What makes a car truly powerful? Is it the overall horsepower and torque the engine has to offer? Is it the ratio of weight to horsepower that makes a huge difference in the overall performance of the car? To both these questions the answer should be “yes”. When you want a car that is powerful and able to reach high speeds you need to look for one that gives you the ratio of weight to horsepower that will allow you to enjoy the benefits of as much of the power as you can have transferred from the engine to the wheels on the road.

The new car that leads the way when it comes to the power to weight ratio is the McLaren 570S. This car comes from the company that has only been in the production mode for half a dozen years but offers a carbon fiber chassis for the 570S that only weighs in at 165 pounds. That is a miniscule weight for any car and makes for an exciting matchup with the race car power that McLaren loves to put in their production sports cars for us to enjoy.

Speaking of the power, let’s get this out of the way; the 570S uses only one engine. This engine is a 3.8-liter twin turbocharged V8 engine that gives you a full 562 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine is matched perfectly to a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission that allows for three driver select modes; Normal, Track or Sport. With this powertrain you will be able to enjoy the fuel mileage of 16 city/23 hwy mpg, but that’s not why you buy this car, you buy it to drive fast and this car certainly can do just that. This is a true driver’s car that doesn’t take comfort into consideration as much as it does driving to ensure you can have a car that will excite you every time you drive it.

What you will really love about this car is the dynamic array of paint colors you can choose from and the doors that sweep upward to let you in and out in a dramatic fashion. If you had a high class event to attend, this would be the car you want to drive to that event. For 2016 this car is all new for McLaren but it makes use of many of the features we have loved on other models from this exotic automaker to be easily recognizable as part of the McLaren family.

What will a new 570S cost you? The base model shows up at $184,900 and the options list don’t run the price up to awful heights like some exotics. The average price expected for the 570S is around $205,000 which is less than the Ferrari 488 GTB and the Lamborghini Huracan LP610-4 but this car comes in at a higher price than the Porsche 911 Turbo and the Acura NSX. This is a great place for this car to play, especially since it’s expected to hold value much better than most of the competitors.

What equipment can you find on the new 570S? The standard offerings include the strong V8 as the only engine, an electronically adjustable suspension, carbon-ceramic brakes, LED front and rear lighting, leather upholstery, a touchscreen infotainment system with a navigation system built in, satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity. Most of the price of this car is in making sure it meets the McLaren standards to be one of the most active and perfectly built vehicles to ever make its way to the track.

When it comes to options for this car you are looking at some different wheel options including Super-Lightweight Forged Wheels, fifty different shades of carbon fiber, side skirts, a rear deck, door mirrors, a package of carbon to replace some of the metals, a Sport Exhaust to gain the throaty sound we all love to hear and a Bowers & Wilkins twelve-speaker audio system. You can color and fit your McLaren 570S to be the car you dreamed it would be when you ordered it and have a car that will turn heads whenever you take it out for a spin.

This is an actual sports car so you really shouldn’t be too surprised when you look inside the car and see an interior that looks like something is missing. What’s missing is the massive amount of creature features that make up many production cars of today, but that is a benefit for this car. The seats are comfortable and covered in a supple leather and there is room for you to enjoy the look and feel of the inside, but this sports car is functional and ready to be driven which means you won’t find massaging seats, but you will find cubbies in the door for a wager bottle or two and a small vanity mirror for your passenger.

McLaren has been in the habit of giving us curvaceous cars that have dramatic designs. The 570S is a little less of the drama and doesn’t have as many curves, but this car has the look and style that makes it attractive and easily recognizable as a McLaren model. The doors on this model open up and out easier than some of the previous models. The form of this car has the same function as the rest of the lineup, to pass air around and through the car efficiently enough to create the downforce and aerodynamics needed to make this car as efficient and powerful as possible.

From behind the wheel your driving experience will be unlike any other in the new 570S. This car takes every input and immediately moves. The suspension and steering are so in tune you would swear this car can read the road ahead before you even get there. With the three different modes for your driving, there won’t be a time you feel this car lets you down or creates a challenge. When you want a car that drives as beautifully as it looks, this is the one for you to buy and take out to the track for some therapeutic weekend driving fun.