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McLaren 650S Sprint is ready to hit the track running in Monterey

McLaren isn't exactly the most plebeian brand to begin with, so it makes sense for the company to take advantage of the lavish parties and wealthy folks descending on California for the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. In addition to the insane P1 GTR, McLaren is showing off the track-focused 650S Sprint here in Monterey. This new 650S it takes the place of the 12C Sprint in the brand's lineup, and should be the fastest 650S short of the GT3 racer. The thing is, the Sprint isn't technically a homologated racer, but it makes a great toy to show off at track days. For the Sprint, the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 stays put, but McLaren optimizes the 650S' body for more downforce and better engine cooling. It also packs all sorts of track goodies like a competition fuel tank, larger radiator, racing-tuned suspension and 19-inch center-lock wheels. It also has all of the safety necessities for a day of doing laps like a roll cage, fire suppression and racing buckets. Of course, you might have known about all of that already, since the British brand revealed the Sprint just a few days ago, but you can check it live our gallery from Monterey.

McLaren's entry-level P13 will be called Sports Series

McLaren is dropping its alphanumeric model-naming scheme when it comes to its upcoming model to slot into the bottom of the brand's supercar lineup. Unlike the 650S or P1, the vehicle previously known as the P13, is now rechristened with an actual title as the Sport Series. The announcement comes in conjunction with a somewhat bizarre new teaser video that compares the future supercar to a black swan. It's the, "symbol of a moment that challenges beliefs and turns thinking upside down," according to the clip. That seems like a pretty big promise, but McLaren also confirms that the Sports Series is primed for a global unveiling in the second quarter of 2015 with a carbon-fiber chassis and mid-mounted V8. Hard facts about the supercar haven't been easy to come by. Company spokesperson Wayne Bruce confirmed to Autoblog this year that the price would be "around two thirds of what a 12C would cost you today." Multiple body styles have also been suggested, including a coupe, convertible and possibly even a larger GT version. Earlier rumors also indicated that the turbocharged V8 might be detuned down to around 450 horsepower, compared to 641 hp from the 650S. The switch to using a real name for the model rather than a mix of numbers and letters certainly signals it as something different from the rest of the brand. Scroll down to read the McLaren's announcement and check out its rather weird teaser clip. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. McLAREN CONFIRMS MUCH ANTICIPATED SPORTS SERIES WITH GAME-CHANGING LAUNCH CAMPAIGN Nov 6, 2014 McLaren Sports Series to make global premiere in 2015 Third model in the range will be a pure McLaren View the Sports Series launch film at http://youtu.be/0ff_kV1wqYE Follow the campaign at cars.mclaren.com and join the conversation – #BlackSwanMoments Scheduled to premiere on the world stage in the second quarter of 2015, McLaren has now confirmed that its latest model, previously referred to only by its internal codename 'P13', will be known as the McLaren Sports Series. It will join the range below the 650S, bringing McLaren credentials and exclusivity to the sportscar segment for the first time. The launch campaign will plot the history over 13 chapters of true game-changing – Black Swan – moments from around the world and within McLaren's.

Gordon Murray, F1-driven production and .. the Pontiac Fiero

Gordon Murray's design and engineering chops are unquestionable. But does his carmaking approach owe something to the short-lived Pontiac Fiero, a scrappy little car program that emerged from GM against serious resistance? Murray had a Formula One career that ran from 1969 to 1991, with stints at Brabham ('69 to '86) and McLaren ('87-'91), that resulted in several shelves' worth of trophies for the cars he was instrumental in designing. He moved on to McLaren Cars, the consumer side of things, where, during his tenure from 1991 to 2004, he helped design the McLaren F1 and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, two cars that took learnings from his two decades in Formula One. What do all of these cars have in common? Three things: They are light. They were built in limited numbers. And they were (and are) exceedingly expensive—when the McLaren F1 debuted in 1994, it stickered at $815,000. Murray went on to establish Gordon Murray Design in 2007. GMD has created some interesting concept vehicles, such as the diminutive T.25 city car (94.5 inches long, 51.1 inches wide and 55.1 inches high), and the OX, a lightweight truck for the developing world that packs like an IKEA shelf and is working toward realization through a worthy crowdfunding campaign established by the Global Vehicle Trust. Now he has created a vehicle manufacturing company, Gordon Murray Automotive, that will use manufacturing methods that he developed under the moniker "iStream." Unlike a unibody, there are the "iFrame," a cage-like construction made with metallic components, and the "iPanels," which are composite. The panels aren't simply a decorative skin; they actually provide structure to the vehicle. Presumably this has something of the F1 monocoque about it. Going back to the three elements, (1) this arrangement results in a vehicle that can be comparatively light; (2) Murray has indicated that his manufacturing company will be doing limited-run production; and (3) to launch Gordon Murray Automotive they are going to be building a flagship model, about which Murray said, "With our first new car, we will demonstrate a return to the design and engineering principles that have made the McLaren F1 such an icon." Which seems to imply that it will be on the pricey side. According to the company's verbiage, "iStream forges an entirely new production method that defies conventionality with its Formula One-derived construction and materials technologies." It also sounds a whole lot like ...