McLaren 570S's At Millbrook
Discussion
Well thanks to a fantastic morning at Millbrook with McLaren in the 570S, i'm now if anything going backwards in my decision making process.
After a 20min accompanied test drive around unfamiliar roads a few weeks back, the 570S really didn't light me up, however taking it round Millbrook & getting some hot PAX laps with a Pro Driver & seeing every colour in the sunlight, i'm now back to being Mr Undecided.
Bottom line is out of the 3 cars the 570S is by far the closest to a Supercar & would comfortably (as has happened in the motoring press) take the title of best Sports Car, however that does mean it's certainly more raw than the R8 & 911 & that may become an issue for more mundane tasks such as a long commute.
The Turbo S is certainly the quickest off the line but on the mile straight in the 570S without LC we hit 175mph on the dash & that included braking to 50mph before the end of the straight, so once rolling it piles the speed on a ludicrous rate. Did feel slower than the Turbo S but the dash was telling me perhaps not that much slower. The driving position is out & out racing car & a significant step up from even the higher value Mk1 McL's such as the 12C & 650S as the 570S has a totally new chassis & carbon tub that McL appear to refer to as Version 2.
You 100% feel like you're in a Sports Car when driving the McL which isn't something i really felt in the Porsche or R8 as these were more very Sporty very fast cars.
To try an explanation in numbers, my M5 is say 50% luxury cruiser & 50% performance car (i'd bestow a similar figure to the RS6's & the like), the 991 Turbo S is 30% luxury cruiser, 30% performance car & 40% sports car. The R8 V10+ is 20% luxury cruiser, 50% performance car & 30% sports car with the 570S being 10% luxury cruiser, 20% performance car & 70% sports car. This as daft as it sounds makes the decision tough as it's a true Sports car i want which would point straight at the McL, however that itself in these cars would offer up some significant compromises that i may not be able to live with. If i wanted the very best all rounder the Turbo S would win by a country mile, but the R8 offered up an aural experience i was shocked by & that stirred senses neither the Porsche or the McL did.
All that said, the 570S made me feel like a racing driver (sorry for the poor description) & you felt like you were driving something very special. It's on track ability was out of this world & don't tell any owners of the McL Supercar range, but during a McL event in Sepang, the 570s was quicker on track than the 675LT in the hands of all the Pro drivers which let's be honest is quite some accomplishment & perhaps supports McL's Marketing tag line of the 570S being a game changer.
Going to try to encourage my local OPC to book me onto the Porsche Experience at Silverstone ahead of ordering as i feel i need to see/drive the Turbo S closer to it's limits in the same way the 570S presented itself today. My hope when i left for Millbrook this morning was that my decision would be made & a Turbo S order would be being completed in the next few days but sadly for somewhat unexpected reasons i'm more undecided now that i was this morning.
Saw a 570GT in disguise going through a shakedown round the bowl.
After a 20min accompanied test drive around unfamiliar roads a few weeks back, the 570S really didn't light me up, however taking it round Millbrook & getting some hot PAX laps with a Pro Driver & seeing every colour in the sunlight, i'm now back to being Mr Undecided.
Bottom line is out of the 3 cars the 570S is by far the closest to a Supercar & would comfortably (as has happened in the motoring press) take the title of best Sports Car, however that does mean it's certainly more raw than the R8 & 911 & that may become an issue for more mundane tasks such as a long commute.
The Turbo S is certainly the quickest off the line but on the mile straight in the 570S without LC we hit 175mph on the dash & that included braking to 50mph before the end of the straight, so once rolling it piles the speed on a ludicrous rate. Did feel slower than the Turbo S but the dash was telling me perhaps not that much slower. The driving position is out & out racing car & a significant step up from even the higher value Mk1 McL's such as the 12C & 650S as the 570S has a totally new chassis & carbon tub that McL appear to refer to as Version 2.
You 100% feel like you're in a Sports Car when driving the McL which isn't something i really felt in the Porsche or R8 as these were more very Sporty very fast cars.
To try an explanation in numbers, my M5 is say 50% luxury cruiser & 50% performance car (i'd bestow a similar figure to the RS6's & the like), the 991 Turbo S is 30% luxury cruiser, 30% performance car & 40% sports car. The R8 V10+ is 20% luxury cruiser, 50% performance car & 30% sports car with the 570S being 10% luxury cruiser, 20% performance car & 70% sports car. This as daft as it sounds makes the decision tough as it's a true Sports car i want which would point straight at the McL, however that itself in these cars would offer up some significant compromises that i may not be able to live with. If i wanted the very best all rounder the Turbo S would win by a country mile, but the R8 offered up an aural experience i was shocked by & that stirred senses neither the Porsche or the McL did.
All that said, the 570S made me feel like a racing driver (sorry for the poor description) & you felt like you were driving something very special. It's on track ability was out of this world & don't tell any owners of the McL Supercar range, but during a McL event in Sepang, the 570s was quicker on track than the 675LT in the hands of all the Pro drivers which let's be honest is quite some accomplishment & perhaps supports McL's Marketing tag line of the 570S being a game changer.
Going to try to encourage my local OPC to book me onto the Porsche Experience at Silverstone ahead of ordering as i feel i need to see/drive the Turbo S closer to it's limits in the same way the 570S presented itself today. My hope when i left for Millbrook this morning was that my decision would be made & a Turbo S order would be being completed in the next few days but sadly for somewhat unexpected reasons i'm more undecided now that i was this morning.
Saw a 570GT in disguise going through a shakedown round the bowl.
Definitely get the 570S, it has charisma and street appeal in spades and if it made you feel like a racing driver then job done, surely?
Guess what people will flock to look at if you turn up to a typical breakfast club meet with a 570S and a 991 Turbo S? Yep, that would be the Macca
Raise the doors and they'll come running up. The Turbo S won't raise as much as an eyebrow.
The Porsche Experience at Silverstone isn't much chop. It was thrown in with my purchase of a 981 GTS and I took up their offer 12 months later. To say it was all nanny hand-holding is an understatement, and you'll be lucky to crack 90mph on their tiny little 'circuit' let alone 175. You'll spend most of your time stuck behind Chelsea mums in their Macan Turbos with PCCB's doing 55mph, haha!
Only when I tracked the Boxster over a full weekend at Castle Coombe including pro tuition did I realise the superb dynamics of the car and its sheer pace and phenomenal brakes.
Guess what people will flock to look at if you turn up to a typical breakfast club meet with a 570S and a 991 Turbo S? Yep, that would be the Macca
Raise the doors and they'll come running up. The Turbo S won't raise as much as an eyebrow.The Porsche Experience at Silverstone isn't much chop. It was thrown in with my purchase of a 981 GTS and I took up their offer 12 months later. To say it was all nanny hand-holding is an understatement, and you'll be lucky to crack 90mph on their tiny little 'circuit' let alone 175. You'll spend most of your time stuck behind Chelsea mums in their Macan Turbos with PCCB's doing 55mph, haha!
Only when I tracked the Boxster over a full weekend at Castle Coombe including pro tuition did I realise the superb dynamics of the car and its sheer pace and phenomenal brakes.
Edited by koorby on Wednesday 13th April 21:13
Yes W8PMC, I was there in the PM yesterday and this gets more interesting having driven the 570S.
I think its definitely faster than the 650S I drove at Dunsfold although I didn't quite manage 175 on the mile straight as those cones towards the end become quite scary at 160 +.
It's more user friendly yes and some nice practical touches like no Park position just D and R etc.
As you are looking for long commute comfort and coming from an M5 I think you should try and get an R8 test drive, maybe they will offer one in Germany and go to PEC for the 911T drive. However well the 570S performs I cant get over the low rent interior, switchgear and low res. screen, Audi makes mincemeat of that in the Virtual Cockpit in the TT and R8 and its all about the ownership proposition at the end of the day.
McLaren option prices are through the roof so you are talking about 160+, they don't offer PCP finance, service cost is very high with only a few UK centres and depreciation is unknown and probably on a par with the 911T.
German quality takes some beating and I cant help thinking McLaren aren't quite there, yet. Having said that I was very impressed with the 570S, will the 540S be almost as good, why bother with 650 and 675?
I know what you mean about the PEC not being like Millbrook, what we want is all 3 cars on the same track on the same day but thats not going to happen.
I think its definitely faster than the 650S I drove at Dunsfold although I didn't quite manage 175 on the mile straight as those cones towards the end become quite scary at 160 +.
It's more user friendly yes and some nice practical touches like no Park position just D and R etc.
As you are looking for long commute comfort and coming from an M5 I think you should try and get an R8 test drive, maybe they will offer one in Germany and go to PEC for the 911T drive. However well the 570S performs I cant get over the low rent interior, switchgear and low res. screen, Audi makes mincemeat of that in the Virtual Cockpit in the TT and R8 and its all about the ownership proposition at the end of the day.
McLaren option prices are through the roof so you are talking about 160+, they don't offer PCP finance, service cost is very high with only a few UK centres and depreciation is unknown and probably on a par with the 911T.
German quality takes some beating and I cant help thinking McLaren aren't quite there, yet. Having said that I was very impressed with the 570S, will the 540S be almost as good, why bother with 650 and 675?
I know what you mean about the PEC not being like Millbrook, what we want is all 3 cars on the same track on the same day but thats not going to happen.
ChrisH370 said:
Yes W8PMC, I was there in the PM yesterday and this gets more interesting having driven the 570S.
I think its definitely faster than the 650S I drove at Dunsfold although I didn't quite manage 175 on the mile straight as those cones towards the end become quite scary at 160 +.
It's more user friendly yes and some nice practical touches like no Park position just D and R etc.
As you are looking for long commute comfort and coming from an M5 I think you should try and get an R8 test drive, maybe they will offer one in Germany and go to PEC for the 911T drive. However well the 570S performs I cant get over the low rent interior, switchgear and low res. screen, Audi makes mincemeat of that in the Virtual Cockpit in the TT and R8 and its all about the ownership proposition at the end of the day.
McLaren option prices are through the roof so you are talking about 160+, they don't offer PCP finance, service cost is very high with only a few UK centres and depreciation is unknown and probably on a par with the 911T.
German quality takes some beating and I cant help thinking McLaren aren't quite there, yet. Having said that I was very impressed with the 570S, will the 540S be almost as good, why bother with 650 and 675?
I know what you mean about the PEC not being like Millbrook, what we want is all 3 cars on the same track on the same day but thats not going to happen.
Had the R8 V10+ for 2 days last week & the Turbo S over the weekend so that with the 570S yesterday at Millbrookhas given me as good a head to head of the 3 as is possible. Totally agree that the interior of the 570S is a good league or 2 down on its German competition, but those hot PAX laps in the 570S clearly demonstrated to me which of the 3 cars is the out & out Sports Car, but like you say that doesn't satisfy my overall ownership needs.I think its definitely faster than the 650S I drove at Dunsfold although I didn't quite manage 175 on the mile straight as those cones towards the end become quite scary at 160 +.
It's more user friendly yes and some nice practical touches like no Park position just D and R etc.
As you are looking for long commute comfort and coming from an M5 I think you should try and get an R8 test drive, maybe they will offer one in Germany and go to PEC for the 911T drive. However well the 570S performs I cant get over the low rent interior, switchgear and low res. screen, Audi makes mincemeat of that in the Virtual Cockpit in the TT and R8 and its all about the ownership proposition at the end of the day.
McLaren option prices are through the roof so you are talking about 160+, they don't offer PCP finance, service cost is very high with only a few UK centres and depreciation is unknown and probably on a par with the 911T.
German quality takes some beating and I cant help thinking McLaren aren't quite there, yet. Having said that I was very impressed with the 570S, will the 540S be almost as good, why bother with 650 and 675?
I know what you mean about the PEC not being like Millbrook, what we want is all 3 cars on the same track on the same day but thats not going to happen.
I don't know about others but I don't feel Millbrook is a great place to get to know a car. The roads are quite challenging the barriers near by and a certain amount of traffic you have to be wary of. I've driven a few cars there but always come away knowing little more about them and never have I driven away thinking I'm off to the dealership in the morning. Sure the skid pan is fun and the long straight makes for an entertaining 30 seconds but I feel you learn little. With regard PAX rides a decent driver could frighten you in a mini there so a McLaren should have you screaming to get out(-: - Sorry I digress!
sone said:
I don't know about others but I don't feel Millbrook is a great place to get to know a car. The roads are quite challenging the barriers near by and a certain amount of traffic you have to be wary of. I've driven a few cars there but always come away knowing little more about them and never have I driven away thinking I'm off to the dealership in the morning. Sure the skid pan is fun and the long straight makes for an entertaining 30 seconds but I feel you learn little. With regard PAX rides a decent driver could frighten you in a mini there so a McLaren should have you screaming to get out(-: - Sorry I digress!
Yes I agree with you totally, the drive around the hilly bits was inconclusive and the hot lap scary infact the G force on the neck muscles due to the crash helmet I found quite painful and pleased when he slowed down. I doubt a WRC rally car would be that much quicker.sone said:
I don't know about others but I don't feel Millbrook is a great place to get to know a car. The roads are quite challenging the barriers near by and a certain amount of traffic you have to be wary of. I've driven a few cars there but always come away knowing little more about them and never have I driven away thinking I'm off to the dealership in the morning. Sure the skid pan is fun and the long straight makes for an entertaining 30 seconds but I feel you learn little. With regard PAX rides a decent driver could frighten you in a mini there so a McLaren should have you screaming to get out(-: - Sorry I digress!
It was the hot laps & the mile straight that gave me the wow factor as the Alpine route although good fun was far from allowing me to exploit the car. Seeing how quickly it could cover the outer circuit with the pro driver & just how planted the car felt blew me away. I've been out on track in some very track focussed cars & none came close to offering up the thrill the 570S did in the same environment.W8PMC said:
It was the hot laps & the mile straight that gave me the wow factor as the Alpine route although good fun was far from allowing me to exploit the car. Seeing how quickly it could cover the outer circuit with the pro driver & just how planted the car felt blew me away. I've been out on track in some very track focussed cars & none came close to offering up the thrill the 570S did in the same environment.
I found the 650S Essence day at Dunsfold a lot more useful than Millbrook, we had three sessions driving the top gear track which has a good mix of fast and slow corners and a straight plus a hot lap at the end to sum up. If this event can be offered in the 570S it would be much more meaningful than Millbrook where the amount of driving fast was confined to the mile straight, no corners at all. Having watched the Chris Harris video it seems this was a missed opportunity for McLaren to show how well the 570S performs on track.
ChrisH370 said:
I found the 650S Essence day at Dunsfold a lot more useful than Millbrook, we had three sessions driving the top gear track which has a good mix of fast and slow corners and a straight plus a hot lap at the end to sum up. If this event can be offered in the 570S it would be much more meaningful than Millbrook where the amount of driving fast was confined to the mile straight, no corners at all.
Having watched the Chris Harris video it seems this was a missed opportunity for McLaren to show how well the 570S performs on track.
Not so, the hot laps were just that & on the Alpine route you could push as hard as you wanted. That said, it's a hard route to drive fast as is far from being a stereotypical track with all the rises & drops & a lot of very strange undulations, however that in itself tested the cars a little more than an airfield circuit would as they're totally flat.Having watched the Chris Harris video it seems this was a missed opportunity for McLaren to show how well the 570S performs on track.
Agreed though a more track track would have perhaps been a little better if wanting to push the cars.
W8PMC said:
Had the R8 V10+ for 2 days last week & the Turbo S over the weekend so that with the 570S yesterday at Millbrookhas given me as good a head to head of the 3 as is possible. Totally agree that the interior of the 570S is a good league or 2 down on its German competition, but those hot PAX laps in the 570S clearly demonstrated to me which of the 3 cars is the out & out Sports Car, but like you say that doesn't satisfy my overall ownership needs.
Nave you considered the Aston V12 Vantage S as an alternative? May be another one that offers decent daily-use ability, a decent interior feel as well as being blooming quick?I was at Millbrook yesterday and echo the other comments on the Alpine Handling course. It was my first ever drive in a paddle shift car and as it was raining, I have to admit I found the whole thing quite intimidating. You can't see where the road goes so you don't get chance to enjoy the car, your focus is on twists rather than the car itself. The 570 was just fantastic though, light, agile and the speed off the line using the launch control, even in the rain was eye watering. Just hit the 150 mph before I bailed but the way the car was still pulling was astounding.
Came away with a total desire to own one. Anybody want to buy a classic Maserati and an Aston Vantage....?
I was there on Wednesday morning. Bone dry, so able to give it the beans. I got three go's on the straight mile, and touched 180 with LC start before bottling it. Instructor kept telling me not to lift!
Having done the 911 Turbo thing I would just say that for me how special the car looks when I walk out of the front door each morning is a big factor. 911TS is a great car, but is it special now with so many 911s everywhere? For £150K I want something special. I live down the road from the MCL factory and still rarely see them on the road. Reality as we all know is that the small differences between the various choices make no difference on the road, so which would you prefer to do a track session in? For me that's the MCL. Be nice if it made an R8 or 458 noise though.
Having done the 911 Turbo thing I would just say that for me how special the car looks when I walk out of the front door each morning is a big factor. 911TS is a great car, but is it special now with so many 911s everywhere? For £150K I want something special. I live down the road from the MCL factory and still rarely see them on the road. Reality as we all know is that the small differences between the various choices make no difference on the road, so which would you prefer to do a track session in? For me that's the MCL. Be nice if it made an R8 or 458 noise though.
I attended too, and was rather underwhelmed...1 run on the alpine route is just not enough...I don't care how well it goes round in circles at 100mph, or that it'll do 175 on a long straight...I do want to feel it go round bends, brake and accelerate....did millbrook a few yes ago in a 911 turbo and did 10 runs of the alpine, and 160 on the bowl...miles better....waste of 3/4 day and just convinced me a 570 isn't for me,....
Gassing Station | McLaren | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff