Mclaren 540C – The New Champion Of Junior Supercars?
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McLaren 540C vs Porsche 911 Turbo: A Supercar Showdown
Although less than a month has passed since McLaren unveiled the first car in their ‘Sport Series’ range - the brilliant 570S, another model has been announced, and this time it’s going after the Porsche 911 Turbo (Check out prices of 911 Turbo here). We provided four reasons why the 570S will be an awesome car, so let’s see what we’ve got on this one.
Overview of the McLaren 540C
The 540C is essentially a detuned version of the 570S. It features the carbon ‘MonoCell’ chassis and a 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine found in all current McLaren cars. The 540C produces 540 PS and 540 Nm of torque. Priced at approximately $190,000, it is slightly more expensive than the 911 Turbo it competes against. However, there are several areas where the 540C may have an advantage. Here are five reasons it might secure a victory:
Performance Comparison
| Specifications | McLaren 540C | Porsche 911 Turbo (Sport+) |
|---|---|---|
| Top Speed | 320 km/h | 315 km/h |
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h | 3.5 sec | 3.2 sec |
| Acceleration 0-200 km/h | 10.5 sec | 10.8 sec |
| Weight | 1318 kg | 1595 kg |
| Power/Torque | 540/540 | 520/660 |
Conclusion
Although the 911 Turbo outperforms the McLaren 540C in terms of acceleration to 100 km/h and has greater torque, the 540C's lighter weight, superior power, higher top speed, and better roll-on acceleration give it the edge over the Porsche. Despite a $10,000 price difference, the McLaren provides an exclusivity and chassis technology that the Porsche cannot match. On paper, at least, the McLaren 540C emerges as the winner.
