Friday 13th March 2015

More McLaren Sports Series details

McLaren boss confirms both C and S versions, a third bodystyle and priced against 911 Turbo. Full spec soon!

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We'll be seeing the McLaren Sports Series very soon - its official debut is at the New York motor show later this month. But, if you can't wait that long, we're able to bring you some more details about it now.

Expect a 625C-aping 'base' model...

Following a conversation with Mike Flewitt McLaren Automotive CEO at the Geneva show, we can confirm most of what has been previously suggested. As reported, the Sports Series will use a revised version of McLaren's MonoCell carbon fibre tub, and be powered by a slightly downtuned version of the familiar twin-turbocharged V8 engine and seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox. It will have dihedral doors (McLaren speak for upward-opening), and it will be priced - depending on market territory - somewhere between the Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S. Or between £120,000 and £140,000.

But then it gets more interesting. Flewitt confirmed that, as with the 625C/ 650S/ 675LT - which we're now to refer to as the 'Super Series' - McLaren will be selling several different variants. From launch there will be a basic 'C' and a more powerful 'S' version of the Sports Series, and although Flewitt wouldn't give specific power outputs, he did say that both would "start with a five". Place your bets now on the final numbers...

... plus a Sports Series Spider too

"The C model will still be an absolutely complete car in terms of technology," he said, "but the S becomes almost our ideal specification - more power, more focus and so on."

The Sports Series will launch as a coupe, and a roadster has to be inevitable given the dynamics of the global sports car market, but beyond that there will be a third variant. "There will be more than two body styles," Flewitt told us, "if you think of the Super Series we've got the 650S Coupe, the 650S Spider and the 675 Long Tail."

Which, although he didn't actually tip us a comedy wink, we're taking as confirmation we can expect to see a 'Long Tail' version of the Sports Series as well, which we believe - based on previous digging - will be a grand touring version of the car with a bigger luggage compartment positioned behind its mid-mounted engine.

So what will the Sports Series not have? We're pretty certain that it won't have a rear wing with the scale of movement of the Super Series, and we think it also misses out on the more expensive car's adaptive suspension.

A Long Tail should feature at some point as well

"The 650S will remain the premium product of the two," insists Flewitt, "it's faster on the road, faster on the track, has more advanced suspension and more advanced aerodynamics. It is a senior car to the Sports Series and that will carry on. I'm not saying there won't be any cannibalisation, but it will be a small overlap."

We'll have full details soon, but the prospect of a sports car with a carbon chassis, a V8 engine and a McLaren badge priced hard against the Audi R8, Aston V12 Vantage S and the 911 Turbo does look set to dramatically alter the dynamics of this part of the market.

[Monty Python]

Can't McLaren show a bit of creativity and give these cars proper names?

[p1stonhead]

They just have a million versions of the same car.

Change it up Mclaren!

[exceed]

Works for Koenigsegg guys, McLaren just wised up to their game!

Should be an interesting car when it comes out, McLaren wouldn't let me on their stand when I was at Geneva. I was asked to show the keys to my cars, I was like which one, the rolls, the bentleys, or the maserati.

Shocking to have Ferrari treatment for a low volume British based company.

Shame as I was interested in the 675LT or the 650S...

[QuattroDave]

Here here, they've gotta get more creative with their names.

Perhaps they should take inspiration from their direct competition, just look at the creative names that Porsche come up with:

911 Carrera
911 Carrera S
911 Carrera GTS
911 Carrera 4
911 Carrera 4S
911 Carrera 4GTS
911 Targa.....
911 turbo .....
911 GT3 & 911 GT3 RS

Or maybe look to Ferrari:
458
458 A
458 Speciale

FXX
FXX K

They're all as bad as each other so lets not single out McLaren for abuse.

Only Lamborghini bother to give us feisty supercar worthy names.

[loudlashadjuster]

Has there ever been a more botched and half-arsed process for naming a company's products?

[Blayney]

525c and 550s

with a 575 gtr when it gets beaten by Porsche like the P1.

Why didn't they just not announce it until New York? All this teasing rubbish has bored me. I don't really care what the car is like now...

I have the feeling it is just going to look like a "super series" light anyway.

[MrTappets]

So it'll be called the 550S and then the Porsche will beat it and the week after it'll be called the 570S, and then some Ferrari will dust it and within a fortnight of being launched it'll be called the 595S.

Sort of feel a V6 would have been a nice way to differentiate the Sports Series from the Super Series too. How hard is it to turn a V8 into a V6? Jag seems to manage it.

[lasvegas1966]

too many similar variants, not enough body difference / performance . oh, and look where your race cars are........... maybe a little less time satisfying every single corner of the sports market, and a bit more focus on the race business. they are at a crossroads, right now. they need to decide where the priority for 'mclaren inc' is. is it a car company going racing, or a race car business making the odd road car. all this has added problems to 'mclaren inc' at the track. shame, the 650 is essentially a brilliant car, as is the mp4, as is the p1. but 29 versions of a 650 does not a grand prix win.

[scarecrow]

I think McLaren are being very clever by building up a range of cars with shared components and engines.

Once the above is exhausted and the resulting revenue is in the range will be expanded.

Lets hope a circa 50K sportster comes along.

[suffolk009]

scarecrow said:

I think McLaren are being very clever by building up a range of cars with shared components and engines.

Once the above is exhausted and the resulting revenue is in the range will be expanded.

Lets hope a circa 50K sportster comes along.

50k for a four cylinder, turbo charged, Elise sized roadster. Oh, yes please.

Porsche seem to be doing rather well in that price range at the moment.

[365daytonafan]

Monty Python said:

Can't McLaren show a bit of creativity and give these cars proper names?

Then they would leave the naming to Ron Dennis who probably would call this the Mclaren Sub Optimal Engineering Enhanced Affordability Variant.

[p1stonhead]

suffolk009 said:

scarecrow said:

I think McLaren are being very clever by building up a range of cars with shared components and engines.

Once the above is exhausted and the resulting revenue is in the range will be expanded.

Lets hope a circa 50K sportster comes along.

50k for a four cylinder, turbo charged, Elise sized roadster. Oh, yes please.

Porsche seem to be doing rather well in that price range at the moment.

Id imagine McLaren see themselves as much higher end than that. Wouldnt they want to stick to the £100k+ sector?

[StottyEvo]

This is far, far more confusing than it needs to be.

I've fathomed that they are releasing a cheaper car? I thought the sports series was a racing event It certainly sounds like one. A racing event for Mclaren owners.

[Fetchez la vache]

"third bodystyle"?
Pah, I thought they might make an estate

[ManFromDelmonte]

I already know what the power outputs will be so neeeeerrr

[Overhaul]

Booooooooooooooorrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnngggg

[mr_fibuli]

So same engine, gearbox and carbon chassis as a 650s? How/why is this £80k cheaper? That's a lot of de-tuning!

[Civpilot]

McLaren Automotive shared this on Facebook this morning...



Probably the only 'clear' photo so far

[Leggy]

I don't give a stuff what they call them, they look fine to me.
Will never afford one but hope they sells loads, good for the economy.

[threespires]

So many negative waves.....

Well done McLaren for introducing a range of exciting cars, creating jobs and high value exports to help our economy.