Top 10 McLaren Cars

McLaren is a name synonymous with some of the fastest and most powerful cars on the planet and has grown to be a household name. This British company that can be traced back to 1963, when it was simply referred to as Bruce McLaren Motor Racing. As you can tell from the name, the company was founded by Bruce McLaren, and was only launched as McLaren Automotive in 2010 as a separate manufacturer with a promise to deliver a new car every calendar year. What’s the best McLaren car? It’s hard to say but here are our top 10.

1. McLaren 540C Coupé

The 540 Coupe is the ultimate sports car. It is performance-oriented and driver friendly, with the ability to handle the open road just as efficiently as the race track. The 540C may well be McLaren’s most affordable, entry-level car but with a carbonfibre chassis, a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, 533bhp and a £126,000 price tag it is hardly what you’d call basic.

Mid-engined, rear-wheel drive cars, especially ones with more than 500bhp, might have a reputation for being scary, but the 540C is astonishingly easy to jump into and drive. With a dual-clutch automatic gearbox, you can just slot it into Drive mode and smoothly pull away. The 540C develops a mighty 533bhp – and can achieve 0-62mph in a time of just 3.5sec and a top speed of 199mph. This may sound like supercar numbers, but McLaren categorises the 540C as part of its Sports Series, which includes the 570S and 570GT.

2. McLaren F1

In 1988, McLaren decided to extend from Formula One and create one of the finest sports car in the world. The manufacturing team set out on this mission in 1990 and three years later ended up with the first production car.

Even by modern standards, McLaren F1 is still considered one of the best road cars of all time. It was the first road car to use carbon fiber, featuring the Formula 1-based monocoque at a meager 100kg. The car also went on to define the McLaren road car signature: innovative design, superb quality, clever packaging, and low weight, leading to a breathtaking driving experience. The estimated price for McLaren F1 is currently $12 million.

3. McLaren P1

McLaren P1 was designed to match the standards of the McLaren F1, one of the most iconic cars in the world of luxury vehicles. The idea behind this car was to create the most convenient driver’s car in the world, both on track and on the road.

The car uses Instant Power Assist System (or IPAS) petro electric power-train with the help of a 3.8 litre twin turbo V8 engine and a single electric motor, which are collectively referred to as M838TQ. This brings the total power output to 903hp.

The electric motor offers instant torque and a range of 6.8 miles in complete electric mode and 34mpg in non-electric mode. Maximum speed is electronically restricted to 217mph, with the ability to sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds. The P1 can accelerate from zero to 200km/h in just 6.8 seconds. The catch is a staggering $1.15 million price tag.

4. McLaren 570S

If you were to take a look at the specifications of the McLaren 570S, you might expect McLaren to describe it as a supercar. With 562bhp from a twin-turbocharged 3.8-litre V8, it’s good for a 0-62mph time of 3.2 seconds and a top speed of 204mph. However, the 570S is the entry-level McLaren from the Sport Series.

The 570S comes with a 3.8liter twin turbo V8 that generates a torque of 443lb ft and 562bhp. Its acceleration is the same as the legendary F1 sports car: 0-100mph in 6.3sec and 0-60 in 3.2secs. It uses 7-speed twin clutch gearbox and a carbon fiber chassis, but does not include any adjustable aerodynamic devices or cross linked adaptive suspension (in order to save on production costs). The standard price for the 570S is about $235,260.

5. McLaren 650s

McLaren 650s was introduced as a successor to the short-lived 12C, but most experts agree that this is the model that should have been in the first place. The previous 442lb ft and 616bhp outputs were boosted to 500lb ft and 641bhp, bringing the performance to a whole new level.

The new acceleration became a mind- gobbling 0-60 in 2.9sec, but the 0-100mph in a mere 5.7sec was what set the car apart from most of the other models. The car boasts a maximum speed of 207mph. The star feature of the new upgrade is based on the reworked engine, which includes revised cam timing, exhaust valves, cylinder heads, and new pistons. Available in coupe and Spider variants, it’s priced almost £20,000 higher than the 12C it replaces, costing from £195,250.

6. McLaren 570GT

The newest addition to the McLaren Sports Series, the 570GT was positioned as the most refined and luxurious McLaren car to date. While it was formed with a dynamic style to fit its positioning, the model still retains the supercar standards of performance.

The new model was intended to be used as an everyday car, concentrating on long distance comfort and day-to-day usability. It comes with a revised two seat design and a standard fixed glass Panoramic roof.

Apart from the 150-liter stowage at the front luggage area, which is also featured in the 570S, the new model also offers an additional 220-liter space on a leathered Touring Deck behind the seats, which is accessible from the side opening Glass Hatch. The new price for the McLaren is about $201,278.

7. McLaren 675LT

The first modern car in the McLaren vehicle production to come with a Longtail (LT) badge, the 675LT was inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR that premiered during the ’97 race season. According to the company, a “Longtail” is defined by ultimate standards of driver engagement, weight reduction, and outright performance. McLaren focused on increasing down-force, optimizing aerodynamics, and reducing weight to boost the car’s track performance.

To reduce the weight, McLaren had to increase the use of lighter components and carbon fiber. The new M838TL 3.8-litre twin- turbocharged V8 engine achieves a maximum speed of 330km/h, rising from 0 to 62mph (0 to 100km/h) in 2.9 seconds. The only shame is that all five hundred are sold, but the base price was set at $339,166.

8. McLaren M12

The McLaren M12 was an open-cockpit racing car developed by Bruce McLaren Motor Racing in 1969, solely for the purpose of selling to customers in the Can-Am series. The M12 was one of McLaren’s earliest road cars. Its centerpiece is an 800-horsepower Chevy big block engine that helped the performance version of this car win numerous races in the late 1960s.

Over the years, several McLaren M12s were modified by customers. Many people added larger rear wings for better downforce pressure, to keep up with competitors that had done the same. Regardless, the M12 remains a McLaren classic in both the racing and street versions.

9. McLaren M6GT

The M6GT project can be traced back to the late 1960s, when Bruce McLaren decided to join the Le Mans endurance racing. The idea was to customize an M6 Can-Am car into a coupe that would withstand the demands of long distance racing.

During this time, regulations dictated that at least 50 cars be produced, but homologation complications led to the abandonment of the project. Bruce McLaren had always wanted to create his own road car, so he was still determined to convert the M6GT project into the ideal road car.

10. McLaren Senna

Named after late Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna, the McLaren Senna is a track-focused hyper car that has smashed track records around the world. While the Senna is not the prettiest McLaren ever built, it is certainly one of the fastest to ever skirt around a track. Appearance was sacrificed for better aerodynamics.

The car can exert 1,500 pounds of downforce, which helps the Senna travel at up to 155 miles per hour. Stunningly, the Senna is also a road legal car. It cranks out 789 horsepower and 590-pound feet of torque, all deployed through the rear wheels via a seven-speed twin clutch gearbox. The Senna gets to 62 mph in a brisk 2.8 seconds, while 124 mph is achieved in 6.8 seconds. If all this weren’t enough, the McLaren Senna is also ultra lightweight. It tips the scales at just 2,800 pounds. Very impressive!

Which is your favourite McLaren Car?