For a company that started to build urban cars in 1992 and made only two in eighteen years, having three of them at the same time can be considered breathtaking. Although such overlap isn’t expected to last long, the truth is McLaren is currently living a very positive moment. After dazzling the world with a supercar such as P1, now it’s time to apply some of its features to a (slightly) more everyday car, which doesn’t require hurry to buy because it’ll have series production. And you can already choose between coupé and roadster!
McLaren’s scenario will come back to normality in a short time for two main reasons. First, P1’s 375 units were already all sold, so the company only has to finish producing them. Second, its official speech doesn’t help at all to believe that 650S can just live together with 12C. Despite the latter is only three years old, its trouble comes from the fact that the new car is actually an upgrade of itself. Selling a new car along with its predecessor is very common at high-volume automakers, but these cases are usually much cheaper vehicles: while the new car keeps up with the company’s trends and the class competition, the older attracts those customers who can’t afford that. When we speak of $265,000 price tags, in turn, using this strategy is a little harder to understand…
And what does 650S have to start such fuss? For starters, three out of four parts shared with 12C. The new car is better in many ways, but it does present only 25% new components compared to its older brother. Spotting them is easier if you start with the outside, because it features a very attractive resemblance with P1. Inspiration from the supercar appears at the bigger use of round shapes, which create smoother connections between the volumes. The multiple elements in black create a strong contrast with the body color, but the LED headlights deserve a mention of their own once again: being shaped as McLaren’s logo is simply awesome. Facts like these are what make 12C look obsolete: if you put these two side by side, the latter is more likely to remind you of F1, which is 22-year-old.
However, talking about the design leads to much more. The aerodynamic chapter begins with the front air intake, which is bigger to help sticking the vehicle to the ground. When it comes to the side ones, the same observation is explained by needing to cool the more powerful engine. Going to the rear, at last, reveals a special spoiler that changes its position according to the car’s needs: it levels itself with the body under full acceleration, to reduce drag, and raises to its maximum height when braking, in order to deal with the same effect in the opposite way. Such construction provides a 40% higher downforce at 150 mph, and helps the automaker to affirm 650S makes its wealthy driver more confident to drive harder.
Seeking that also implied on improving the chassis. 22% stiffer springs help to reduce body roll, while there are better impact responses from the dampers. There are carbon-ceramic brakes, and the carbon-fiber structure once again allows McLaren to brag 650S Spider didn’t need any extra reinforcements; the 40-kg increase comes from the hard top, whose operation takes seventeen seconds. It also features the option of lowering the rear glass with the roof still closed, exclusively in order to allow the occupants to hear the engine roar without getting wet. But electronics received a very important role, too: the new brake booster aids to smoother operation at low speeds, the ESP allows a greater slip angle when in Track mode, and the transmission software was revised to improve driving under low speeds.
In other words, 650S is a great car whether at the city or the track. Driving at the first will be more pleasant with standard items such as Alcantara coating, DAB radio, satellite navigation and multiple alloy wheel designs and external colors. Optionally, the owner can upgrade its 650S with more leather, in the dashboard’s upper part with contrastant stitching, and even more carbon fiber, in seats and both external and internal elements. Driving at the second is already extremely pleasant with the car’s standard package: even though 12C no one considered a slow car, McLaren would never lose such an opportunity to make performance improvements. Even if they only make the assumptions regarding 12C’s fate stronger.
650S features a twin-turbo 3.8L V8 engine, whose power is 25 hp higher than 12C’s and reaches 641 hp (which, converted to PS, gives the number which the car’s name combines to the “S” of “Sport”) along with the 500-lb-ft torque that comes from 443 lb-ft. Using a faster seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission, the new car goes from 0 to 100 kph in 3s, then to 200 kph in 8s4 and to the top speed of 333 kph. Other interesting tweaks include the 30-millisecond cut of two cylinders while on normal driving mode, which amplifies the exhaust note, and “inertia push”, which aids to stronger accelerations. McLaren 650S is expected to arrive US$ 33,000 more expensive at the Spider variation. Both cars are exposed at this year’s Geneva Auto Show.