Photo: SB-Medien
The 650S is four years old, but the platform underneath it is much older than that, belonging to the 12C. The successor, codenamed P14, will be on the road by next year. But the debut could happen much sooner, judging from the state of the camouflage on this prototype.
The last time we say it, the P14 prototype was covered in black cladding which has now switched to regular white and black swirling patterns. Most sources point to a Geneva Motor Show debut, which is backed up by the uncamouflaged photo that we already have.
McLaren has approached the design of everything from the 540C to the P1 in much the same way. But this is different. The Super Series car has the organic form of an alien being, like that thing that was born from engineer and alien in Prometheus.
The two air vents below the trademark McLaren nose are very closely spaced together, while the thing under the headlights channels air out next the wheel and around the car.
The rear is pretty cool too, and we have a teaser for that. Do you want an active rear wing? You've got it, along with carbon fiber trim, a red strip of light that travels the length of the car and dual round exhaust instead of square like on the 650S.
There's no real reason why the P14 shouldn't use a carbon fiber tub or adopt a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with more power. The rumored name, 720S, should give you some indication as to how much grunt to expect. Give a much lighter, rear-wheel drive car the same level of power as the Aventador Anniversario and crazy things might happen.
Previous reports hinted that a hybrid twin-turbo would be used. "The P1 had 375 pounds of [batteries/motors] if you added it up; I think that today we're within a 70- to 110-pound weight penalty for hybrid," said McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt in an interview with Car and Driver.
While hybrid tech really will trickle down from F1 cars to the 720S, the supercar will be much faster and likely more expensive too. The plebs are just going to have to buy a regular 570S.
McLaren has approached the design of everything from the 540C to the P1 in much the same way. But this is different. The Super Series car has the organic form of an alien being, like that thing that was born from engineer and alien in Prometheus.
The two air vents below the trademark McLaren nose are very closely spaced together, while the thing under the headlights channels air out next the wheel and around the car.
The rear is pretty cool too, and we have a teaser for that. Do you want an active rear wing? You've got it, along with carbon fiber trim, a red strip of light that travels the length of the car and dual round exhaust instead of square like on the 650S.
There's no real reason why the P14 shouldn't use a carbon fiber tub or adopt a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with more power. The rumored name, 720S, should give you some indication as to how much grunt to expect. Give a much lighter, rear-wheel drive car the same level of power as the Aventador Anniversario and crazy things might happen.
Previous reports hinted that a hybrid twin-turbo would be used. "The P1 had 375 pounds of [batteries/motors] if you added it up; I think that today we're within a 70- to 110-pound weight penalty for hybrid," said McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt in an interview with Car and Driver.
While hybrid tech really will trickle down from F1 cars to the 720S, the supercar will be much faster and likely more expensive too. The plebs are just going to have to buy a regular 570S.
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