Introduction
The McLaren 650S was an evolution of the preceding MP4-12C and uses the findings gained from the P1 Hypercar in order to make it more responsive and focused.
The 650 in the car’s name refers to the engine’s power output in PS, the European standard for horsepower while the ‘S’ stands for Sport.
Most of the components are carried over from the 12C which includes the carbon-fibre monocoque chassis which has aluminium subframes front and back. The monocoque weighs 75 kg (165 lb) and is manufactured by Carbo Tech, an aerospace contractor based in Austria. With an aim of building 4,000 cars per year, McLaren deemed the traditional pre-impregnation method used to mould parts too labour-intensive and instead used an alternative method which involves a resin transfer moulding process.
The powertrain of the 650S is largely carried over from the 12C but involves new pistons, better-flowing cylinder heads, new exhaust valves, and recalibrated camshaft timing. A new exhaust system also reduces weight while being more responsive. The red-line of the engine was increased to 8,500 rpm.
The engine is mated to the same 7-speed dual clutch transmission as in the 12C but it has been recalibrated for faster shift times. The 650S came with new aluminium forged wheels wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres having wider contact patch than the previous versions for improved grip. In order to improve ride quality, McLaren used ProActive Chassis Control (PCC) which is a derivative of McLaren’s F1 active suspension system. The system consists of dampers on either sides of the car which are hydraulically linked which allows the car to resist roll. The dampers have been divided into sections for rebound and compression. The front damper’s compression is linked to the rear damper’s rebound. The pressure is gathered in an accumulator which is controlled using gas pressure, by adjusting the pressure in each accumulator, the stiffness of the suspension is adjusted for different driving conditions.
A new front splitter and redesigned wing blades increase downforce by 24% over the 12C while the new tyres contribute to improved handling. The new rear diffuser is based on the bumper/diffuser concept and is carried over from the 12C GT3 race car.
The air brake which is carried over from the 12C is now controlled by an onboard computer which uses the data gathered from accelerometers in the car in order to counteract lift. The 650S also makes use of a Drag Reduction System (DRS) for reducing drag and to improve the car’s aerodynamics. Like the 12C, the 650S comes standard with a carbon ceramic braking system manufactured by Akebono but the problems related to braking response in the 12C were addressed and improvements were made.
The 650S featured a revised front end, resembling the flagship P1 in order to update the styling of the car and to give it a more aggressive appearance than its predecessor. The design language defined the design ethos of future McLaren sports cars.
First announced in February 2014, the 650S Spider is the convertible version of the 650S. It weighs 40 kg (88 lb) more than the coupe, but it offers nearly identical performance. The Spider has the same structural stiffness as the coupé primarily because the carbon monocell chassis was designed without a roof, the Spider features a three-piece retractable hard-top carbon fibre roof which takes 17 seconds for operation.
It can accelerate from 0 to 97 km/h (60 mph) in 3 seconds and has a top speed of 328 km/h (204 mph).
Up to 25 per cent of the parts are new compared to the 12C Spider.
Service History
Supplied New by McLaren London on 1 March 2015
1st Service by McLaren Birmingham on 7 December 2015 @ 1,727 Miles
2nd Service by McLaren Birmingham on 27 February 2017 @ 2,236 Miles
MOT 19 February 2018 @ 2,869 Miles
3rd Service by McLaren Manchester on 21 February 2018 @ 2,872 Miles
MOT 25 February 2019 @ 3,911 Miles
4th Service by McLaren Leeds on 26 February 2019 @ 3,915 Miles
MOT 3 March 2020 @ 4,214 Miles
5th Service by McLaren Leeds on 5 March 2020 @ 4,220 Miles
MOT 24 March 2021 @ 5,777 Miles
6th Service by Thorney Motorsport on 6 May 2021 @ 6,078 Miles
MOT 5 May 2022 @ 7,011 Miles
7th Service by Thorney Motorsport on 25 July 2022 @ 7,502 Miles
MOT 4 May 2023 @ 8,002 Miles
8th Service by Thorney Motorsport on 12 July 2023 @ 8,808 Miles