The British brand presented the McLaren 650S Spider at the Geneva Motor Show and we had to go there and see for ourselves. Assuming itself as a vitamin 12C, will it have the necessary arguments to face the Ferrari 458 benchmark?
We all expected to see the new McLaren 650S in Geneva, but what we didn't expect was to get to know its Spider version. Like the Coupé, the 650S Spider is nothing more than a 12C that has undergone a rhinoplasty, to visually approach the phenomenal Mclaren P1. Let's be fair, it's a slimming exercise to speak of the 650S as just a face wash for the Mclaren 12C, when the 650S reveals superior detail work than the conventional version.
As mentioned before, the McLaren 650S owes its name to the power delivered by the 3.8-litre V8, in other words, 650hp. It's 25hp more than the 12C, but the torque of the 650S and 650S Spider is about 78Nm higher, settling at a significant 678Nm. Also revised dynamically, with new suspension adjustments, it promises a richer, more captivating and exciting driving experience, both on the road and on the circuit.
This last point was at the base of the development of this model, seeking to intensify the man-machine connection, meeting the many criticisms pointed out to the 12C, an extremely effective machine, but somewhat clinical, without ever truly achieving the "wow" factor of a Ferrari 458 Italy or the new 458 Speciale.
Fortunately, a super sports car is not just about performance and dynamic efficiency. The power of appeal and attraction in each body line of a car of this caliber must be taken into account. And McLaren knows this very well.
So, in transforming the 12C into 650S, the British brand saw virtually every aspect of the car being revised or optimized. In the engine, the cylinder heads and pistons were changed and new management software began to be used. Shifts in the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission are now faster, further enhancing acceleration. In terms of suspension, the springs are 22% stiffer, both at the front and at the rear.
The shock absorbers also gain new support, so better control of body movements is expected. However, McLaren guarantees that the driving comfort reference of the 12C is not lost, perhaps a unique feature in the world of super sports.
Optimization work also carried out on the application of the brakes, on the way in which ESP and ABS intervene and on the operation of active aerodynamics. The latter not only allows for more effective cooling of the heart of the 650S in extreme conditions, it also ensures greater aerodynamic stability when braking or changing direction. The maximum downforce value is about 40% higher than the 12C, and McLaren ensures greater aerodynamic balance between front and rear.
For potential customers of the 650S and 650S Spider, they will also find a car that is richer in standard equipment. From new forged wheels accompanied by the new Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres, LED front optics, carbon-ceramic brake discs, Alcantara interior and a long-awaited, completely revised Iris system.
The McLaren 650S Spider naturally adds the opportunity to walk your hair in the wind. And like the 12C Spyder, it gains a few pounds over the coupe. There are over 40kg of ballast (totaling 1370kg dry) mainly due to the mechanism of action of the metallic hood, since structural reinforcements were dispensed with, with the exclusive MonoCell in carbon fiber proving to be extremely rigid
The performances are impressive! Just 3 seconds from 0-100km/h, with the 200km/h barrier being reached in just 8.6 seconds. The 650S Coupé cuts 0-200km/h by 0.2 seconds, and advertises an impressive 25.4 seconds to reach 300km/h. But the 650S doesn't stop there, continuing to accelerate until reaching 333km/h! The Mclaren 650S Spider, on the other hand, is “only” at 328km/h. More than enough for extreme hairstyles, if we try to reach 328km/h with the top retracted.
Will it be enough to dethrone the Ferrari 458 and especially the 458 Speciale from the throne of super sports?
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Photography: Car Ledger (Alexandre Alfeirão)