McLaren expands its supercar selection
British supercar manufacturer McLaren has unveiled its newest offering at the Shanghai Auto Show, the 540C, which alongside the 570S rounds out its "Sports Series." It's also the company's most affordable supercar to date, with McLaren confirming a starting price of $165,000.
McLaren's fleet is now comprised of three model series: Sports, Super and Ultimate.
In the Sports Series category, the 540C joins the 570C, unveiled a few days earlier in New York, whose twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V8 produces 562hp, capable of hitting 62mph in 3.2s and topping out at 204mph. The entry-level 540C's twin-turbocharged V8 produces 533hp and is capable of reaching 199mph, the first 62 of which it'll attain in just 3.5s. It is already available for purchase, though delivery of the vehicles won't begin until early 2016. Both of these cars share the same carbon fiber chassis.
Three price and performance levels
The Super Series includes a model first presented at the Geneva International Motor Show in 2015, the 675LT, capable of reaching 62mph in a claimed 2.9s thanks to its 666hp twin-turbocharged V8. The company announced that it will limit production to 500 units with a starting price of $349,500. The 650S, in coupe and spider form, both of which were presented in Geneva in 2014, complete the Super Series. While the 650S's design is clearly inspired by the P1, its performance more closely resembles that of the 12C, its 3.8-liter V8 producing 641hp and racing to 62mph in 3s.
Finally, the Ultimate Series includes the spectacular P1 and its track-only version, the P1 GTR. The McLaren P1, first presented at the Paris Auto Show in 2012 before making its debut in its definitive hybrid version the following year in Geneva, is the flagship of the McLaren catalogue. Its technology amazes, pairing a 3.8-liter 727hp V8 with a 177hp electric motor capable of reaching a top speed of 217mph, and featuring hydro-pneumatic suspension, electro-hydraulically assisted steering, and even a rear wing that extends almost 12 inches. All 375 of the million-dollar plus supercar have already been sold. In 2015, McLaren followed with the P1 GTR, the most powerful supercar it has ever produced. It surpassed the 1000hp mark, cost close to $3 million, and was only offered to customers who had already purchased the road-legal P1.
The Shanghai Auto Show is open to the public April 22-29: autoshanghai.org.
