McLaren has confirmed its new 650S mid-level supercar will be offered in both coupe and spider (convertible) body styles, roughly a day after images of the rear-wheel drive tarmac warrior were leaked.
Attempting to plug the embarrassing leak, McLaren has also supplied new photos, showing the new British bruiser in all its glory.
Although vital statistics won't be forthcoming until the Geneva motor show in a couple of weeks, McLaren has confirmed the 650S will be offered in both coupe and spider body styles -- and will appeal to a wider range of customers thanks to improved levels of comfort and luxury.
The third model in the McLaren range, the 650S slots in between the entry-level MP4-12C and rip-snorting (and sold out) P1 hypercar and both coupe and spider variants will be available to order before mid-year.
Despite being faster and sharper than the 12C, the new 650S will have the "widest breadth of capabilities of any supercar," boasts McLaren. On top of tyre-ripping power and jaw-dropping lap times, the new model is designed to offer the ride quality and refinement levels of a luxury sedan.
Throw in premium cabin materials, such as leather, suede and carbon-fibre, along with satellite-navigation, digital and internet radio, voice control and audio streaming as standard and it's clear McLaren is targeting customers outside well-heeled track day enthusiasts.
Price or local availability are not yet known, but expect to pay around half a million dollars, as the 650S will be pricier than the entry-level McLaren MP4-12C ($398,000 plus ORCs).
The 650S is expected to be joined by a revamped 12C in 2015 and an all-new P13 model at a later date. The latter will be the UK company's most affordable model, possibly dipping into the low-$200,000 bracket, as it looks to give the Porsche 911 a run for its money.
As evidenced in the photos, the McLaren 650S has a very similar silhouette to the 12C, but the front-end was clearly inspired by bigger brother P1.
McLaren says the new front fascia's integrated splitter "contributes to increased levels of downforce, giving a greater level of steering feeling and confidence to the driver on turn-in, while also adding to the agility and the car’s handling balance".
In other words, it steers better than the 12C.
"As always with McLaren, the new design is there for good engineering reasons," says McLaren Automotive CEO, Mike Flewitt.
"We are always seeking to innovate, to be the class leaders, to bring new technologies and thinking to market. That's our Formula One heritage shining through," he explains.
Other technical improvements include modifications to the car's ProActive Chassis Control or PCC. This adjustable suspension system (Normal, Sport, Track) can now be operated separately from the drivetrain.
"Everything we've learnt from the 12C and the McLaren P1 has gone into the design and development of the McLaren 650S," says Flewitt.
The 650S will pump out 478kW (or 650hp, hence its name) via a tweaked version of the 12C's 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8. Faster and more agile than the 12C, the new Macca will rival vehicles such as the Ferrari 458 Speciale and is expected to rip to 100km/h in around 3.1 seconds, two-tenths sooner than the 12C.
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