Under the bonnet, power output has been bumped up to 641bhp from 616bhp, and even though top speed and 0-60 time remain pretty much unchanged at 207mph and 2.9 seconds respectively, reviewers say that the 650S offers a marked improvement in drivability. Hitting 0-100mph in 5.7 seconds is quick by anyone’s standards, and the hydraulic suspension borrowed from the 12C, combined with carbon fibre ceramic brakes make it one of the most responsive and forgiving supercars on the market. It even makes use of the 12C’s ‘Formula 1 inspired’ Brake Steer technology for added control on the track.
A far cry from the stripped-back supercars of old, the 650S’s interior is an enormously customisable carbon fibre and leather cockpit, complete with an entertainment system lifted from the P1 hypercar – though you probably won’t have much time for satnavs and surround sound phone calls if you’re really making use of the performance that the car offers.
As with previous models, McLaren has released several 650S variants since its release, most notably the convertible 650S Spider, and the 675LT, a track-focussed upgrade to the original 650S.
The 675LT (LT for longtail) shaves a whole 100kg from the 650S’s 1330kg dry weight, and engine tweaks see the M838T engine pushing it from 0-60 in just under 2.9 seconds with 666BHP. In 2016 during Chris Evans’ ill-fated series of Top Gear, the 675LT became the fastest production car to ever go round the Top Gear test track, thanks both to the boosted engine and some clever tweaks to the suspension and brakes.
Second hand 650S’s can be picked up for around £180,000, but most of us will have to settle for playing with McLaren’s online configurator – just remember to print out a picture and pin it to your bedroom wall when you’re done.
Autocar road test
One going round the Nurburgring