Top Gear’s Former Stig Tests McLaren 570S
By Mike Garcia
Top Gear’s former Stig has a few things to say about the McLaren 570S.
Ben Collins is Top Gear’s former Stig. He’s the guy that put up almost all of the Top Gear test track lap times for nearly a decade. Sure, he may have spun a Koenigsegg in the past and said it lacked sufficient rear downforce, but his abilities as a driver are definitely ahead of most commoners on the road.
Yet somehow, he can provide a perspective that we can all relate to.
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The
shares some commonality with the 650S. It’s the same chassis, same carbon-fiber tub, and even the same 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged engine in both vehicles. The engine is capable of 562bhp, allowing the car to accelerate to 62 miles an hour in a McLaren-tested 3.2 seconds. It’ll continue to accelerate to 204 miles per hour, passing the supercar benchmark of 200 miles per hour.
What is interesting is, Ben Collins notes the suspension is a bit stiff, and that it requires a bit of getting used to. It is a more track-focused car, even if it’s under the Sport Series category of the McLaren website.
Personally, this is exactly why I am a bigger fan of a McLaren 570GT.
More cars: McLaren 570GT: The Super Grand Tourer
The 570GT adds a hint of practicality, with adequate bootspace behind both seats. More impressively, it can be considered a hatchback with a proper rear opening. The suspension is tuned to be more compliant over long distance journeys, and Bowers & Wilkens audio system is available as well.
The 570S is more focused to the purist. On a matched set of tires between both cars, the 570S will likely be the quicker of the two. The suspension is tuned for higher speeds and it doesn’t carry the extra weight of an actual glass hatch.
Either way, these cars are the stuff of lottery dreams. Personally, I can’t help but pretend to build my car through the McLaren website.