So tell me again, what is the point of the 540C?

[Lee Jones Jnr]

SELON said:

JohnG123 said:

I love this car and it’s more than quick enough for me on UK roads.

I sold my 2013 Ferrari 458 spider with 18,000 miles on back to a Ferrari dealer in Leeds.

Was missing having a special weekend toy so I started to look at McLarens again.

I purchased this 2016 540C with 15,000 miles on and with a 2 year Mclaren warranty for around half the funds I received for the 458.....

Do I miss the Ferrari.... no and I have had three, there is just something about these cars and now I am hooked.......

I think the OP main issue is there’s no significant price differential to the 570 on the used market.

Let’s face it 540hp in a car that weighs as little as the 540 is far more than enough. I think it only does 199mph and 0-100 in 7 seconds?

I am looking at used as I’m too poor to buy new but I meant new really. The difference even if paying list was only £11k or £12k IIRC. If the 540C has come first and then an improved version was released I suppose it would make more sense. As people have mentioned it’s an incredibly fast car and it looks great, but why was it brought into the lineup?

[Buzz84]

They made a 625c as well, that was specifically for Asian markets as it was what they were asking for. It was never confirmed but the rumor was it was related to tax and/or power limits in the countries it was available.

https://www.wired.com/2014/10/mclaren-625c-asian-m...

Maybe the 540c was built for the same reasons. Maybe there had been interest in the 625c in other markets so in this case they didn't restricted the 540c to just the Asian market like the 625c was.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

Buzz84 said:

They made a 625c as well, that was specifically for Asian markets as it was what they were asking for. It was never confirmed but the rumor was it was related to tax and/or power limits in the countries it was available.

https://www.wired.com/2014/10/mclaren-625c-asian-m...

Maybe the 540c was built for the same reasons. Maybe there had been interest in the 625c in other markets so in this case they didn't restricted the 540c to just the Asian market like the 625c was.

Sounds like a likely reason for it to exist, just an odd decision to bring it to the UK market

Edited by Lee Jones Jnr on Saturday 9th May 01:19

[crimbo]

That's what mclaren Manchester told me too, it wasn't meant for the UK but there was demand so they sold it

With the cost of replacement brakes it maybe a great option for people with a smaller budget

[Matty3]

JohnG123 said:

I love this car and it’s more than quick enough for me on UK roads.

I sold my 2013 Ferrari 458 spider with 18,000 miles on back to a Ferrari dealer in Leeds.

Was missing having a special weekend toy so I started to look at McLarens again.

I purchased this 2016 540C with 15,000 miles on and with a 2 year Mclaren warranty for around half the funds I received for the 458.....

Do I miss the Ferrari.... no and I have had three, there is just something about these cars and now I am hooked.......

All the Sport Series Macs are superb cars

[indapendentlee]

The reason for it, as far as I understand, was to give McLaren a "from" price of £126k for the Sports Series as the 570S was like £145k. JLR are absolute specialists at it.

I think it sold more than they expected as it really was the value product in the lineup. Much closer to the 570S than the Non-Plus R8 was to the V10 Plus for example.

[SELON]

Lee Jones Jnr said:

I am looking at used as I’m too poor to buy new but I meant new really. The difference even if paying list was only £11k or £12k IIRC. If the 540C has come first and then an improved version was released I suppose it would make more sense. As people have mentioned it’s an incredibly fast car and it looks great, but why was it brought into the lineup?

Gotcha. I think others have answered that question now. Although there doesn’t seem to be obvious, big difference in the used car prices to the 570. As others have said, the Sports Series are excellent cars to drive.

[IMI A]

MAC 720S said:

IMI A said:

There was a lady driving one of these silver coupe on the A414 to Hatfield a few days ago. I've never seen one on the road close up its much bigger footprint than you think. Dwarfed me. Looked an out and out supercar. I don't think they photo well always. On the move it looked brill I was really surprised by the road presence. Silver really suits Mcls.

They are slightly smaller than the 720S, very slightly.

720s steals the sport series thunder. Good looking car though sport series. Think its ageing very well. Was surprised how nice the one I saw on the road looked. Driver not too shabby either understatement of the year.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

IMI A said:

720s steals the sport series thunder. Good looking car though sport series. Think its ageing very well. Was surprised how nice the one I saw on the road looked. Driver not too shabby either understatement of the year.

I don't think anyone has any issue with there being more than one car in a manufacturers lineup.

[IMI A]

Lee Jones Jnr said:

IMI A said:

720s steals the sport series thunder. Good looking car though sport series. Think its ageing very well. Was surprised how nice the one I saw on the road looked. Driver not too shabby either understatement of the year.

I don't think anyone has any issue with there being more than one car in a manufacturers lineup.

Who's saying that? Its a compliment to the 720s that it makes the sport series almost look invisible. And so it should as the next level up. Just hadn't appreciated how nice the sport series in its most basic form is.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

IMI A said:

Lee Jones Jnr said:

IMI A said:

720s steals the sport series thunder. Good looking car though sport series. Think its ageing very well. Was surprised how nice the one I saw on the road looked. Driver not too shabby either understatement of the year.

I don't think anyone has any issue with there being more than one car in a manufacturers lineup.

Who's saying that? Its a compliment to the 720s that it makes the sport series almost look invisible. And so it should as the next level up. Just hadn't appreciated how nice the sport series in its most basic form is.

Bizarre.

[macdeb]

JohnG123 said:

just look at it ................ enough said..........

Stunning, I wouldn't say no.

[the av8er]

When new , I thinks there is a good point in offering the 540 because it gives the same looks and feel for just a big enough saving
However, on the used market the price gap almost disappears ! Making it a hard sell. Therefore when looking on the used market the original question makes sense.

[The Surveyor]

... that's like asking what's the point of the Porsche 911 Turbo when there is the 911 Turbo S, or the Audi R8 V10 when there is the V10 plus.

McLaren launched the Sports Series into the same segment as the V10 R8 and the Turbo, I would have been more surprised if their range didn't offer a variant to compete with both the standard car and Plus / S cars from their competitors. Think of the 570s as being the Turbo S / R8 Plus competitor and the 540c as being the Turbo / R8 variant.

[MKA29]

The Surveyor said:

... that's like asking what's the point of the Porsche 911 Turbo when there is the 911 Turbo S, or the Audi R8 V10 when there is the V10 plus.

McLaren launched the Sports Series into the same segment as the V10 R8 and the Turbo, I would have been more surprised if their range didn't offer a variant to compete with both the standard car and Plus / S cars from their competitors. Think of the 570s as being the Turbo S / R8 Plus competitor and the 540c as being the Turbo / R8 variant.

Yes, what is the point of them? On the used market now the lines are blurred to the point prices don't really differentiate the two sport series models.

If the 540C was released first, that would make sense as the 570s would essentially be a power upgrade model.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

The Surveyor said:

... that's like asking what's the point of the Porsche 911 Turbo when there is the 911 Turbo S, or the Audi R8 V10 when there is the V10 plus.

McLaren launched the Sports Series into the same segment as the V10 R8 and the Turbo, I would have been more surprised if their range didn't offer a variant to compete with both the standard car and Plus / S cars from their competitors. Think of the 570s as being the Turbo S / R8 Plus competitor and the 540c as being the Turbo / R8 variant.

No it is quite different. Both the R8 V10 and 911 Turbo came before the other car.
I'm not sure that there are many instances (there are bound to be some but they will be massively in the minority) when a car was launched and then at a later date a lesser version of the same car was launched with a minimal price drop.
A 570 is not a 'better 540', a 540 is a 'lesser 570'.

[IMI A]

Lee Jones Jnr said:

The Surveyor said:

... that's like asking what's the point of the Porsche 911 Turbo when there is the 911 Turbo S, or the Audi R8 V10 when there is the V10 plus.

McLaren launched the Sports Series into the same segment as the V10 R8 and the Turbo, I would have been more surprised if their range didn't offer a variant to compete with both the standard car and Plus / S cars from their competitors. Think of the 570s as being the Turbo S / R8 Plus competitor and the 540c as being the Turbo / R8 variant.

No it is quite different. Both the R8 V10 and 911 Turbo came before the other car.
I'm not sure that there are many instances (there are bound to be some but they will be massively in the minority) when a car was launched and then at a later date a lesser version of the same car was launched with a minimal price drop.
A 570 is not a 'better 540', a 540 is a 'lesser 570'.

Thats what all manufacturers have started doing nowadays. The new 992 turbo s is being launched before VFM 992 turbo. Its basically an options package with slight power hike. Options make it the go to package. Think Porsche realise pointless releasing 992 turbo first as everyone wants the S nowadays.

[The Surveyor]

Lee Jones Jnr said:

The Surveyor said:

... that's like asking what's the point of the Porsche 911 Turbo when there is the 911 Turbo S, or the Audi R8 V10 when there is the V10 plus.

McLaren launched the Sports Series into the same segment as the V10 R8 and the Turbo, I would have been more surprised if their range didn't offer a variant to compete with both the standard car and Plus / S cars from their competitors. Think of the 570s as being the Turbo S / R8 Plus competitor and the 540c as being the Turbo / R8 variant.

No it is quite different. Both the R8 V10 and 911 Turbo came before the other car.
I'm not sure that there are many instances (there are bound to be some but they will be massively in the minority) when a car was launched and then at a later date a lesser version of the same car was launched with a minimal price drop.

So your beef with the 540c is simply that they launched them both together rather than a few months apart, rather than any confusion over the concept of each cars position in the Sports Series model line-up hierarchy

[Lee Jones Jnr]

The Surveyor said:

Lee Jones Jnr said:

The Surveyor said:

... that's like asking what's the point of the Porsche 911 Turbo when there is the 911 Turbo S, or the Audi R8 V10 when there is the V10 plus.

McLaren launched the Sports Series into the same segment as the V10 R8 and the Turbo, I would have been more surprised if their range didn't offer a variant to compete with both the standard car and Plus / S cars from their competitors. Think of the 570s as being the Turbo S / R8 Plus competitor and the 540c as being the Turbo / R8 variant.

No it is quite different. Both the R8 V10 and 911 Turbo came before the other car.
I'm not sure that there are many instances (there are bound to be some but they will be massively in the minority) when a car was launched and then at a later date a lesser version of the same car was launched with a minimal price drop.

So your beef with the 540c is simply that they launched them both together rather than a few months apart, rather than any confusion over the concept of each cars position in the Sports Series model line-up hierarchy

I don’t have a ‘beef’ with a car, it neither upsets me nor angers me, I just don’t know who it is for that wouldn’t have just bought a 570s.
I don’t believe they were launched together, the 570 was followed by the 540. As I and others have already said, launching a car followed by a better version is the way one would expect these cars to have been released, but even then they are so similar that I’d expect one to replace the other rather than sit alongside.

[Palmball]

Not sure why this is so hard to understand; it's fairly typical for manufacturers to launch the better versions of their cars in the first instance before rolling out the cheaper versions as they chase incremental buyers. Contrary to what has been stated above on the R8 and 911 examples....

The R8 V10 Plus was launched first in 2015, with the standard R8 V10 launched in early 2016

The 992 Turbo S has just been launched first, with the standard Turbo still to come later in the year (and I think it was the same with the 991)

And a couple of others that spring to mind; Aston Martin launched the DB11 V12 before the V8 and Mercedes launched the AMG GT S before the standard AMG GT.