Every once in a while, the car market does something so absurd, so backwards, so universe-bending that enthusiasts everywhere collectively pause and ask:
“Wait… what?”
This is one of those moments.
Because right now — today — you can walk onto the used market and buy a 562-horsepower, carbon-tub, mid-engine McLaren 570S for less money than a brand-new 2025 Corvette Z06.
Let that sink in.
The same British exotic that embarrassed Ferrari 458s, that launched McLaren’s modern supercar era, that was over $200,000 new, is now going for… $95k to $115k. In some cases even less.
Meanwhile, high-spec Z06s are cresting $150k before dealer markups.
What in the depreciation multiverse is happening here?
Let’s dive into the biggest used-supercar plot twist of the decade.
The McLaren 570S Market Has Officially Gone Off the Deep End
Just a few years ago, the idea of buying a McLaren — ANY McLaren — under six figures felt like fantasy.
Now?
Recent public sales confirm:
2016–2019 McLaren 570S (Coupe or Spider)
✔ $95,000 – $115,000
✔ 7-speed dual-clutch
✔ Carbon MonoCell II tub
✔ Twin-turbo 3.8L V8
✔ 562 hp / 443 lb-ft
✔ 0–60 in 3.1 seconds
This isn’t a salvage-title gamble.
Not a flood car.
Not a “needs engine” special.
These are clean, low-mileage, dealer-serviced examples selling for used-911 money.
This is the exact car that used to go toe-to-toe with the Ferrari 458 Italia and the Audi R8 V10 Plus.
And now it’s cheaper than a loaded Toyota Sequoia.
Enter the 2025 Corvette Z06 — A Masterpiece, But Not Cheap
Let’s be very clear: the C8 Z06 is incredible.
It may be the greatest American performance car ever made.
But it’s not cheap.
A 2025 Corvette Z06 with:
- Z07 Performance Package
- Carbon wheels
- Carbon aero
- Upgraded interior
- Convenience packages
…regularly stickers for:
$140,000 – $160,000
And markups?
Still absolutely a thing in many regions.
Plenty of Z06 buyers are paying $165k–$180k out the door.
So yes, the math is real:
You can buy a McLaren 570S for $30k–$50k less than a Z06.
Let that reality marinate for a second.
Spec Sheet Throwdown: 570S vs. Z06
Despite being older, the 570S still hits hard.
McLaren 570S
- 3.8L twin-turbo V8
- 562 hp / 443 lb-ft
- 7-speed dual-clutch
- Carbon fiber MonoCell II chassis
- 0–60 mph: 3.1 seconds
- Top speed: 204 mph
- Weight: ~3,200 lbs
2025 Corvette Z06
- 5.5L flat-plane crank V8
- 670 hp / 460 lb-ft
- 8-speed DCT
- Aluminum architecture
- 0–60 mph: 2.9 seconds
- Top speed: 189 mph
- Weight: ~3,600 lbs
Yes, the Z06 is faster.
Yes, the Z06 sounds like a Ferrari 458 resurrected from the dead.
Yes, the Z06 is the ultimate track weapon.
But the McLaren has:
✔ Exotic presence
✔ Carbon-tub rigidity
✔ Mid-engine balance
✔ Butterfly doors
✔ A supercar badge and aura the Z06 will never match
The fact that these two cars are even comparable — and that the McLaren is CHEAPER — is wild.
Why Did Prices Crash? The Three Big Reasons
1. McLaren depreciation is famously brutal
No automaker drops in value as fast as McLaren.
First owners absorb shockingly steep depreciation curves.
2. Maintenance fear — justified or not
Yes, McLaren service is expensive.
Yes, parts take time.
Yes, a turbo can cost $9k.
But the 570S is one of the more reliable McLarens, and independent shops have gotten good at supporting them.
3. Rising Z06 prices make the McLaren look like a steal
As C8 Z06 prices soar into supercar territory, buyers suddenly do the math:
“Wait… you’re telling me I can get a real exotic for less?”
And once that switch flips, it’s hard to unsee.
This Is the Best Used-Supercar Market in a Decade
Between interest rate pressures, high inventory, and softening collector demand, 570S prices have hit what can only be described as:
“The perfect storm of affordability.”
You’re getting:
- A real exotic
- A carbon chassis
- Incredible performance
- Head-turning drama
- Supercar pedigree
- Dual-clutch excitement
…for the price of a new Tahoe.
And unlike older Lambos or Ferraris, the 570S is modern, fast, usable, and insanely underpriced.
This kind of value almost shouldn’t exist.
Final Verdict: 570S or Z06? There’s No Wrong Answer
If you want:
- Flat-plane V8 noise
- Bulletproof GM reliability
- Track performance
- Modern tech
- A warranty
→ Z06 every time.
If you want:
- Exotic looks
- Supercar pedigree
- Butterfly doors
- Carbon chassis magic
- “I can’t believe I can afford this” bragging rights
→ 570S, and it’s not even close.
The fact that these two cars are even cross-shopped is proof that the supercar market is absolutely unhinged — in the best way possible.
So… 570S or Z06?
Drop your pick in the comments — this debate might get spicy.
