Jeremy Cato with the 2015 McLaren 650S Spider
There is no truth to the rumour that a McLaren 650S Spider comes with dinner at the home of either Fernando Alonso or Jenson Button – sixth and eighth in last year's F1 circus – and a trip to Harrod's.
Why not? The 650S Spider starts at $314,665 and, without much effort, you can push that to $400,000. Tick off the "carbon fibre exterior upgrade" ($29,200) and the "enhanced technology pack" ($18,450), add in taxes and fees and that's your $400,000-ish supercar.
Super, indeed: 0-100 km/h in 3 seconds, 0-200 km/h in 8.6 seconds. You get there tucked low into a carbon-fibre tub, after climbing over a sill as wide as a toaster. Keep up your Pilates classes.
Once seated, you buckle into comfortable, wrap-around seats, with a flat-bottomed "racing" wheel in your hands, tucked behind which are paddle shifters for the seven-speed gearbox. Under a binnacle ahead is a tachometer with a red needle and white numbering. Minimalism.
The twin-turbo V-8 spins up 641 horsepower. The 15-inch carbon ceramic brakes are as big as the wheels on a Honda Civic and deliver massive stopping power – aided by the downforce of the rear wing. This is a crazy-fast toy for rich boys who are seriously serious about their cars.
The 650S is not a gadget-laden smartphone on wheels, though. There is a slim, vertical screen in the centre console and it runs Android-like software, so updating is easy. You can dial up handling and performance modes, from Normal to Sport to Track. That's it.
Even in Track on a city street, the ride isn't harsh and the howling power isn't scary. Everything feels normal, right down to the easy up-and-down of the two-piece retractable roof. McLaren's 50 years as the most successful motorsport company has come to this: a bad-ass, track-ready street car as friendly as a Toyota Corolla.
McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt says the 650S represents "everything we've learned" in racing and as a consumer products company started six years ago – including sales of the 650S's predecessor, the 12C. The Spider is light (1,370 kilograms) and quick. You can find just the tiniest hint of body roll in Normal mode, but cornering is dead flat in Track.
The McLaren people even insist this is a 12-month car, pointing to the Winter mode button. Twelve months in a car focused solely on the driving.
TECH SPECS
- Base price: $314,665
- Engines: 3.8-litre twin turbo V-8
- Transmission: Seven-speed dual clutch gearbox.
- Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 11.7 (EU combined cycle)
- Alternatives: Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Hurrican, Porsche 911 GT3, Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG
RATINGS
- Looks: The bulging front fenders with their flat tops make a statement, but they also allow the driver to see where the car is placed on the road. Huge side intakes help the twin-turbo V-8 breathe and the slat-like rear taillights and rear diffuser make statements about presence and power.
- Interior: In this age of gadgets and show-off gizmos, the 650S is a minimalist gem. The dials to adjust performance and handling modes are simple, effective and completely unaffected. Seats are more comfortable than they look and the flat-bottomed steering wheel is authentic.
- Performance: Nothing is perfect but this is close, with a 0-100 km/h time of 3 seconds, planted yet pleasant handling and brakes that tug you down from high speeds to nothing in a blink. Performance without pain or fear.
- Technology: The performance tech is a given, from carbon fibre to the 641-hp twin-turbo V-8. You also get as standard, satellite navigation, Bluetooth, Sirius satellite radio and voice control.
- Cargo: Do you really care? There is space for a small roll-aboard in the boot up front.
The Verdict
9.5
A wonderful piece of working automotive art.
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