I’d been planning this moment for months, scheming about my way into the driver’s seat of the McLaren 570GT. Thankfully my machinations just came to fruition. I am getting called off the waitlist for the McLaren test-drive experience at Monterey.
McLaren is showing off its newly debuted 570S Spider, the roofless version of its Sports Series supercar. The parking lot is buzzing with eager customers pulling Spiders out for test drives. There are a few examples of last year’s belle of the ball, the 570GT, and I watch as my friend Sage is ushered to one of them for his drive. We are both waitlist attendees, so it seems certain that one of the older 570GTs has my name on it too. Thankfully I am wrong. Eric, the company rep for my drive, thoughtfully asks if I’ve driven the GT before—yes, I have—and then swaps me into a bright blue 570S Spider!
The winglike door of the 570S points sky-high as it stands open, inviting me to slide into the driver’s seat. The Spider’s cabin is identical—so far as I can tell—to the GT’s. The main difference between the trims is that the power roof—currently retracted—fills the over-engine luggage platform that the GT had behind the passengers.
I adjust the seat, steering wheel, and mirrors, then eagerly fire up the McLaren and edge out of the parking space. The cold pads and rotors dull the ceramic brakes’ bite.
It’s all as I remembered it: the seat is low, the forward visibility is excellent, and carbon-fiber paddle shifters click affirmatively as I select gears. But most scintillating is the sensational chassis and steering feel as the car saunters out of the parking lot. I don’t feel like I need to learn this car; I already know it. As soon as we are on the street, I straighten the wheel and peg the throttle.
The McLaren rips and snorts, rear tires scratching, and accelerates with a tremendous shove. My hair stands on end due to adrenaline, fear, and—new for this year—wind. Good Lord! The 570S is fast! The turbo engine pushes harder and harder as the tachometer needle climbs towards the lofty redline. Open-air motoring accentuates the forward rush and the motor’s growl. The McLaren’s got character.
Laureles Grade’s pavement is rippled, but the 570S covers the bumps without being jarring or bouncy. I’ve read that the S sacrifices some comfort over the GT, but I find a very livable chassis; it seems no harder to daily drive than a BMW M3.
I turn the hard-rimmed steering wheel and sweep through the climbing esses. Midengine cars turn in so sweetly, feeling free of inertia and resistance, and the 570S corners flatly as I take turns at 150% of the speed limit. That might sound like an impressive pace, but I’m using maybe 6/10ths of the McLaren’s capability.
In the literal sense of the word, this car is sensational! Drive it softly, drive it hard, or split the difference; it matters not. At any speed, the 570S driver has something to savor. The road feel is always present for the hands, back, and bum, the controls are precise and rewarding, and the soundtrack is pleasing to the ear. Swirl in some sun-warmed ocean air, and my morning is made!
“Lovely, lovely, lovely!” I exclaim into the morning sunshine before making some ill-advised proclamations about cashing in my stock options. Eric is supportive of the idea. (Anyone who has seen the value of my portfolio would be more skeptical.)
As best as I can tell with a year’s gap between drives, the driving dynamics weren’t compromised when cargo capacity was swapped for unlimited headroom. The Spider is just as good of a sports car and daily driver as the GT. Regardless of the trim, the 570 range shows brilliance in a block and won’t let you down over a thousand miles. Beggars can’t be choosers, so I’ll take whichever one I can get my hands on.
Mike's Steering Column 