Automotive

McLaren pays tribute to Can-Am racing heritage with limited edition 650S

McLaren pays tribute to Can-Am racing heritage with limited edition 650S
The McLaren 650S Can Am celebrates 50 years since the start of the Can Am racing series
The McLaren 650S Can Am celebrates 50 years since the start of the Can Am racing series
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The McLaren 650S Can Am celebrates 50 years since the start of the Can Am racing series
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The McLaren 650S Can Am celebrates 50 years since the start of the Can Am racing series
The car's roof is made of carbon, a first for McLaren
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The car's roof is made of carbon, a first for McLaren
Those quad exhaust pipes are a throwback to the Can Am racers of the 1960s
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Those quad exhaust pipes are a throwback to the Can Am racers of the 1960s
The Can Am has got special carbon fiber bits sprinkled all over it
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The Can Am has got special carbon fiber bits sprinkled all over it
McLaren is charging over £250,000 for the Can Am
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McLaren is charging over £250,000 for the Can Am
Gorgeous five-spoke wheels are a part of the Can Am package
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Gorgeous five-spoke wheels are a part of the Can Am package
McLaren has finished this car in Mars Red, but three colors are available
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McLaren has finished this car in Mars Red, but three colors are available
Inside, there isn't much to separate the Can Am from regular Spiders
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Inside, there isn't much to separate the Can Am from regular Spiders
Those bonnet louvres are also unique to the Can Am
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Those bonnet louvres are also unique to the Can Am
McLaren will build just 50 Can Ams
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McLaren will build just 50 Can Ams
The special exhaust system gives the car a more distinctive sound
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The special exhaust system gives the car a more distinctive sound
The source of McLaren's inspiration is clear
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The source of McLaren's inspiration is clear
McLaren's 650S Can Am is the latest in a long line of special edition 650S'
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McLaren's 650S Can Am is the latest in a long line of special edition 650S'
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It might be relatively new to the road car arena, but McLaren has a long history of success on the racetrack. From the MP4/4s that Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna battled each other in to the Can Ams that raced around America in the 1960s, the McLaren brand is steeped in motorsports tradition.

McLaren Special Operations is paying tribute to this Can-Am heritage that with a limited-run version of the 650S Spider.

Those quad exhaust pipes are a throwback to the Can Am racers of the 1960s
Those quad exhaust pipes are a throwback to the Can Am racers of the 1960s

For the first time on a McLaren, the 650S Can Am is fitted with a carbon fiber retracting roof, while carbon has also been used for the front splitter, airbrake, rear bumper and side blades.

The car sits on lightweight, five spoke forged alloys wrapped in sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber. Harking back to the wheels on Bruce McLaren's 1960s Can Am racers, they're held on with titanium bolts and look absolutely fantastic when combined with the car's Mars Red paintwork.

There's no extra power, with the Can Am taking the same three seconds to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) on its way to the same 329 km/h (204 mph) top speed as the regular 650S Spider, but MSO has fitted a new exhaust system that gives the car a louder, more distinctive sound.

The special exhaust system gives the car a more distinctive sound
The special exhaust system gives the car a more distinctive sound

All up, just 50 Can Am Special Editions will be built to celebrate 50 years since the first race of the Canadian American Challenge Cup in Mont Tremblant.

So, what price exclusivity?

Er, quite a lot actually. The Spider will set you back £255,850 in the UK, or $334,500 if you're in the USA. But if McLaren's collection of past special edition cars is anything to go by, it won't struggle to shift the Can Am.

Source: McLaren

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1 comment
1 comment
Buzzclick
Wow. That's a good looking machine! It doesn't have any bad angles at all.