The launch of the McLaren 570S at New York Auto Show heralded a new era for the British auto maker in which they are allowing themselves to steadily lower the bar and make cheaper and less powerful models. So at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show they will unveil an entry-level model called McLaren 540C.

McLaren 540C will be the second member of the new Sports Series family and it will set its sight firmly on the Porsche 911, following the footsteps of its bigger brother, the 570S, which is a direct rival for the 911 Turbo. It will be styled and priced accordingly.

As the name clearly suggests, McLaren 540C will boast 540 horsepower, presumably from a toned-down version of the existing 3.8 liter bi-turbo V8. That is still a lot more than what you get from any ‘normal’ Porsche 911. That’s a good thing, because if the engineers fail at making the 540C drive as well as a 911, they can at least make up for it with outright performance.

If they keep going downhill at this rate, by 2017 McLaren could be in a position to produce a hot hatchback!

Via Autocar