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McLaren 650S Replacement Confirmed with Hybrid Powertrain, Don't Worry

McLaren’s next Super Series car, the successor of the 650S, will be a hybrid. The news was confirmed by an official of the British brand.
McLaren 650S Coupe 1 photo
Photo: McLaren
The upcoming McLaren 650S and 675LT replacement is reportedly codenamed P14, and will feature a hybrid drivetrain. We expect the new drivetrain to be inspired by the one of the McLaren P1, but don’t even dream of a direct takeover from the hypercar.

According to Car&Driver, the upcoming McLaren 650S replacement will be showcased at next year’s Geneva Motor Show. The car will have “extreme” enhancements in the aerodynamic department, which imply an arduous task for the engineers considering the technologies used to make the current 650S as sleek as possible.

According to McLaren’s Design Director Frank Stephenson, the company’s engineers and designers have worked together to build the most beautiful and aerodynamic car possible.

This sounds like a car that will be easy on the retina and will impress in the wind tunnel and real life. Furthermore, Mr. Stephenson claims the design will make other carmakers wonder “why didn’t we do that?”

The launch of the 650S and 675LT replacement will mark a significant change in McLaren’s range. The upcoming P14 model will be a part of the Super Series, which will be different from the recently launched Sports Series. While they may not sound so distinct, McLaren wants to show us that they can be a sports car maker with a broad portfolio of models that do not cannibalize each other’s sales.

A part of the process of making the Super Series cars different from those of the Sports Series will involve a hybrid drivetrain. This drivetrain will be engineered to provide adequate performance without affecting the kerb weight of the vehicle too much. The engineers are getting close to the task, but it is still a work in progress.

According to CEO Mike Flewitt, the trick with the hybrid system involves getting as much power as possible from light batteries. Engineers want battery technology to evolve, but the pace at which this is happening is not quick enough for the expectations of the British sports car manufacturer. We’ll just have to wait until next spring to see what the builders in Woking have developed with current battery technology.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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