P14 mule in Autocar

[MitchT]

RamboLambo said:

Well I guess most people will only ever see the rear of a 650S so if you don't like it I can see why it would doubly hack you off lol

I like the rear of the 650S. That's the bit carried over from the 12C that looks good.

RamboLambo said:

Personally, I think the issue with the 12C was the front bumper and headlights which the 650s addressed beautifully.

I liked the front of the 12C as it matched the rear. The front of the 650S looks like a squashed Peugeot and bears no resemblance to the rear. It would have at least been logical if the rear of the 650S had been redesigned too so the nose and tail didn't look like the ends of two different cars!

[RamboLambo]

MitchT said:

I liked the front of the 12C as it matched the rear. The front of the 650S looks like a squashed Peugeot and bears no resemblance to the rear. It would have at least been logical if the rear of the 650S had been redesigned too so the nose and tail didn't look like the ends of two different cars!

I don't get this it looks like 2 cars ? I don't know any cars where the front and rear bear the same resemblance bar an early boxster when you couldn't tell if it was driving forwards or backwards.

As for the P1 inspired front lights on the 650S I think they are one of the most striking points and I can still remember the very first press picture when I said WOW that looks like a proper supercar now. This was way before I knew anything about McLaren and was my true gut feel at the time

[andrew]

RamboLambo said:

I think you are the pathetic troll

[LukeyLikey]

RamboLambo said:

MitchT said:

I liked the front of the 12C as it matched the rear. The front of the 650S looks like a squashed Peugeot and bears no resemblance to the rear. It would have at least been logical if the rear of the 650S had been redesigned too so the nose and tail didn't look like the ends of two different cars!

I don't get this it looks like 2 cars ? I don't know any cars where the front and rear bear the same resemblance bar an early boxster when you couldn't tell if it was driving forwards or backwards.

As for the P1 inspired front lights on the 650S I think they are one of the most striking points and I can still remember the very first press picture when I said WOW that looks like a proper supercar now. This was way before I knew anything about McLaren and was my true gut feel at the time

Rather old ground this but the P1 style front on the 650 is full of curves with unorthodox surfacing - such as the non body-colour recess directly below the headlamps, which is a challenging 'marmite' feature. The 12C was a design that takes traditional super car cues (side vents, cab forward, long rear deck, coke bottle waistline, wide rear track, sloping profile etc.) and gave that formula a 'techno-stealth' look - the slatted rear LED lights, the width of the door top surface leading to and emphasising the vent opening/rear deck integration. Some didn't like it but it was the same language.

Add the 650 front and you get the truth - a car designed by one person, given a face-lift by another. Not coherent and not really the stuff future classics are made of.

Fast forward to the promised "radically different, forward-thinking P14" and the RCZ look is really in evidence, as you said.

This new car looks to be a terrible disappointment. It is unimaginative (I always thought the 12C aped the 430 with its single, long body line running from the front wheel arch to the rear of car, now the P14 seems to ape the 458 with the same line - that clever split line to break up the monotony of the 430/12C 'single line' side profile and give a lower, stronger yet curvier appearance). If this is the P14 it is not original enough and seemingly copies the arch competitor in a key design feature, despite the fact that the adornments to the shape (front and rear lights, exhaust openings etc.) are original, the general lines of the car are very uninspiring and copying Ferrari is just not what is required.

When considering those 'adornments', yes, they are original, but they are also poorly wrought and not attractive. Of course, this is all subjective, but the front light arrangement is just ugly isn't it? The rear lights are a version of the 570 but somehow manage to make the arrangement look ungainly and not nice. The downward pointing exhaust reduces aggressiveness and reminds me of how diesel exhausts used to be. Why do that?

Of course, this could all be different on the finished vehicle but this car is no slapdash mule, the panels are smooth and well finished for the most part. It looks finished.

I was probably not going to be a customer of this car, but if it looks like this, I am certainly not going to be.

[TP321]

This looks rubbish. The front end is ugly, the rear is a mess! Where is the ground breaking design? It is simply taking design clues from the other models (P1, 570s) and throwing them together - but achieving to go backwards....If this is what the end result will look like, they have scored a huge own goal....

[EpsomJames]

The lines on that P14 mule (especially back 3/4 angle) remind me of the RUF CTR3 a little. I think I will reserve judgement until I see the final car.

Favourite (affordable) McLaren for me is still the 570S.

I can sort of see where people are coming from when they comment that the 650S front and rear don't match. I think a lot of that is because it looks like McLaren faceplanted a 12C into a P1. If the 12C had never existed then the 650S design would not have been seen as being incohesive.

[v12v8]

I'll reserve judgement until I see the actual car. This so called "mule" will likely bear little resemblance to the finished article.

[twoblacklines]

RamboLambo said:

Well I guess most people will only ever see the rear of a 650S so if you don't like it I can see why it would doubly hack you off lol

I think the back end of this P14 mule looks a hash up of the 570S which I already find too fussy so its funny how people see things differently. Maybe you are brunette tomboy kind of guy and I'm a blonde supermodel

Personally, I think the issue with the 12C was the front bumper and headlights which the 650s addressed beautifully. Back end looks fine to me but then I've got the MSO carbon racing diffuser on mine

Edited by RamboLambo on Friday 9th September 18:53

Correct me if I am wrong but, doesn't that look the same as a 650s rear too?

[Boshly]

Turquoise said:

It's called cause and effect. Or action and reaction. I'm only reacting to your posts. I came on the thread and simply said I wasn't a fan of the 650's styling. You, for some bizarre reason thought I was trying to personally provoke you and said "nice try".....

Turquoise said:

Looks much better than the dogs dinner that is the 650.

Hmmmm not quite the same thing

Rambo your posting style does sometimes rub people up the wrong way and your history defending the 650s will still mean things will go against you but I'm generally with you here

Don't like the mule but will reserve judgement, love the 650s (but I'm biased though I did buy one because I loved it) love the rear of the 12c and 650 though prefer the LT and the Can Am.

Each to his own fellas no need for arguments and stress

[cc8s]

TP321 said:

This looks rubbish. The front end is ugly, the rear is a mess! Where is the ground breaking design? It is simply taking design clues from the other models (P1, 570s) and throwing them together - but achieving to go backwards....If this is what the end result will look like, they have scored a huge own goal....

Are you just a drunk RamboLambo?

[Magic919]

Boshly said:

Rambo your posting style does sometimes rub people up the wrong way and your history defending the 650s

I'd question 'sometimes' and substitute '650' for whatever he owns at the time.

[RamboLambo]

Boshly said:

Hmmmm not quite the same thing

Rambo your posting style does sometimes rub people up the wrong way and your history defending the 650s will still mean things will go against you but I'm generally with you here

Don't like the mule but will reserve judgement, love the 650s (but I'm biased though I did buy one because I loved it) love the rear of the 12c and 650 though prefer the LT and the Can Am.

Each to his own fellas no need for arguments and stress

Agree I prefer the LT back end but not the Can Am. maybe the Can Am appeals to the American market but I don't like the blinged up styling, wheels, decals and tailpipes. Looks very aftermarket

[Boshly]

Magic919 said:

Boshly said:

Rambo your posting style does sometimes rub people up the wrong way and your history defending the 650s

I'd question 'sometimes' and substitute '650' for whatever he owns at the time.

No I'm happy with "sometimes" as I'm sure there are plenty that roll with it and it doesn't wind them up as such or as much; on your second point however, though it's been a 650 for a while now, I can't really argue

[likesachange]

Is it officially going to be called the P14 or is that purely a code name at the moment and more likely to be called something that resembles a serial number again??

Looks very 570 to me... which isnt a bad thing but would be nice to see each model with more of a distinction

[anonymous-user]

likesachange said:

Is it officially going to be called the P14 or is that purely a code name at the moment and more likely to be called something that resembles a serial number again??

Looks very 570 to me... which isnt a bad thing but would be nice to see each model with more of a distinction

Code name.

[Boshly]

RamboLambo said:

Agree I prefer the LT back end but not the Can Am. maybe the Can Am appeals to the American market but I don't like the blinged up styling, wheels, decals and tailpipes. Looks very aftermarket

Was talking rears, but saying that I do love the Can Am (though would remove decals). That CF roof is just

Maybe I'm a closet American

[Slarti650]

RamboLambo said:

Well I guess most people will only ever see the rear of a 650S so if you don't like it I can see why it would doubly hack you off lol

I think the back end of this P14 mule looks a hash up of the 570S which I already find too fussy so its funny how people see things differently. Maybe you are brunette tomboy kind of guy and I'm a blonde supermodel

Personally, I think the issue with the 12C was the front bumper and headlights which the 650s addressed beautifully. Back end looks fine to me but then I've got the MSO carbon racing diffuser on mine

Edited by RamboLambo on Friday 9th September 18:53

I had a 12c. Just couldn't get on with the front end. Didn't look supercar enough for me. Thus I upgraded to the 650. It's a car I'm probably gonna keep forever. It's truly awesome.




I also have the rear MSO diffuser, plus the front carbon splitter, spoiler and everything else. What a car. Soooo much more road presence and exclusivity over any ferrari I've owned. Good choice Rambo!!

[RamboLambo]

Slarti650 said:

I had a 12c. Just couldn't get on with the front end. Didn't look supercar enough for me. Thus I upgraded to the 650. It's a car I'm probably gonna keep forever. It's truly awesome.




I also have the rear MSO diffuser, plus the front carbon splitter, spoiler and everything else. What a car. Soooo much more road presence and exclusivity over any ferrari I've owned. Good choice Rambo!!

Are you Rambo in disguise ? Or just the twin brother I never knew I had


As they say GREAT minds think a like and buy a McLaren 650S spider

Await the insecure Ferrari troll's retort

[hornbaek]

I quite enjoy the banter between you McLaren owners because you seem to be the only ones who can actually detect the difference between the various models in the current line up.

[MDL111]

hornbaek said:

I quite enjoy the banter between you McLaren owners because you seem to be the only ones who can actually detect the difference between the various models in the current line up.

McLaren is just like Ferrari, they only build Turbo V8s because they can't afford to develop a proper V12 for their top cars anylonger .... crappy cars those Ferraris .... ah wait must have gotten something mixed up there