McLaren to Debut its 500-Plus-Horsepower Sports Series in New York

McLaren Sports Series

McLaren has been teasing us as of late over its upcoming “entry-level” lineup that it has dubbed the Sports Series. Regardless of how simple and almost uncreative the name is, the concept behind the lineup is a solid and straightforward: take down the Porsche 911. Many have tried and many have failed to unseat the 911 as the king of the premium sports car realm, but if any automaker has the knowhow to beat the 911, it’s McLaren. Only time will tell if it succeeds in this goal, but a report from Autocar tells us that we won’t have to wait long to find out.

According to the report, the McLaren Sports Series will bow at the 2015 New York International Auto Show in April. The report goes on to claim that the model will boast “well over” 500 horsepower, likely putting its output at 550 ponies to make it competitive with the 911 Turbo S. Unfortunately, the output numbers remain unconfirmed, but we’re only months from its debut, so more information should be available soon.

Underpinning the Sport Series is a all carbon-fiber tub to help keep weight low, while the body is made up of all-new panels that will not be shared with any other model. Additionally, because this model is expected to be more of a “daily driver” than the rest of McLaren’s lineup, the automaker reportedly made the door sills thinner and modified the butterfly doors to provide easier access to the cabin.

The Sports Series lineup completes McLaren’s goal of having a three-model lineup, which currently includes the 650S and the P1. However, by the time the Sports Series gets rolling, the P1 will be old news, and the automaker will then have to shift its focus on building a new halo car to maintain its three-model plan.

According to McLaren CEO, Mike Flewitt, the Sports Series will start finding its way into buyers’ homes “in the fourth quarter of [2015].”  Prices are expected to hover around the £130,000 in the UK, splitting the difference between the £120,598 Porsche 911 Turbo and the £142,120 Turbo S.