Drifting made easier on McLaren’s new Super Series

The next generation of McLaren’s Super Series will be much easier to drift thanks to a new just-press-a-button-feature. So, in the near future, McLaren’s supercars wouldn’t just be fast, but also more agile.

Typically, rear-wheel drive cars are easier to drift than vehicles with other configurations. Aside from that fact, rear-wheel drive cars are considered sportier. As a die-hard advocate of rear-wheel drive layout, McLaren has always created sports and super cars with this configuration. This is why you could see video clips of McLaren cars doing the drift on the Internet.

McLaren is currently in the midst of developing the successor to its current Super Series, and the first one would be a successor to its 650S sports car. The name of this successor remains unknown, although it is called internally at McLaren as P14. The British carmaker has dropped the fact that the next generation of the Super Series will be featuring a so-called “McLaren Variable Drift Control” that allows the P14 sports car to, basically, drift easier with a swipe of the fingers.

This McLaren Variable Drift Control is somewhat similar to the so-called Launch Control. Using an electronic accelerator and a computer program, Launch Control is a considerable aid in accelerating from a standstill. The driver just needs to press a button to activate Launch control. While Launch Control is a great aid in sprinting, the McLaren Variable Drift Control should be a splendid feature for sporty drifting drills.

McLaren Variable Drift Control is actually a part of the so-called Proactive Chassis Control II, which is an active chassis system that – depending on the driving mode selected (Comfort, Sport, Track) and the driving conditions – intelligently manages the car’s cornering grip and dynamic response, as well as comfort. Only available on Sport and Track modes, the McLaren Variable Drift Control – with a swipe on the control seen on the central infotainment screen – allows drivers to vary the amount of Electronic Stability Control on their P14 Super Series cars.

This new drift control feature would be a great addition to the P14’s anticipated specs. It is well expected that it would be significantly more powerful than the 650S. There have been rumors that this successor would have 710 hp or 750 hp, which have led others to speculate that it would be named as 710S or 750S, respectively.

Interestingly, the P14 only has a dry weight of just 1,283 kg, making it around 18 kg lighter than the 650S. The secret to this lightness is the so-called Monocage II – an ultra-lightweight, central structure made from carbon fiber. While it is lighter than the metal-and-carbon structure that underpins the first gen Super Series, Monocage II is still very rigid. The Monocage I and the Monocage II have several similarities and the same architecture, but the latter is made using a different engineering method.

PRESS RELEASE

NEW ACTIVE CHASSIS CONTROL TIPS BALANCE IN FAVOUR OF McLAREN’S SECOND-GENERATION SUPER SERIES

The second-generation McLaren Super Series, which will make its public debut at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show on March 7, will have the widest breadth of dynamic ability of any McLaren and set new standards for Super Series’ cornering performance, driver enjoyment and ride comfort.

An advanced new generation of McLaren’s multi-mode, Proactive Chassis Control is key to the elevated dynamic performance of the new McLaren supercar. Drivers can select Comfort, Sport, or Track mode according to personal preference and Proactive Chassis Control II will deliver the optimal balance of cornering grip, dynamic response, and comfort to best suit the individual mode and the driving conditions.

Proactive Chassis Control II uses multiple sensors – 12 more than on previous Super Series models, including an accelerometer on each wheel hub – to ‘read’ inputs from the road and measure tyre contact patch. The information is analysed in milliseconds by the ‘Optimal Controller’ algorithm at the core of the system and suspension damping immediately optimised accordingly.

“Proactive Chassis Control II generates a significant amount of additional grip, but not at the expense of the balance and feel of the car,” explained Mark Vinnels, Executive Director – Product Development, at McLaren Automotive. “The depth and breadth of handling precision and ride comfort in combination with the peerless level of driver involvement in the second-generation McLaren Super Series is simply extraordinary.”

An additional new feature, McLaren Variable Drift Control, will provide even greater involvement for a driver who wants to fully explore the dynamic ability of the second-generation Super Series, allowing the level of Electronic Stability Control intensity to be varied with the swipe of a finger across a control displayed on the central infotainment screen.

Full details of the second-generation McLaren Super Series, including pricing, will be confirmed in March when further images will also be made available.