McLaren has found a way to squeeze more life out of its aging 650S -- which is aging by supercar standards, at least.
The limited-run 650S Can-Am, which was unveiled on Friday, includes a first for the brand -- a carbon-fiber roof -- and special lightweight forged alloy wheels.
But designers left at least one feature alone: the "billionaire doors," a nickname for how the doors of a McLaren swing upward and toward the nose of the car (coined by a character on HBO's Silicon Valley, Russ Hanneman).
And it ought to. McLaren will only make 50 of the cars, and each will cost $334,500. But that will get you much more than a lightweight set of wheels with a roof.
Carbon fiber louvered front wings improve handling; a new polished quad-pipe stainless steel exhaust system serves two purposes. It visually ties the car in with the McLaren Can-Am race car of 1960s, and improves the noise of the 641-horsepower, 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8. With its shout-y new exhaust, the 650S Can-Am will spit a crackle to 62 mph from a standstill in 3 seconds flat on the way to its 204 mph top speed.
Although shown here in "Mars red," a color directly inspired by the M1B that Bruce McLaren raced some 50 years ago, buyers can choose from two other hues as well. If you want the paint to be as loud as the exhaust, McLaren will slather the car in papaya spark, a modern and metallic take on the famous McLaren Orange. Your other option is onyx black.
Granted, this isn't the most exciting special edition supercar I've ever seen. But if the McLaren billionaire doors don't emphasize your success enough already, the distinctive details of the Can-Am ought to do the trick.
