The British car-maker McLaren unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show the 650S.
A super-car based on the underpinnings of a 12C but with more power and better performance.

When McLaren decided to launch a supercar, their expertise in professional racing was essential. They designed an aerodynamical vehicle and the final result was attractive. But the 12C didn’t have that aggressive look of a road-runner and Ferrari killer. The 650S came to fix this.

On the outside, the boomerang style headlights and side scoops mimicked the fangs of a wild animal. The side air-intakes for the mid-mounted engine were extended to the doors. As expected, the British car-manufacturer didn’t want to use or resemble the Lambo-style doors. They already had their McLaren F1 style, and that’s what they used.

On the inside, the 650S tried to offer a comfortable supercar. A vehicle that could be used every day, without the muscular pains from a stiff chassis or a too-tight seat. It did feature sport-bucket seats and adaptive dampers. But it was fitted with all the comfort features of a modern car as well.

An aggressive looking supercar without a powerful engine can’t convince customers. There are a lot of examples in motoring history. The 650S didn’t want to go into that direction and it featured a newly developed twin-turbo V8 unit that could offer 650 hp. Its power was sent to the rear wheels via a 7-speed automatic with sequential shifting fitted as standard.