In the fastidious environment that is the McLaren Technology
Centre in Surrey, UK, employees can have any drink on their work desk, as long
as it’s bottled water. Files or sheets of paper that aren’t being worked on
have to be kept in drawers. During the facility’s design stage, boss Ron Dennis
asked that the length and breadth of his ultramodern factory be reduced by
precisely one metre, so that none of the 218,000 floor tiles would have to be
trimmed.
The 650s Is
Essentially A Pumped-Up Developmentof The 12c
Call it what you want, but it’s this level of OCD that has
cascaded down to the firm’s first production supercar, the MP4-12C. Awkward
name aside (later simplified to “12C”), the British missile took the fight to
Ferrari’s brilliant 458 in 2011 and very nearly came out the victor.
But as fast as its lap times are, the clinical 12C lacks the
visual drama and, more importantly, deep driving pleasure of the 458. The “Mac”
was shaped by science rather than soul, engineered with technology rather than
emotion. It is, in other words, non-Italian.
But now there’s a superior version. Essentially a pumped-up
development of the 12C (a 12C “Speciale” if you will), it’s supposed to be
built alongside it to offer customers a more steroid-filled experience. Except
that it won’t. Just weeks after revealing this newcomer, McLaren announced that
production of the 12C will cease because of overwhelming demand for its
replacement. “Overwhelming” in this case means a seven-month order bank. So
it’s goodbye 12C, hello 650S.
This is basically
the 12C cockpit with additional Alcantara, plus fancy carbon options
Since the 650S and the 12C share the same production line,
you can still order the older model. But the 650S is such a big leap forward
(as you shall read about later), the only reason you’d want a 12C is because
you prefer its looks. If you’re like the rest of the world, however, you’d
agree that the 650S is quite the looker – a real step up from the
generic-looking 12C. No longer will the 458 hog headlines when “sexiest
supercar” conversations start up at the pub.
A sexy face is what the 650S has (but its backside is almost
indistinguishable from the 12C’s). Clearly inspired by the P1, McLaren’s 903bhp
hybrid hype rcar, the front end of the 650S looks equally, um, hyper.
More important than being even curvier than Kate Upton is
boasting 40 percent more downforce than the 12C. Helping the 650S to “cheat the
wind” is a Formula One inspired Drag Reduction System (DRS) employed in its
rear spoiler. Like on the 12C, it flicks up to aid braking and stability, but
now it also flicks down to reduce drag when the car is going straight (at great
speed, of course).
McLaren’s
twin-turbo 3.8-litre V8 has been given a 25bhp + 78Nm boost in the upgrade from
12C to 650S
Over 75 percent of the parts used for the 650S are carried
over from the 12C. At its core is the same carbon fibre MonoCell chassis and
3.8-litre twinturbo V8 engine, except it now produces a ludicrous 641bhp
(equivalent to 650PS, hence the car’s name) and a thunderous 678Nm of torque,
thanks to – among other highly technical things – new pistons, redesigned
cylinder heads and a freer, more breathable exhaust system.
Also new are lighter forged alloy wheels that save 2kg each.
The handsome and methodical cockpit has also lost some weight, with velvety
Alcantara trim now specified as standard (formerly an option with the 12C).
But it isn’t the increased power that’s most noticeable from
behind the wheel. To cope with the stronger down force, McLaren engineers have
stiffened the spring rate (22 percent front, 37 percent rear) and reworked the
damper valves on the hydraulically controlled suspension system, so the car is
gentler on the road and yet tauter out on track.
Switch to Normal mode on the console knob marked “H” (handling)
and the ride borders on spooky for a full-edged supercar. Plush and fluid,
such refinement is unheard of this side of a Bentley Continental GT. Even in
its hardcore Track setting, the 650S tries valiantly not to succumb to the
uncompromising-supercar stereotype. Sweeping through the winding hills of
Ronda, it has considerably more body roll when driven aggressively in its
softest setting, but flicking the “magic dial” to Sport cures this right away.
In fact, this setting provides the best balance for fast road shenanigans.
The gear changes are now smoother and crispier, thanks to a
recalibration of the proven 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Shift speeds are also
quicker when the paddle shifters are used – not that the 12C’s were leisurely
to begin with, mind you. The result is a silky drive, without any of the
occasional jolts that affiict the 12C’s transmission.
With a century
sprint timing of 3 seconds flat and a maximum velocity of 333km/h where
permitted, the 650S is speedy with a capital S
Once you’re done soaking in the newfound refinements of the
650S, you can start to scare (or laugh, depending on your level of bravery)
yourself silly with the car’s higher power output. Sheer speed isn’t something
the 12C lacks, but someone in McLaren must have thought otherwise, because the
650S takes off with the civility of a starving cheetah after its prey.
Numbers? Zero-to-100km/h in 3 seconds, zero-to-200km/h in
8.4 seconds (0.7 of a second faster than the 458 Speciale and a full second
quicker than the mighty McLaren F1), and a top speed of 333km/h.
But these astounding figures only tell half the story. There
is noticeably less turbo lag and a broader spread of torque than the 12C,
although this is hardly significant, since 90 percent of the V8’s maximum 678Nm
(up from 600Nm) comes in at just 3000rpm and peaks at 6000rpm (1000rpm earlier
than the 12C).
According to McLaren, the exhaust note has been tuned to
provide occupants with a more intense aural experience (the 12C’s is often
criticised for not being stirring enough). While the familiar, growly baritone
roar sounds distinctively louder, the tonal quality is harder to differentiate.
What it does, though, is an uncanny Darth Vader impression when the two turbos
spool up and exhaust gases make their exodus from the waste gate – the
“sighing”, whooshing and whiffiing noises that whisper through the cabin are a
great accompaniment to the deep-chested ruckus outside.
