A year with a car tells you things that a week cannot. A week reveals what a car is like to drive. A year reveals whether you still want to drive it, whether it is reliable, how it wears its mechanical components, how it manages in the full range of Australian conditions, and whether the experience holds up against the initial excitement of ownership. The McLaren 570S that covered 20,000 km in twelve months in Australia provided answers to all of these questions.
The Starting Point
The 570S is the entry point to McLaren’s Sports Series – below the 720S and above only the GT in the range as it stood. The 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V8 produces 419 kW (570 hp). Rear-wheel drive only. 0-100 km/h in 3.2 seconds. Top speed 328 km/h. A dihedral door car with a carbon fibre monocoque chassis and McLaren’s hydraulic suspension system.
At approximately $350,000 to $400,000 new (now on the used market from $250,000 to $320,000), the 570S was positioned as the accessible McLaren. Twelve months and 20,000 km tested that claim.
Daily Driver Reality
The 570S can be used as a daily driver in Australia with some compromises. The visibility is better than most mid-engine cars. The dihedral doors attract attention at every stop – this becomes normal after the first few weeks but never disappears entirely. The ride in Normal mode is acceptable for smooth city roads. The car is considerably more uncomfortable on rough surfaces than a 911 Carrera S or Ferrari Roma.
Parking structures with low clearance are a constant concern. The front underbody lift system helps with driveways but does not help with overhanging concrete in multi-story car parks. The car requires careful route planning in dense urban environments.
Reliability Over 20,000km
The 570S’s reliability record over the twelve-month period was largely positive with some notable exceptions. Software warning lights appeared twice – both were cleared by dealer resets without mechanical consequence. The PDK gearbox required recalibration at approximately 12,000 km after developing a slight hesitation in low-speed auto mode. One set of front tyres was replaced at 15,000 km due to inside edge wear from the negative camber of the track-oriented suspension.
No major mechanical failures. No engine or transmission replacements. The two software issues and the tyre wear are consistent with owner reports from other 570S users in Australia.
Running Costs Over One Year
Annual service (authorised McLaren dealer): $5,200.
Tyres (one set of fronts replaced): $1,800.
Fuel (approximately 18,000 km at 13 litres per 100 km, 98 RON): $4,680.
Insurance (agreed value, specialist insurer): $9,500.
Detailing and storage (monthly indoor storage facility): $12,000.
Miscellaneous: $1,500.
Total year-one running cost: approximately $34,680.
What Changed
After twelve months and 20,000 km, some observations:
The initial excitement about the dihedral doors subsided after about three months. By month six, opening a normal car door felt odd – which says something about how quickly the 570S becomes normalised.
The rear-wheel drive character becomes more familiar and more rewarding over time. Early in ownership, the 570S’s rear-drive personality can feel demanding. With experience, it becomes the point – the reason you chose it over an AWD alternative.
Australian weather exposed the 570S’s tendency to understeer slightly in the wet, which improved after the tyres were replaced with fresh compound.
Verdict
One year and 20,000 km confirmed that the McLaren 570S is a capable, engaging, and largely reliable long-term companion in Australia. The running costs are higher than the numbers suggest at purchase, the comfort limitations are real, and the attention it generates is constant. All of these were known beforehand and none was a surprise. What was genuinely surprising was how consistently rewarding the experience remained – the 570S did not grow stale over the year. That is not guaranteed with sports cars, and it is the most important thing a long-term ownership assessment can reveal.
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