Fine fettle
McLaren 570S Track Pack £162,650
WE SAY: EVER FELT YOUR 570S WASN’T SHARP ENOUGH? US NEITHER. BUT...
McLaren’s answer to the AMG GT R and new 911 GT3, then?
You could look at it that way, but let’s get one thing straight – this is not a standalone model. Instead it’s a £16.5k option pack for any 570S (but not 540C or 570GT). Also it boasts no more power and no suspension changes. Instead the Track Pack is chiefly about weight saving. It takes 25kg off the 570S’s 1,313kg dry weight, or – expressed another way – you pay £660 for each kilo saved.
Hmm, quite costly. Is it worth it?
In terms of weight saved, probably not – you just don’t notice. But in terms of the attitude the alterations lend the car, then quite possibly. You gain even lighter lightweight wheels, a matte sports exhaust, a Dark Palladium roof and a rear spoiler that is 12mm taller and delivers an extra 29kg of downforce at 150mph. So at high speeds all those weight savings are cancelled out. Inside, everything is swathed with Alcantara, there’s the Track Telemetry software from the 675LT and a pair of one-piece, fixed-back carbon seats.
So would you spend the extra?
Probably, yes. The seats are perhaps too tight across the hips, but the steering wheel is sublime to hold. But really this is about the driving experience. The best thing I can say about the Track Pack is that it takes the 570S closer in feel and texture to the 675LT.
That’s high praise…
I know, but I don’t think the 570S has ever felt more tactile, responsive, agile and intuitive than here. And it’s so unflappable. You turn, you enjoy fabulous steering feel, and the car goes around the corner. Simple pleasures. It’s supremely flattering and utterly secure. And the speed it dials up once the blowers are puffing post-3,000rpm is nuts.
How’s the refinement?
Undented. McLaren says it’s for owners “who enjoy occasional track-day activity without compromising the car’s all-round usability”. That’s pretty accurate. There’s noise on coarse surfaces, but you’d accept that for the transcendental dynamics. And the ride is exceptional. All told, the Track Pack simply adds a bit of polish and sharpness to what was already a stunning sports car.