London - Leaving plenty of time to add it to your Christmas present wish-list, British supercar-maker McLaren has started production of its new Sports Series family of luxury high-performance sports cars.
First to roll off the production line at the clinically white and spotless McLaren factory, in Woking, Surrey, in the 570S Coupe, with a UK starting price of £143 250 (R3.07m) to match its breath-taking performance.
The 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo 419kW petrol engine is linked to an automatic seven-speed dual clutch, which propels it from rest to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds and up to a top speed of 328km/h.
A company spokesman says: “The first 570S Coupe to roll off the production line has been delivered to a retailer in the UK and, even before the first handover takes place, the global retailer network is holding more than 1000 orders.”
Following soon in its wake will be the 540C Coupe, priced from £126 000 (R2.7m). Another body-style will be unveiled for 2016.
The firm says that when the full Sports Series family is complete by 2018, it expects to more than double McLaren Automotive’s annual volume to more than 4000 cars a year. It completes its strategy of having three product tiers: Ultimate Series, Super Series and Sports Series.
Jolyon Nash, McLaren’s executive director for sales and marketing, says: “The start of production of the new Sports Series cars is a pivotal moment for the company.”
Having served the needs of hardcore buyers of supercars and hypercars, the Sports Series is targeted towards new buyers who want “increased usability and practicality,” as well as the “benchmark performance and driver engagement” delivered by every McLaren model, he adds.
Daily Mail