RE: McLaren 650S Spider: Review

[Johnny]

I followed that particular 650S up the hill at Goodwood last year, really did sound lovely.

[mrloudly]

Rumblestripe said:

They've never really bothered me before, but I REALLY hate those doors.

Love the rest of it, but even if the lotto drops tomorrow, I couldn't live with those doors!

Shallow, I know.

They do serve a purpose though, they would, it's a Mclaren ;-) It's a low car and they are awkward to get in and out of, thus demanding the doors be fully open. Try getting in an R8, also a low car with similar access issues, in a tight parking spot
and you'll struggle! 12C is dead easy because the opening width is less, not that I park in tight spots

[3black]

Dan Trent said:

does anyone think it looks a little zonda-esque here? or is it just the paint?

[mrloudly]

3black said:

Dan Trent said:

does anyone think it looks a little zonda-esque here? or is it just the paint?

See where you're coming from, think it's the paint though. The volcano red plays tricks as well! Different colour shades in different light

[neil1jnr]

gregf40 said:

Tuvra said:

The face lifted cars look so much better than the originals

I really don't agree - I think the new one will age whilst the original won't. I loved mine when I had it - fantastic cars - and no doubt the 650S is even better to drive.

Edited by gregf40 on Wednesday 21st January 11:45

I agree, I liked the P1 front end on the P1 but not on the 650S, it doesn't go well with the 12C rear end.

On top of that I think it dilutes the appeal of the P1's design as the 650S's front end is pretty much identical.

[007 VXR]

vescaegg said:

Blows my mind how the options add up. List - £215k, as tested £310k!?!

But great fun if you have the money

[Dagnut]

007 VXR said:

vescaegg said:

Blows my mind how the options add up. List - £215k, as tested £310k!?!

But great fun if you have the money

They're milking every penny from this platform before converting it into the "cheaper" model. That is mental money for what is essentially a midlife upgrade.

[E36GUY]

We have one of this coming to our Le Mans camp this year. Really looking forward to a good look round!

[mb1]

E36GUY said:

We have one of this coming to our Le Mans camp this year. Really looking forward to a good look round!

Will be there as well with my 12C. It is McLaren 20 years F1 Le Man victory, so I am sure there will be "plenty" to see.

[pigeonskirt]

julian64 said:

Yep, I read that in their blurb, but its one of those moments when I nod while a politician is talking to me. I know he believes what he's saying but it flies in the face of everything I believe.

Perhaps I'll be more convinced when I see their le-mans car as a spider because of the weight saving from being a coup with no loss of torsional rigidity. After all the spider will be lighter because the weight saving from having no roof hasn't gone anywhere has it?

F1 cars don't have a roof and are plenty stiff enough. If it's good enough for them!

[Carl_Docklands]

The paint job in this car looks magnificent. Great job MSO.

[007 VXR]

Dagnut said:

007 VXR said:

vescaegg said:

Blows my mind how the options add up. List - £215k, as tested £310k!?!

But great fun if you have the money

They're milking every penny from this platform before converting it into the "cheaper" model. That is mental money for what is essentially a midlife upgrade.

And why not ?

[julian64]

mrloudly said:

Gandahar said:

julian64 said:

Streetrod said:

julian64 said:

MyCC said:

Here's a money shot from a 650S we tested up in Gods Own Country AKA Yorkshire:



It brought the local village to a standstill when we pulled over for some pictures.

Regards,

MyCC.

You see I hate that shot of the car. It tells me everything I want to know about why I would never order a sportscar as a spider.

Look at the small bit of car at the bottom meant to be controlling all the torsion of the car, just a bit of floorplan.
Now they could make that slither of floorplan out of unobtaineum, and I still wouldn't trust it to stop the car from twisting.
I want the roof to give struct integrity to that design.

The 12C/650s were designed as a Spyder from day one, therefore no torsional strength has been lost or weight added in its conversion to a Spyder. Unlike the 458 Spyder which is not only heavier than the coupe but a lot more bendy as well

Yep, I read that in their blurb, but its one of those moments when I nod while a politician is talking to me. I know he believes what he's saying but it flies in the face of everything I believe.

Perhaps I'll be more convinced when I see their le-mans car as a spider because of the weight saving from being a coup with no loss of torsional rigidity. After all the spider will be lighter because the weight saving from having no roof hasn't gone anywhere has it?

Well this is by the by in honesty because the FIA make then put a large heavy roll cage in there which incredibly is not made out of anything too exotic

For road and track days I am guessing you wouldn't notice too much of a difference, you might be being a bit luddite here, however I have never driven both back to back so could not tell.

The convertible seems to have better aural qualities though, so perhaps that may offset the odd shimmy making the middle aged owners toupe come adrift.

The roof of the coupe is to keep the rain out not make it torsionally rigid. The Carbon Fibre tub provides the strength and it's identical in both cars.
Having owned a 12C Coupe and extensively driven the Spider there is no difference. Now the R8 was a different story

I'm sure I am just a luddite, and those sills look very high compared with the previous car shot. 40kg is a lot for a carbon cover and a few motors though. Can't escape my ludditeness.

[Dagnut]

007 VXR said:

Dagnut said:

007 VXR said:

vescaegg said:

Blows my mind how the options add up. List - £215k, as tested £310k!?!

But great fun if you have the money

They're milking every penny from this platform before converting it into the "cheaper" model. That is mental money for what is essentially a midlife upgrade.

And why not ?

If they can get it more power to them.

[Monty Python]

mybrainhurts said:

The technical term is taking the piss.

From the We Saw You Coming school of marketing....

Do you think people who can afford one of these cars really care? £900 on a car costing north of £200,000 is 0.45%. Take a £11,000 Fiat 500 - the same option is £175 - that's 1.6% of the car's cost.