Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
I had my early Wednesday morning well mapped out.
Take the family Avanza run-around in for its 7am service, enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee at the Toyota Plaza’s Caribou Coffee outlet, check my emails, collect the car within two hours and then head off for the start of another week’s adventure at the GulfWeekly offices, writes Stan Szecowka.
Then I got the call. My contact at McLaren requested that my planned test drive be brought forward. Thank you. It was one of those rare moments that the stars up above had aligned in perfect harmony.
Thanks to my good friends at Kanoo Motors taking over the magical marque and setting up shop just around the corner I was able to drop off the Avanza and stroll round energised by my double espresso and pick up the 570S Coupé, the first model in the acclaimed McLaren Sports Series.
I’ve enjoyed a love affair with McLaren ever since it swung into gear delivering super sports cars. Not only is it a British brand to be proud of but its major backer is Mumtalakat, Bahrain’s sovereign wealth, representing the country I proudly now call home.
It was fitting that on the very week I celebrate 10 years in the chair as Editor of GulfWeekly I should give Bahrain’s latest ‘very own car’ a spin on the roads of the kingdom for 24-hours of motoring heaven.
I planned to collect the Toyota Avanza (BD5,000 thanks to E K Kanoo’s special Ramadan offer) when I dropped off the McLaren 570S (starting price BD75,000) the following morning. My test drive car was not the basic model.
As the electronic doors rose up into the Kanoo Performance arena, I took a sneaky look as the bright yellow beauty was being lovingly polished and prepared especially for yours truly. As well as an elite yellow paint-job my little baby boasted carbon fibre extras on the interior and exterior, upgraded wheels and racing seats.
I had an instant flashback of similar palpitations experienced from my teenage past (no, not that) and later at the start of my relationship with McLaren. I felt the same excitement as when I was told that I had passed my driving test at my first attempt at the age of 17 before driving off into the sunset like a boy possessed ... and on the occasion I was invited to take a new McLaren MP4-12C on the roads and race track shortly after its launch.
That’s probably why I never concentrated despite being fully briefed before taking the 570S out on the road. Firstly, I instantly forgot how to slide into the cabin. It was simple when I watched McLaren Bahrain boss Trevor Fletcher elegantly manoeuvre into the driver’s seat and he’s got much longer legs than me.
But all I needed was practice and sure enough after a few ungainly attempts I mastered the technique and fitted swiftly and comfortably behind the wheel and even managed a pirouette when I later stepped out of the compartment.
Although the gear flappers were easily at hand for a little manual driving moment, the push button automatic drive is a dream although it took me a while to stop my mind and hand from seeking out a gear stick. It wasn’t long before I was well into my comfort zone and playing king of the road.
But I was soon brought back to earth by a fair maiden who spotted me posing by the car whilst our photographer Honey Sharma was taking some images by the waterside for this feature. She wandered away from a friend and asked politely if she could take her own photograph.
I gave her my best sultry smile and stood by the car until she said: ‘do you mind moving out of the way?’ She took pictures of the car with her phone and promptly disappeared. However, I remain a hero in the eyes of my teenage son, Stan Jnr.
When I arrived home with a roar from the McLaren’s engine and offered to take him for the school parents/pupils GCSE subjects meeting in style he quickly posted his own images on Istagram.
I bumped into some fellow parents and one mum said her daughter had rushed over to say: ‘Look at Stan’s dad’s new car!’ and she quickly had to put her straight, saying: ‘No darling, he had a Rolls-Royce the other day and always has to give those fancy motors back.”
OK, shatter my dreams why don’t you … but for 24-hours from Tubli I was a McLaren man and will remain so forever in my dreams. The McLaren 570S Coupé is the first and highest powered model launched in the Sports Series.
Following its global debut at the New York International Auto Show in April 2015, the model range marks the entry of McLaren into the luxury sports car market, introducing race derived technologies and supercar performance in a package which is very much a pure McLaren.
Lightweight construction, including the use of a carbon fibre chassis, recognisable design and a comprehensive specification list ensures a class-leading offering, and as uncompromised as is expected from a McLaren.
The latest addition to the range completes the three-tier model strategy for McLaren alongside the Super Series and Ultimate Series. The Sports Series is the most usable and attainable model to wear a McLaren badge to date, but it retains the core design and dynamic focus that ensures it is still worthy of the iconic name.
Weighing as little as 1,313kg (2,895lbs), thanks in part to the unique lightweight carbon fibre MonoCell II chassis, the Sports Series is almost 150kg lighter than its closest rival. Power is provided by an evolution of the 3.8-litre twin turbo V8 engine with 30 per cent new components.
This ensures electrifying performance, with the 570S boasting a class-leading power-to-weight figure of 434PS. At the same time, the interior is more tailored around day-to-day usability, with optimised access, greater levels of stowage space and more refinement.
Talking of storage, the boot is in the front and, of course, there’s a button release. Don’t be a dummy like me. When I pressed it the first time, I jumped out the car trying to find a little catch to open it when, in fact, all you have to do is lift the lid straight up!
There was plenty of room for an overnight case alongside my trendy ‘man bag’, camera and lunch-time (slimming) salad placed in my chill carrier. Surprisingly, the car’s beautiful butterfly doors did not take up any extra room when opened and I could easily park without any risk of scratching the paintwork under my compact carport at home in Janabiya.
It was simply madeto-measure. With no compromises, the Sports Series is the perfect entry point into the world of McLaren. I dropped the car back, gently stroking the soft texture of the suede leather by the door handle before departing and waved goodbye to the lovely McLaren service adviser.
She truly was lovely … her real name was Lovely, no joking! As I walked to collect my Toyota Avanza a security guard and one of Lovely’s colleagues came chasing down the street after me.
‘Can we have the key back please!’ they shouted. Whoops, sorry, maybe it was meant to be and subconsciously I was supposed to keep it after all?
Dream on, Stanley, dream on … Check it out by visiting https:// www.bahrain.mclaren.com
