teleports from 0 to 60 MPH within a mere time span of 3.1 seconds. The 570S races the quarter-mile within a sensational 10.7 seconds as well. The supercar reaches its maximum potential at a freakish top speed of 204 MPH.

The Audi R8 V10 Performance annihilates every other supercar in its segment with its godly horsepower. In the torque charts, it is a different story though as the Audi falls behind the Mercedes-AMG GT R and the McLaren 570S. The McLaren 570S showcases its true prowess in the speed charts, however, it still falls short of the Audi R8 by a matter of milliseconds. Overall the McLaren is the best performer when it comes to track performance while the Audi is the fastest in straight lines. 

How well does the 2020 McLaren 570S handle?

McLaren designed the 570S with the sole purpose of making a supercar practical for real-life situations. That being said, only a select few cars in the world can match the sheer driving dynamics of the 570s. The engine, despite being designed for everyday driving, packs in enough power and acceleration to keep your neck and spine sore for a while. The 570S absolutely cruises like a menacing predator, zipping at insanely fast speeds without breaking a sweat. The intoxicating sound of the engine may be bothersome, but in our case, this sound made us crave more power and thrill. 

The incredibly accurate steering response is a boon as well, enabling you to play around with your supercar like there is no tomorrow. The McLaren 570S will never be regarded as a comfortable daily ride, but its sheer commitment to pure race track-oriented driving and its limitless treasure pool of performance makes this baby McLaren one of the most engaging supercars in the world, a one that evokes true emotion and adrenaline in the driver’s mind even more than some hardcore supercars.

2020 McLaren 570S Braking Performance

For a supercar like the McLaren 570S that burns its rubber on the racetrack every time it speeds up, braking is a paramount factor that judges its supercar-like abilities as well. Superior braking performance is incredibly important for a supercar, as it needs to stop its crazy momentum within the nick of time to stop itself from getting involved in any untoward mishap. When you step down the brake pedal of the McLaren 570S, there is an instant gush of confidence that will flow right through your face. McLaren extracts the full juice out of its carbon-ceramic braking system at high speeds. There is a hint of instability while squeezing the brake rotors at full force, which will likely only appeal to a few drivers. 

The McLaren 570S shows why it is important to maintain a fine balance between performance and braking, as it stops its momentum within the shortest 60-0 braking distance of 97 feet. This spec easily outclasses the Audi R8 and the Aston Martin DB11, and the McLaren 570S establishes its place among the fastest braking cars in the world. The Merc’s braking data isn’t available, but it certainly isn't beating McLaren’s sensational braking prowess any time of the day.

Supercar owners don’t usually expect any amazing fuel economy numbers from their superquick gas-guzzlers, as they usually have the fortune to afford the lavish fuel expenses. However, almost every supercar owner might want their flashy set-on-wheels to at least have a respectable fuel economy. Comparatively, the McLaren 570S returns an MPG of 15 while driving in the city and an MPG of 22 on the highway. This equates to a decent combined MPG of 18, which is still very economical by supercar standards. With its 19-gallon fuel tank capacity, the 570S can shell out 285 miles within the city and 418 miles on interstates.

The Aston Martin DB11 is the most fuel-efficient supercar in this comparison, offering some respite for drivers who want to enjoy the perks of driving a supercar over long distances thanks to its frugal MPG numbers and class-leading mileage. The McLaren 570S is more frugal compared to its Mercedes and Audi rivals, although be prepared to shell out a lot of fuel expenses for the McLaren as well.

The 2020 McLaren 570S is instantly recognizable as a true supercar when you catch a glimpse of its carbon-filled interiors. Carbon fiber is the key theme of the interiors, with a combination of Alcantara to add an upscale touch to the cabin. Every aspect of the interior including the cockpit displays, the gauge, the steering wheel, and the controls are oriented towards the driver, which conveys the emphasis on functionality very well. Despite the compact exterior dimensions, the interiors are surprisingly roomy and comfortable compared to most supercars. 

The leather-wrapped front seats feel very comfortable to be seated in, with decent adjustability features. The steering wheel is a masterpiece, urging you to grab it, push the throttle and then race the car ahead with the carbon-fiber shift paddles. These seats are low and offer impressive visibility of the road ahead. However, just like other supercars, the effects of weight reduction are detrimental, as the McLaren 570S hardly features any convenient storage options.

The McLaren 570S has the smallest trunk and interior dimensions compared to its competitors. To solve some of McLaren’s cargo space issues, the coupe sports a ‘frunk’ or front trunk to store extra baggage or two. The 570S is the only mid-engined car in this head-to-head, hence it sports low interior space. The Mercedes however, offers a much more luxurious travel experience. The 570S gets a bunch of interior goodies like:

• Front bucket seats with power adjustability
• Leather upholstery
• Carbon fiber interior trimmings
• Dual-zone climate control
• Available lightweight carbon-fiber seats
• Available heating functionality
• Available soft-close doors

What’s there to keep you entertained?

Your central display for all entertainment purposes is a standard 7-inch touchscreen that controls all aspects of the McLaren infotainment system, including navigation, audio, and communication. The display can be easily customized as per the driver’s taste but is unfortunately very slow to respond to touch feedback. The driver’s display is also digitized, relaying all the vehicle info in an eye-catching manner.

However, the climate controls and the sound system controls are a hassle to use because of the laggy infotainment interface. McLaren still provides 3 USB ports across the cabin to boost its connectivity. The optional 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkin audio system is an acoustic upgrade over the standard 4-speaker setup and the optional 8-speaker McLaren system, although most of the time you will be hearing the growl of the engine rather than the bass of the music. The tech features on offer include:

• 7-inch touchscreen
• Satellite navigation 
• DAB or SIRIUS radio
• Voice activation
• 4-speaker sound system
• 3 USB ports and AUX jack
• Bluetooth
• Optional 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkin audio

The 2020 McLaren 570S is composed of a carbon fiber monocle, which is a prerequisite to significantly reduce its overall weight. Just like other vibrant and visually stunning McLarens in its lineup, the 570S gives off a funky and dramatic appeal. This gives off a bold fashion statement, which in our opinion looks incredibly attractive. The McLaren 570S deserves to be the poster boy of countless automobile magazines with its dreamy exterior styling. The exposed engine bay and the dihedral doors emphasize the sensational aerodynamics of the coupe. 

The 570S Coupe is offered in two standard colors that are silver and blue while there are various color special, elite, and exclusive MSO defined color choices available. The silver ten-spoke cast alloy wheels add to the glamour of the ride and run on Pirelli P ZeroTM Corsa tires, which are a perfect fit for the aggressive nature of the 570S. There are also forged alloy wheels available to equip in the 570S Coupe. These include lightweight and super-lightweight options that further bring down the weight of the 570S. 

All these machines look impressive and have their own character and beauty. The McLaren 570S holds its place as the lightest supercar in its class, owing to its heavy usage of carbon fiber. The McLaren is also the smallest supercar in terms of width and height. The McLaren is also hosted at a lower ride height compared to any rival, hence we recommend equipping a vehicle lift to avoid any issues. The McLaren 570S distinguishes itself from other supercars with its eye-catching exterior features like:

• Full LED headlights with automatic headlight leveling
• Exposed engine bay
• Sport 10-Spoke cast alloy wheels
• Silver wheel finish
• Dihedral doors
• Pirelli P ZeroTM Corsa tires
• Silver ten-spoke cast alloy wheels
• Available vehicle lift

The McLaren 570S is composed of a high-strength carbon structure that pays dividends in reducing the car’s weight by a significant amount. Unfortunately, we don’t have the crash testing data of any safety agencies to back up the safety quotient of the McLaren 570S. The supercar hardly has any active safety features or driver assistance systems on board, in its efforts to keep its weight in check. The safety features on offer are:

• ABS
• Knee airbags
• Traction Control
• Dynamic Electronic Stability Control
• Hill-hold assist
• Cruise control
• Electronic parking brake

2020 McLaren 570S VS 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R

The Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R is the German automaker’s finest performance beast. focused solely on raw performance and track racing. The Mercedes-AMG packs in more power and torque under the hood, but the McLaren 570S clearly has the last laugh on the race track with its breathtaking speed figures, which are better than the Merc. The McLaren is also a more economical car to own, as it sports a better fuel economy than the Merc. The Merc has a more spacious cabin compared to the McLaren, with a plethora of technology inside catered towards performance driving. Overall, the Merc is the more affordable buy, but we certainly won’t mind splurging in extra to enjoy the sensational power offered by the baby McLaren.

2020 McLaren 570S VS 2020 Audi R8 V10 Performance

The Audi R8 V10 Performance is the perfect representation of the traditional supercar recipe. The Audi packs in a naturally aspirated V-10 under its hood compared to the turbocharged units found in most rivals including the McLaren. This turns out to be its winning formula, as the Audi provides the best power output and drag race times compared to the McLaren 570S as well as other adversaries. Unfortunately, Audi’s powerful engine is a much worse fuel-guzzler compared to McLaren. Both the Audi and the McLaren offer a unique perspective on performance-oriented driving, although the McLaren is the better braking supercar. The Audi also has a more practical cabin and trunk compared to the McLaren. Both the coupes are priced in a similar range but the winning baton has to be handed over to the stellar Audi.

2020 McLaren 570S VS 2020 Aston Martin DB11 V8

In a battle between these two established British supercars, it is the McLaren 570S that deals the first blow with its better horsepower and speed. The McLaren is also in a league of its own with its exceptional driving dynamics. Still, the Aston Martin DB11 is a much better cross-country driver thanks to its more spacious cabin and seats well-suited for long-distance travel. The DB11 also has a better seating capacity and a more usable trunk, although its rear seats are impractical for adults. The DB11 also offers a fuel economy that is one of the best standards in the supercar segment. For a more clear judgment, the McLaren is the choice to go for if you want to boost your adrenaline levels to an all-time high for those once-in-a-while joyrides. Meanwhile, the Aston Martin DB11 is better geared to zip past the continents than most supercars.

The new McLaren 570S is one of the finest creations by the esteemed British automaker, offering a thrilling performance sheet and practical everyday driving in a single package. Despite being the entry-level supercar of the McLaren lineup, the 570S is still one of its finest handling cars that can make every other competitor taste the dust if you do take it on the racetrack. With its eye-candy styling that pulls your heartstrings, the McLaren 570S also offers the same levels of emotions when you get a feel of its driver-focused cockpit. The McLaren 570S is one of the most radical and practical mid-engined supercars that you will find on the market.