McLaren 570S: review

Obviously you can’t expect much, so this car has aluminium instead of composite, like the 650S, there’s no active aerodynamic package and there’s an absence of linked hydraulics in the suspension set-up. There’s the same 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 but 30% of the internals are new, giving 562bhp.

That’s fitted into the middle of a carbonfibre tub, the whole being fractionally bigger than a 650S.

So what is it like, this basic sports car? It’s fantastic. It poured with rain for our test, yet in such circumstances the 570S shone.

Steering – perfectly weighted, lots of feedback, measured. Handling – really rewarding, impeccable. Ride – surprisingly compliant and relaxing. All of this in something where you can drive it fast and accurately on the road or you can disengage the stability control and bring the back out on the track.

And then bring it back in again without even breaking a sweat.

This is a truly remarkable sports car. It has that McLaren feel of being superlative but also slightly clinical in its delivery, so that even a Germanic take on it, like the Audi R8 with the V10, feels more of an event, but this is still a mighty machine that will continue the statistical trend that shows that McLaren drivers use their cars more than many other supercar drivers. Sorry, sports car drivers.

McLaren 570S coupé

On sale: Now

Price: £143,250

Engine: V8, 3799cc, twin-turbocharged petrol

Power: 562bhp at 7400rpm

Torque: 443lb ft at 5000-6500rpm

Gearbox: 7-spd dual-clutch auto

Kerb weight: 1313kg

Top speed: 204mph

0-60mph: 3.1sec

Economy: 26.6mpg

CO2/tax band: 249g/km, 37%