McLaren’s nEWbAbY

hAILED as the most usable McLaren, the 570S Coupe promises hair-raising performance on and off the track and wrapped up in a carbon fibre package that is easy on the eye and easy to live with as a daily driver. As such, the 570S is aimed directly at those who would ordinarily be debating whether to buy a Porsche 911 Turbo S or an Audi R8 V10 Plus.

And, on paper at least, the baby McLaren is better than both.

As its name suggests, it has 570PS on tap and, because it's built pretty much exclusively from carbon fibre and other exotic super-strong yet lightweight materials, it weighs just 1313kg, meaning it's lighter than any of its competitors and boasts a power to weight ratio of 428bhp per tonne.

As for performance, those numbers translate into a 0-100kph time of 3.2 seconds, a 0-200kph time of 9.5 seconds and a top speed of 328kph.

But as Porsche continues to demonstrate, acceleration, speed and handling are only elements of a much larger equation in this segment.

If the McLaren really wants to join this exclusive club, it also has to perform well in inner-city areas, on car parks and be an adequate long-distance cruiser.

That's why the 570S has a redesigned suspension set-up that won't dilute its red-line cornering or grip but that will ensure it rides gently on highways and byways when switched from sport to normal mode.

The door openings and sills have been designed as much to make entry and exit easy as they have to improve aerodynamics.

The cabin is also more comfortable than the bigger McLarens -- the seats are plush and wrapped with leather, as is the dashboard. The infotainment system is up to scratch and there's even the option of a premium 12-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system.

(A weight-saving four-speaker sound system comes as standard).

The cabin also offers stowage space to complement the 150-litre luggage compartment up front.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the 570S is that despite having a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8 engine and a top speed in excess of 320kph, the sports car promises a “frugal” combined cycle fuel economy of 11.1 litres per 100km. — Relaxnews