McLaren 540C and 570S 2016 review

They say auto racing makes road cars better.

This may have been the case 50 years ago when Ferrari was vying with Ford for line awards and showroom bragging rights, but that's not the case today.

These days, road car development is ahead of its racetrack counterparts; Formula 2009 adopted hybrid technology in 12 years after the first Toyota Prius.

Many V8-powered supercars bear little resemblance to their showroom counterparts. Have you ever seen a rear wheel drive V8 Nissan Altima sedan or a Volvo S60 sedan on the road?

That's not to say there aren't talented people in motorsport, it's just that their expertise is to make the cars run at their maximum just long enough to qualify the fastest and win the race. Who cares that the cars fall in a heap on the way back to the pits?

Road cars must start every time, withstand the daily grind of extreme temperatures, and be driven by people who may not have a mechanical liking. The cars themselves must be produced by the thousands with impeccable quality time after time.

These are essentially two very different sets of skills, so we're watching with interest how McLaren's ambition to become a supercar manufacturer develops.

Four years ago, the company launched a $500,000 supercar, and now it has added two more affordable models to its lineup — with the familiar pitch of trying to beat Porsche.

Based on first impressions, McLaren is still a long way from approaching established sports car brands, let alone overtaking them.

I probably shouldn't be surprised that the air conditioning didn't work in the $325,000 McLaren 540C.

The British Formula One firm failed to finish 1 Grands Prix last year, hasn't won a drivers' title since 14, and hasn't won a Formula One Constructors' Championship since 2008, a year after the invention of the Prius.

That's why I probably shouldn't be surprised that the air conditioning didn't work in the $325,000 McLaren 540C we tested in Australia for the first time this week.

And why the air conditioning in the $379,000 McLaren 570S whistles loudly like an old Valiant driving down the Hume Highway with the windows open.

McLaren said the cars were "showcase" models and were a bit dated as they flew around the world for pre-races.

But these were the same cars that potential buyers were testing in Australia last week, so apparently McLaren has gone all out.

On the plus side, McLaren seems to know how to make an engine and transmission with supercar pedigree.

The 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine borrowed from the flagship model (but tweaked to 397kW/540Nm in the 540C and 419kW/600Nm in the 570S) has an incredible level of grunt.

Paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, it shifts smoothly. The burst of torque is epic even with a light touch on the throttle.

Despite the different power output requirements, I dare to point out the difference. 0-100 mph time is 3.5 seconds for the 540C and 3.4 seconds for the 570S - neither of which is slow.

The steering is straight forward and feels great; you can land the car exactly where you want in the corner.

But whatever you do, just don't stumble on a bump.

Both new McLarens (featuring a new carbon fiber chassis but less sophisticated suspension than the flagship 650S) roared over bumps, whether they were in comfort or sport mode.

Hitting the markings sounded like someone hitting the car with a rubber mallet.

We hope McLaren will install the best suspension from the 650S to smooth out bumps and noises. (Fortunately, McLaren had a 650S on hand for comparison.)

In the meantime, some sports car enthusiasts are probably scoffing at me for being too harsh.

The Porsche 911 may be more common, but we never encountered the major Porsche flaws these McLarens had.

But here's the thing: It was McLaren who said it wanted to build a Porsche racer. It's definitely more for a regular 911 with a 540C. And the 570S is more expensive than the Porsche 911 Turbo.

The Porsche 911 may be more common, but we never encountered the major Porsche flaws these McLarens had.

The McLaren has a long way to go before it can surpass the Porsche in overall sophistication, reliability and handling. Or a Lamborghini. Or a Ferrari.

The supercar's fantastic engine and transmission needs a well-tuned chassis and a more reliable electrical system.

Would you prefer a 911 or 488 over a 540C or 570S? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Click here for more pricing and specs for the 2016 McLaren 570S.

Click here for more pricing and specs for the 2016 McLaren 540C.