First of all, let’s get one thing straight: I’m not much of a supercar superfan. This is mainly due to the unattainability that comes with the class – the excess performance unusable on UK roads slightly puts me off too. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly admire a fair few supercars, but as a petrolhead I don’t put them on a pedestal unlike some. Recently however, I must admit I’ve been down a particularly McLaren-centric rabbit hole and, well, it’s not the first time.
I’ve not always had such an infatuation for McLaren though. For quite some time I was rather the opposite and really had little to no interest in the British brand whatsoever. So, what turned it around: how and why did my interest for McLaren somewhat skyrocket?
Let’s go back and talk about the MP4-12C – McLaren’s first production road car since the F1 and the first new McLaren of my lifetime. It arrived in 2011 and, back then, many supercars would often go over my head unless they properly caught my attention.
I didn’t really take notice of the 12C (as it was later known), especially considering the Ferrari 458 was taking centre stage around the same time. Compared to the 458, the turbocharged MP4-12C was the more clinical car. Sure, it’s undeniably rapid, but in my mind, the model always appeared as if it didn’t quite possess the flare, personality and driver-focus for me to be drawn to it. I must admit, I’ve never driven one, but Clarkson will back me up.
Following on, McLaren came out with the 650S in 2014. Both the 650S and the subsequent 675LT of 2015, though feature many new and reworked parts, are based on the 12C, so didn’t particularly provoke any feeling of intrigue for me personally. They flew under my radar – though that isn’t the case now – and, therefore, so did McLaren as a manufacturer.
In 2015, the Surrey-based brand also came out with the 570S, lesser-powered 540C and, the following year, the slightly more relaxed and practical 570GT – all members of its ‘Sports Series’ line of cars. Then, for 2017, McLaren launched the 720S – an all-new replacement for the 650S and the next flagship ‘Super Series’ model. In case you were unaware, the Sports Series consists of ‘entry-level’ (for McLaren) cars, whereas the Super Series sits above. Its models are faster, as well as pricier.
Around here is the turning point for me. Not as soon as these models were released, but not too long after. Let’s start with the Sports Series cars. While they may make use of the same 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 featured in the 12C, 650S and 675LT, they’re more analogue cars. Like the series’ name suggests, better follow the definition of a sports car than a supercar, despite displaying the figures of the latter.
To me, the difference between a sports car and a supercar transcend purely horsepower numbers and 0-60mph times. I see the perfect sports car as something fast yet very driver-oriented, focused on being balanced, sharp and smile-inducing on a twisty road or racetrack. A supercar, on the other hand, is more flashy and perhaps prioritises speed more than sweet sports car handling and driving fun.
With that out the way, here are a couple reasons why I like the Sports Series range of McLarens. Firstly, they’re all very light – the 570S, for example, weighs in at 1311kg (dry weight), which isn’t much at all for a modern V8-powered car. McLaren uses lightweight materials when building its supercars and notably makes use of lightweight carbon tubs in its cars.
You see, there are tons of benefits to cars being light and that’s across the board, from straight-line speed and acceleration to cornering ability and even fuel economy. As I mentioned, the 570S packs a V8. That being said, it still weighs less than its main competition, namely the Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8. With such little weight to move, as well as a compact size, the Sports Series cars – all of which are based on the 570S – are amazingly agile and razor sharp to drive.
And this time I can somewhat verify that, as well as the following, due to the fact I’ve briefly driven a 570S Spider while on a driving experience day.
Next is the steering which, unlike many modern cars, gets old-fashioned hydraulic assistance rather than electric. This means the direct steering is nicely weighted and you get good feedback from the wheel.
Lastly, before we move on, I’ll quickly mention styling. In my personal opinion, the Sports Series range all look very cool and really sleek. The track-focused 600LT leans more toward function over form in its design, so doesn’t look quite as clean in my opinion – still great though.
Due to the points made above, my initial interest in the 570S, 570GT and 540C had definitely resulted in a positive outlook on them . This outcome and intrigue then transferred into the rest of the McLaren brand and drew me into researching what else it had to offer.
The 720S – this is a car which, in my personal opinion, is one of the best-looking supercars ever made. Honestly. It just looks so low, wide and aggressive yet elegant, especially from a rear three-quarter view.
Not only that, it’s 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 produces 710bhp aids a 0-60mph time of only 2.8 seconds, meaning it’s mega quick – even more so than the already rapid Sports Series cars.
The 765LT, like the 600LT, doesn’t interest me quite as much, due to an even more ridiculous higher price tag and racy exterior parts that slightly mess up the car’s otherwise effortlessly clean look. Though, that being said, the 720S and its Spider counterpart, do very much have my attention.
And that brings us to today, a time when my appreciation for McLaren’s is at quite a high level, I must say. It’s not my favourite manufacturer and sure, my previous comments on supercars still apply, but once I started taking notice of the brand’s cars and their driver-focus, elegant looks and insane performance, I’ve not stopped. I have since, as previously mentioned, fallen down quite a few McLaren-centric rabbit holes and am reminded of how the car company roped me in in the first place.
I’ll admit, a McLaren might not have as much flare or charisma as a Ferrari or Lamborghini, and perhaps not possess the cool of an Aston Martin. I could go on with these petty comparisons, but who cares? From what I can see, McLarens, especially in the more analogue Sports Series range (in my opinion), are all about the driver and the pure, exhilarating experience of driving a high-performance supercar – and that, I love.
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