The most affordable McLaren yet – £126k McLaren 540C launches

[nggallery id=2100 template=customlinks]

McLaren’s most affordable car ever – the McLaren 540C – has been revealed at the 2015 Shanghai Motor Show and will cost from £126,000 in the UK.

McLaren’s new Sports Series cars are the ‘affordable’ face of McLaren (although in McLaren’s case, affordable is relative), with the recently revealed 570S costing from £143,250.

But now entry in to the McLaren owners club just got even cheaper, with the arrival of the McLaren 540C at the Shanghai Motor Show with a headline price in the UK of £126,000, much the same as a 911 Turbo.

The 540C uses the same 3.8 litre twin turbo V8 as every other McLaren, but in the 540C it develops 533bhp and 398lb/ft of torque, with power going to the rear wheels through the usual seven-speed dual-clutch ‘box.

That’s enough to get to 62mph in 3.5 seconds and 124mph in 10.5s, with a top speed of 199mph, figures which are almost exactly the same as the Porsche 911 Turbo. What a shock. If it matters to anyone, the 540C comes with official economy of 25.5mpg (20 per cent better than the 911), identical to the 570S.

The 540C has minor aerodynamic tweaks compared to the 570S and different alloys, as well as suspension that’s a bit softer than its bigger siblings to make it a more usable every day car. And to appeal more to Asian buyers.

But unlike the 625C – the ‘comfy’ version of the 650S – the new 540C will be going on sale around the world, including the UK where it will cost from £126,000.

You can order it now from McLaren’s UK dealers, but it looks like you’ll have to wait until early 2016 for delivery.