McLaren confirms ‘pure’ Sport Series model positioned below 650S

By Andrew Hard November 6, 2014

McLaren’s upcoming entry-level sports car has a name, but it’s not the 500S or P13.

The 911-fighting speedster will be called the Sports Series, and although the brand is mum on details at the moment, previous reports have indicated the car will feature a detuned version of the 650S’ twin-turbo V8 making around 500 horsepower.

Expect more details to be coming shortly, as McLaren has launched a new series of teaser ads for the Sports Series dubbed ‘Black Swan Moments.’

The ad is somewhat cryptic, but it does sound a lot more sophisticated than ‘Black Sheep’ would have. I doubt the British brand wanted a carbon fiber “pure McLaren” sports car to be associated with Chris Farley.

The film starts with the allegory of the black swan, a rare, oft misunderstood-creature that changed the perception of the world when they were discovered in 1697.

“People once thought that all swans were white,” the narrator says. “Sometimes, things are not always as we believe them to be.”

“The black swan became a symbol of a moment that challenges beliefs and turns thinking upside down,” the narrator continues. “Challenging beliefs is an ethos we’ve lived by for over 50 years. Maybe it’s time we did it again.”

The Sports Series will make its global premiere in early 2015, making it the company’s four new model in as many years.

Part of the reason for McLaren’s rapid output is that most of its vehicles share major components, the engine for example. The 650S, P1, and 12C all use the 3.8-liter M838T engine in some state of tune (or hybrid status), so it’s a no-brainer than the Sport Series will as well.

Pricing is expected to stay well below the $265,500 base price of the 650S, so bet on the Sport Series costing around $200,000.

Stay tuned for more of McLaren’s 13-part ‘Black Swan Moments’ series.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…

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