McLaren 570S priced at $184,900

McLaren broke new ground when it launched the new 570S at the New York Auto Show this week, moving in into lower-priced but higher-volume territory for the first time. But that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg: there will be an entire Sports Series to follow, with additional body styles and more affordable (a relative term in this case) levels of specification. The second model, dubbed 540C, is set to debut at the Shanghai Motor Show.

US dealers will exchange $184,900 for keys to a 570S, which is $2,200 more than Porsche's base price for the 911 Turbo S. Based on 540C pricing already announced in the United Kingdom, we estimate that model will cost about $160,000 if it comes stateside

The 540C is to the 570S as the Asian-market 625C is to the 650S. The smaller number designates a lower level of equipment and a little less power, but also a lower price tag. In the case of the 540C, that's 533 horsepower instead of 562 hp. The carbon-ceramic brakes on the 570S will most certainly disappear from the standard features list for the 540C, among other features.