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McLaren Special Ops murders out unique 650S design concept

Whether you're driving it for the attention or for the performance capabilities, you're bound to get noticed behind the wheel of a supercar like a McLaren. But what if you live in a place like Beverly Hills, Monte Carlo, London, Abu Dhabi or Singapore – communities where supercars are as common as hipsters are in Brooklyn? You wouldn't want to be caught driving the same supercar as the next guy, so you'll want to make yours your own. That's where McLaren Special Operations comes in. McLaren's own in-house personalization division has, until now, only really demonstrated the range of its capabilities on the 12C. Now that the 650S is here, though, Woking's special ops division has wasted no time in showing it can do with McLaren's latest, rolling out this unique design concept. The MSO 650S Coupe Concept is decked out in a deep red-flaked, black paintjob with contrasting satin black details. The alloys, shod with Pirelli P Zero Corsa rubber, get a satin black finish, as do the added carbon-fiber components, including enlarged side blades, diffuser and adaptive rear wing. Inside the concept is fitted with the fixed-back carbon racing buckets and carbon black leather, with more satin carbon trim. The concept is currently on tour in China to drum up some sales, but though it is, strictly speaking, a one-off, many of the components are available to fit to a 650S coupe or Spider (or for that matter an existing 12C) from the MSO catalog. Scope out the details below and the images in the gallery above for a closer look. McLAREN SPECIAL OPERATIONS SHOWCASES MSO 650S COUPE CONCEPT IN CHINA - Unique design concept shown ahead of China tour - Bespoke upgrades developed by MSO offer optimised aerodynamic performance and more dramatic appearance - Range of new styling options available for the McLaren 650S Coupe and 650S Spider many of which can also be fitted to the previous 12C models McLaren Special Operations, the bespoke division of McLaren Automotive, has released images of the MSO 650S Coupe Concept – a showcase of the MSO designed and engineered upgrades available for the McLaren 650S Coupe and 650S Spider, the latest models to join to the McLaren Automotive range. The model is being shown throughout China over the coming weeks and includes an array of bespoke MSO features, including a newly designed carbon fibre rear diffuser and MSO-branded carbon fibre side blades.

McLaren says it 'is a sports car brand' and won't make SUVs

You can add McLaren to the list of luxury and sports car companies to say it will not build an SUV, the automaker's CEO Mike Flewitt telling Bloomberg, "We need to remain very focused. McLaren is a sports car brand and that's exactly what we're going to remain." In spite of those words, in order to save his voice, Flewitt should get business cards made printed with that response, since the question will certainly keep being asked. And if the coming Lamborghini and Bentley SUVs do well, observers will expect Flewitt's ideas on the subject to "evolve," no matter what he or Ron Dennis says publicly. The evolution we refer to has taken place at BMW, which was never going to make a M version of its SUVs, and Porsche, which said it wouldn't make an SUV smaller than the Cayenne. Furthermore, there's Rolls-Royce, whose CEO said the company hadn't even considered an SUV because it wouldn't fit the brand's values, meanwhile rumors abounded that the company was gauging customer reaction to a sketch of a concept SUV adorned with the Spirit of Ecstasy. And five months later that same CEO said the company was "intesively thinking" about building one. Those are but few and recent examples. If McLaren doesn't waver, it will join Ferrari as the only pure-sports car company holdouts. Featured Gallery 2015 McLaren P1: First Drive View 39 Photos News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Copyright 2014 AOL McLaren Performance Mike Flewitt

2015 McLaren 650S Spider [w/video]

It seems like only yesterday that we enjoyed a mad dash in McLaren's wild P1 hybrid wallet-breaker. Now here we are, already back with the Brits, this time in on the great roads of southern Spain and at Ascari Race Resort as McLaren launches what has already become its most important seller, the 650S. Available as both a $265,500 coupe and as a $280,225 roadster, we will focus hard here on the Spider since it's the greater conversation piece and will account for nearly ninety percent of North American deliveries. The car's very first US customers are taking delivery as you read this. Though the 650S essentially takes what was offered in the original MP4-12C, pumps it all up and refines it nicely, this new member of the McLaren clan looks more like a P1, albeit one costing over three-quarters of a million dollars less than the real deal. Truth be told, 12C production ceased in January to allow 650S production to ramp up, and the new car will therefore serve as McLaren's entry-level model until its rumored Porsche 911- and Aston Martin V8 Vantage-rival comes along. There were a handful of key things we hoped for in this new 650S: more power and torque than the 12C, a more finely tuned ride and handling balance no matter the H (handling) and P (powertrain) setting selected, more character from the bi-turbo V8's exhaust and a flashier, less banal design. We're pleased to report that all of these issues have been addressed. The 650S' chassis and powertrain are nearly identical to the 12C, but variations do exist. The 650S' naked chassis and powertrain are nearly identical to those of the 12C at first glance, but variations do exist. The entire top portion of the dry-sump M838T 3.8-liter V8, built up by engine kings Ricardo in the UK, has been reengineered for more urgency and less friction between moving parts. These developments lead to microscopically improved fuel efficiency and lower CO2 numbers. Similarly, the seven-speed Seamless Shift Gearbox (SSG) from Graziano is the same unit, but its software has been reprogrammed for better shift behavior both in-town and at full chat come track days. Whereas on the 12C, Pirelli PZeros have been standard-issue tires with Corsa versions as an option, the 650S jumps straight to the latter's higher-performance asymmetric treads. As to braking, there is a similar change, with the optional Akebono carbon-ceramic brakes of the 12C coming standard on the 650S.

McLaren prices new 650S from $265,500

Just whisper the name "McLaren" and you know you're talking about something expensive. Just how expensive depends on which model you're talking about. McLaren sold all 375 examples of the P1 at $1.15 million. The 12C coupe starts just under $240k and the 12C Spider at $265k. The upcoming P13 should come in around $160k, and the P15 around $500k. But how much will the new 650S set you back? With the 650S set to make its US debut at the New York Auto Show next week, McLaren Automotive has released official pricing and performance figures for our market. The 650S coupe will set you back $265,500, while the 650S Spider starts at $280,225. That makes the new model about $15k more expensive than the less powerful 12C on which it's based. Or to put it another way, it falls right in the middle of the Ferrari 458 range: the Italia starts at $233k, the Spider at $257k and the Speciale (the version with which you could really compare the 650S most directly) approaches $300k. Along with the pricing info, McLaren (having quoted the 0-62 time at three seconds flat) has also revealed the official 0-60 time at 2.9 seconds. Couple that with a quarter-mile time of 10.5 seconds and a 207-mph top speed (for the coupe) and you're looking at an eminently capable supercar. Scope out all the details (including Canadian pricing for those bent on driving their McLaren in the snow) in the press release below. McLAREN AUTOMOTIVE ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN PRICING AHEAD OF NEW YORK AUTO SHOW DEBUT - New McLaren 650S Coupe and Spider now available in North America - US pricing for 650S Coupe starts at USD $265,500 and USD $280,225 for the 650S Spider - Canadian pricing for 650S Coupe and Spider is CAD $287,000 and CAD $305,500 respectively - McLaren 650S to make US debut during the 2014 New York Auto Show Following the global debut at the Geneva Auto Show, the McLaren 650S Coupe and 650S Spider are now on sale in the US and Canada across all 15 retail locations (13 in the US, two in Canada). Of these 15, McLaren Atlanta, McLaren Scottsdale, McLaren Washington DC and McLaren Vancouver were opened in the past six months and reflect the tremendous growth and success of McLaren in North America. As the first example of the McLaren 650S rolled off the line at the state-of-the-art McLaren Production Centre in Woking, McLaren Automotive has released performance numbers and confirmed pricing as part of the global debut at the 84th International Geneva Motor Show.

McLaren discontinues 12C, offers owners free upgrade

When McLaren revealed the new 650S last month at the Geneva Motor Show, it was adamant that it was not a replacement for the 12C on which it was based, but rather a supplement to it within the company's growing lineup of supercars. Production was suspended on the 12C while the McLaren Technology Center in Woking geared up to begin assembling the 650S, but was slated to begin again in the near future – depending on demand. That all changes with today's announcement, however. In a letter sent to existing owners of the 12C and shared with Autoblog, McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt announces that, "we have decided to cease [production of the 12C] in light of the success of the 650S." Thus ends the life-span of the model that put McLaren Automotive back on the map three years ago. But that's not quite the end of the story for the 12C. Lest current owners feel left out of the action, McLaren is offering them a free Technology Upgrade program. The package incorporates some (but not all) of the advancements made to the 650S, including revised Active Aero software that deploys the rear wing as an Airbrake under heavy braking and as a Drag Reduction System for straight-line speed. The package also updates the Android-based IRIS infotainment system, as well as a back-up camera and DAB radio (in Europe) or Sirius satellite radio (in North America). The upgrades will be applicable to every one of the approximately 3,500 examples of the 12C coupe and Spider built, including those that were bought new from the factory, those purchased second-hand through McLaren's Qualified Program and the handful left in dealer hands around the world. All of which strikes us a rather admirable approach on McLaren's behalf towards its customers, instead of pressing them to trade in for the newer model. View the full details in the letter we've included below. Last month we were proud to present the latest addition to our range: the McLaren 650S. Utilising advancements made during the development of the groundbreaking McLaren P1™, the 650S provides an unparalleled combination of performance and refinement. True to the McLaren ethos, the benefits of such progress are not limited to our new models. As a McLaren owner, we want to be able to share these developments with you with the offer of a free Technology Upgrade available from June.

McLaren profits could quadruple on strength of P1

McLaren has had success on the track for the last 50 years, but its recent move into also building road cars full time is paying big dividends. The British automaker says that it expects revenue to double this year and pre-tax profit on deliveries to be four-times higher, thanks in no small part to selling out of its million-dollar P1. "It's the main year in which we deliver McLaren P1s. You can expect quite a strong impact on our turnover and profits," said McLaren Chief Financial Officer Paul Buddin to Bloomberg. The business announced in November 2013 that it had sold the entire 375-car production run of the P1 sooner than it had originally planned. Since launching the MP4-12C, McLaren has made it no secret that it wants to keep its product fresh by launching a new model each year. It initially followed the 12C coupe with the 12C Spider and P1, and this year, it has the 650S, while the 12C is reportedly being phased out. Next year's introduction is expected to be the Porsche-fighting P13. P14 and P15 models, plus a more powerful 650S, are rumored to be even farther down the track. In just a few years of building production cars, McLaren has shown that it can already construct a vehicle with world-class performance. Its next step is growing the company's sales further. It hopes to move around 4,500 units annually in the next two or three years. With over a hundred grand prix wins in its history, the team is showing it's got a good shot at translating racing victory into financial success. Featured Gallery 2015 McLaren P1: First Drive View 39 Photos News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Matt Davis / AOL Earnings/Financials McLaren Performance mclaren p1 mclaren 650s mclaren p13

McLaren preparing 650S extreme track-bound versions

McLaren isn't a company used to standing still. It has 182 grand prix victories under its belt, a dozen Formula One titles and some of the most lust-worthy supercars ever made. So we could hardly blame anyone (ourselves included) for impatiently anticipating what the team at Woking has coming next. Of course, McLaren itself is eager to keep its customers focused on the considerable offerings it already has on hand, but speaking to a few key McLaren personalities has given us some clues. The project known internally as P13 is focusing on a rival to the Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8. P14 is still a mystery that no one at Woking is willing to talk about at this stage. And P15 is set to slot in between the 650S and P1 once the latter completes its 375-unit production run. But let's not get too caught up with upcoming products before we're done with the latest 650S. As our own Matt Davis will be bringing you shortly in our First Drive report, McLaren has been demonstrating the new 650S to journalists as a prodigious track weapon at the Ascari Race Resort in Spain. But before all is said and done, there will be even more track-focused versions of the 650S to follow. Speaking one-on-one with Autoblog, McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt confirmed that the new 650S is destined for the racetrack, and in multiple guises at that. First up will be the 650S GT Sprint, which could very well get a different name before it hits the circuit. This track-bound version of the 650S will follow in the footsteps of the 12C GT Sprint, a circuit toy of which McLaren has sold about 25 examples to date. Developed by McLaren's GT racing department, the 12C GT Sprint features updated aerodynamics, suspension and safety equipment, along with a set of Pirelli racing slicks to better suit it for roadcourse use. We'd expect the 650S GT Sprint (or whatever it's ultimately called) to carry over most (if not all) of the same features, plus the upgrades which McLaren Automotive applied to the 12C to transform it into the 650S – including the revised front end and upgraded engine. Flewitt tells us to expect the new Sprint track car to launch later this year. McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt tells us to expect the 650S GT Sprint track car to launch later this year. It won't be until next season, however, that McLaren GT will hit the racing circuit with its new 650S GT3.

McLaren's baby P13 coming next year with multiple bodystyles, $160K sticker price

Though you could hardly call it "cheap" by most standards, when McLaren Automotive booted up with the launch of the MP4-12C three years ago, it was, relatively speaking, the most affordable McLaren yet. Cheaper than the original McLaren F1, cheaper than the SLR it made for Mercedes-Benz, and certainly cheaper than any of the racing machinery for which the firm is known. From there, however, things only got more expensive. The 12C Spider arrived with a higher list price than the coupe, the P1 that much more so, and the 650S slots in between the two. As we reported last week, there's a new flagship codenamed P15 in the works that will be less expensive than the P1, but still significantly more than the 12C or 650S. So when will McLaren offer something a little bit more obtainable? That's the next project in the pipeline. Following the internal nomenclature that dubbed the 12C as P11, the 650S as P11M, P1 as P12 and the aforementioned upcoming flagship as P15, the forthcoming "baby McLaren" is known around Woking as the P13. (Which only makes us wonder what the P14 might be, but that's a question for another time.) What we'll be looking at with the P13 (whatever it will be called once it reaches production) is a two-door supercar based on the same carbon Monocell that underpins the rest of the McLaren lineup but will not, contrary to what Car and Driver predicts, be substantially smaller than the 12C. What it will be is cheaper – at least, relatively speaking, that is. In correspondence with Autoblog, McLaren communications chief Wayne Bruce confirms that the P13 will carry a sticker price starting "from around two thirds of what a 12C would cost you today." That would place it around $160,000 (less than what C/D forecasts) and square between the latest Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S or the V10 and V10 Plus versions of the Audi R8. "Guessing that its styling might be influenced by P1's, or indeed a 650S," we're told, "is as obvious as saying it'll have two seats." McLaren also confirms that it "will be offered in more than one bodystyle," which we'd take to mean coupe and convertible versions as are offered on the 12C and 650S, but leaves the door open to all sorts of additional possibilities in the future. We're told not to expect the P13 to debut this year, but given McLaren's cadence of revealing one new model per annum, we'd look forward to seeing it sometime in 2015.

McLaren 650S to start at $265,500 in US?

As the McLaren 650S inches towards US dealerships, one of the big questions on our mind is how much the mid-engined supercar will cost. We previously reported that European customers would be shelling out 232,500 Euros, which at the time was the equivalent of $318,000 (today, it's about $320,200). In that piece, we claimed US pricing would probably be well below that number, and thanks to some supposedly leaked intel, it looks like we were correct. DragTimes claims the hardtop 650S will start at $265,500, which actually strikes us as a bit of a bargain for a 641-horsepower, mid-engined super car. It should be noted that the list of optional extras, which is what will really drive up the price of the 650S, doesn't differ from the European options sheet we showed you back in February. That means there's a load of carbon-fiber trim pieces as well as plenty of performance options, like "super-lightweight" forged wheels, a carbon-fiber racing seat and a sport exhaust. Now, all this being said, we'd suggest taking these prices with a grain of salt. The European price leaks were accompanied by a physical price sheet that lent an air of credibility to the initial report - there's no such proof for these prices. We've reached out to McLaren to try and get confirmation on these, and we'll be sure to update this post as soon as we hear anything. Until then, head over to DragTimes for the full rundown, and let us know what you think in Comments. Is $265K a reasonable start price for a 650S? Which options from the price list would be must-haves? Have your say below. Featured Gallery McLaren 650S: Geneva 2014 View 18 Photos News Source: DragTimesImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL McLaren Coupe Performance pricing mclaren 650s

McLaren celebrates 20 years of Mobil 1 with special livery for Australian GP

Sponsors come and sponsors go in Formula One, but they tend to stick around awhile at McLaren. The team ran under Marlboro title sponsorship for 22 years from 1974 to 1996, and Hugo Boss has been with the team for 33 years now since 1981. But it's the team's partnership with Mobil 1 which it will celebrate with the sinister livery pictured here. With Vodafone having left the team at the end of last season, McLaren is without a title sponsor for this season, and was expected to return to its heritage orange livery for this year's championship. But instead it's starting the season at the Australian Grand Prix with this silver and black livery to celebrate two decades of partnership with ExxonMobil. It may not be quite as sweet as the new Williams Martini Racing livery, but it is pretty slick. Whether it stands a chance of finishing on the podium this weekend, however, is another matter. While McLaren has won the Australian Grand Prix a dozen times – more than any other team – and Jenson Button is one of the winningest drivers in the history of the Aussie race, he and the team haven't been showing too well in pre-season testing. Mobil 1 and McLaren Celebrate 20-Year Partnership in Formula 1 As the 2014 Formula 1 season kicks off this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix, ExxonMobil and McLaren will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their technical and commercial relationship. In honor of the major milestone, the McLaren Formula 1 cars will feature a special livery in Australia that will include both Mobil 1™ and Mobil™ brands." "To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Mobil 1's relationship with McLaren, we are looking forward to showcasing a special branding scheme during the first race of the 2014 season," said Artis Brown, global motorsports manager, Mobil 1. "There is a lot of energy entering this race. Not only are we celebrating our 20th anniversary with McLaren, but we will be welcoming Kevin Magnussen to the team. When you combine these elements with the introduction of the new V-6 engine, this should be a very exciting weekend." Jonathan Neale, Chief Operating Officer and Acting CEO of McLaren Mercedes said, "We are privileged to have worked closely with ExxonMobil over a very successful 20 years and counting. During 332 races together we have achieved four world championships, 78 wins, 229 podium finishes and 76 pole positions, which is testament to our powerful technology partnership.