McLaren Launches the 650S Can-Am

2016 McLaren 650S Can-Am (Credit: © McLaren)

The McLaren name proved its worth in the famed Can-Am series through the 1960s and 1970s, as it was a forced to be reckoned with. In 2016, 50 years after McLaren’s first-ever Can-Am start in Mont Tremblant, Canada, McLaren is releasing a limited-edition 650S Can-Am.

This special model will focus on a lot of the same things as its Can-Am-racing inspiration, and one of the main points was keeping everything lightweight. The achieve this, McLaren upped the 650S’ dose of carbon fiber, crafting the hood, retractable hardtop, airbrake, front splitter, rear bumper center piece, door blades, and the Can-Am-branded doorsill covers in the lightweight material. This model also gains lightweight forged-alloy rollers wrapped in Pirelli P Zero rubber and fixed to the car via titanium lug nuts.

2016 McLaren 650S Can-Am (Credit: © McLaren)

The 650S also takes a few styling cues from the racing model that inspire it. Up front, there are carbon-fiber louvered wings that help reduce air pressure over the tires and reduce lift, while the rear features a quad-exit exhaust system similar to the one found on the Can-Am racer. The final styling bit that harks back to the original race car is the Mars Red launch color of this special rig, as it is the same hue Bruce McLaren’s M1B race car was painted. Other colors include Papaya Spark and Onyx Black.

The cabin is less custom than the exterior, but it still gets a few new bits. The changes inside include leather- and Alcantara-wrapped seats, and plenty of carbon-fiber accents.

2016 McLaren 650S Can-Am (Credit: © McLaren)

Under its hood, the 2016 McLaren 650S Can-Am is bone stock. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, as the 3.8-liter V-8 that powers this rig pumps out a mighty 641 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. This power results in a 0-to-100 km/h (62 mph) time of just three seconds and a top speed of 204 mph.

The 2016 McLaren 650S Can-Am will be available in the spring of 2016 at a starting price of £255,850 ($392,883). Only 50 units will be available around the world, so you’d better get a move on if you want one.