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January 2016|TOPCAR.CO.ZA 89Toomanybuttons,cheapcolumn stalks...Familiaritybreedscontempt?Rearlamps‘coquettish’.Wouldgracethe TateModern, andwillgracetheroad``````PORSCHE 911TURBO SPriceR2 890 000Engine3 800cc 24vflat6cyl, 412kW@6 500rpm,750Nm@2 200rpmTransmission7-speed dual-clutch,four-wheeldrivePerformance3.1sec0-100kph,319kph,9.7ℓ/100km,22 7g /kmCO2SuspensionMcPhersonstrutsfront, multi-link rear,adaptivedampersLength/width/height4 506/1 978/1 296mmWeight/madefrom1 680kg/steel,aluminiumFuel tank 68 litres``````McLAREN570SPriceR3250 000(est)Engine3 799cc 32vV8,419kW @ 7 40 0rpm,60 0Nm @ 5000rpmTransmission7-speed dual-clutch,rear-wheeldrivePerformance,3.2sec0-100kph,32 8kph, 11.1ℓ/100km,25 8g/kmCO2Suspensiondoublewishbones,coil springs, adaptivedampersLength/width/height4 530/2 095/1 202mmWeight/madefrom1 430kg/carbonfibre,aluminiumFuel tank 72 litres``````imprecise feel until you learn to work with its particular traits,to ensu re you’re inthe right ge ar an d ge tting on the gas at theright time. For me, Ferrari’s 488 GTB and its near zero-lagresponse has changed the turbocharged game, and bothMcLaren and Porsch e are playing catch up (though I haven’tdriven the 991.2). But when it comes to steering, it’s McLarenthat leads the class. The weight of the steering, the outstandingon-centre feel, the perfectly judged ratio, even just the shape ofthe wheel, all contribute to a car that is a joy to drive at anyspeed inany situation. Whether you’re ambling downamotorway or tearing up B-roads, you never feel less than 100per cent ke yed in, and that’s a rare thing these days, even inthis class. Flick yourwrist ineither direction and the 570reminds that it’s lighter than an y rival. Reverting to cheaper,lighter, steel springs and anti-roll ba rs instead of the 650’shydraulics has had a slightly detrim ental effect on ride qualitythat’s particularly noticeable on Lisbon’s cobbles, but it’s stillcomfortable, and the contro lremains intact, giving youthe confidence to pushdeeper and deeper. Thoughdimensi onally bigger than a650S, you’d swearfrom the way it moves thatthe 570 takes up less road realestate. AsJames says , it feelslike the kind of car Lotuswould love the Evora 400 tobe, given the chance.McLaren’s twintoggles,one for handling, one forpower, make anotherappearan ce at the ba se of theconsole giving a choice ofNormal, Sport and Track ineach case. Track’s damping istoo tight for these ro ads, butSport works perfectly, andfollo wing the 675LT’s lead,the ESP system is decoupledfrom those toggles. So ifyoudo want Track mode’s body control and throttle response, youcan now have it while enjoying the ESP safetynet. Not thatmost drivers willneed it. Naturalbalance and a generoussteering lock mean the physicalhardware is on yourside.There were no electronic safetynets inProst and Lauda’s carback in’84 of course. No paddleshift transmissions either,although the MP4/2 was one of the first F1 cars to employcarbon cera mic brakes. We swing by Estorilone last timebefore Porsch e and McLaren go their separate ways. It’s stilltipping it do wn, but 31 years ago the umbrellas offered shel terfrom the sun, not the rain. Going into that final race Prost wassecond inthe driver’s championsh ip but knew he would sealthe dealif he finished inthe top three, as long as table-topperLauda trailed by several places. Lauda meanwhile could wrap itup ifhe came first or second. Trouble was, Prost had qualifiedon the front ro w, while his teammate lay ba ck in11th. But thiswas NikiLauda we’re talking ab out. A man who, eigh t yearsearlier had lost his eyelids, most of his ear and almost his life ina Nordschleife fireballbut was ba ck on the starting grid ju st sixweeks later. Lauda ba ttled through the field at Estoril, takingadvantage of Nigel Mansell’s 51st-lap spinto take second pl aceto Prost’s first, and the championsh ip by halfa point – halfpoints having been awarded earlier inthe season when``````Monaco was stopped mid-race with Prost inthe lead.The two remained team-mates the following season, one thatculminated inthe Aust rian’s retiremen t from racing, and thefirst of the Fren chman’s three world championsh ips. Porsch econtinued to supply powertrains to McLaren for three furtheryears but they were no match for the Williams-Hondas andMcLaren itselfswitched to Japanese power for 1988. AsforEstoril, it hosted a Portugal Grand Prixuntil 1996, thereafterbeing dumped from the calend ar. The fabulous AutodromoAlgarve circuit at Portimao has long been mooted as the rightfacilityto return a GP to Portugal, but there’s one big piece ofthe puzzle missing: cash. Portugal is stillprettyskint.McLaren Automotive, on the ot her hand, is inrude health. Inprofit and ina position to funnel millions of pounds back intoresearch and development for its next generation of cars,McLaren’s ro ad-car ar m feels like a company that has reallyfound its feet, found its identity, and grown inconfidenc e. Thebrilliant 675LT is evidenc e of that. So is the 570S. But is the570S good en ough to make a better buy than a 911? This mightbe the most usable McLaren yet, but it stillcan’t match thePorsch e when it comes to ease of use. The 911 is roomier, easierto see out of and requires less ef fortto drive and own. WhenItot up the Porsch e’s demerits, the list, as ever, is shor t.You’ll be making moreallowances for the McLaren. Puresports cars will always ask that of you. But you really couldimagine using a 570S every day. While McLaren expects the570, its de-contented 540 little brother, and the inevitableroofless version that’ll follo w, to doub le Woking’s output,we’re still talking a couple of thousand cars peryear to the911’s 30000. That rarity alone ensures the McLaren feels likethe morespecial car. But so does the way it drives, and thatmust be the deciding character in a test like this. It steers somuch be tter, accelerates that bit harder. It just puts a biggergrin on your face moreof the time, and makes the Porsch efeel, well, a little bit ordinary. And I don’t believe I’ve everwritten thatbefore.tc``````Forgot tobringyour iPad? Nota problem–borrowRon’s