McLaren marks 50 years of historic USA race series with 650S Can

McLaren’s history with the Can-Am racing series is almost as intrinsic as its links with Formula 1 and Le Mans.

Produced by McLaren Unique Workflow, the 650S Can-Am will certainly note the 50th wedding anniversary of the collection in 2016. So it’s fitting that McLaren is paying tribute to one of the greatest teams of one of motorsport’s greatest eras with a limited-edition vehicle: The 2016 650S Can-Am.

McLaren is celebrating its 50-year USA racing milestone with a new limited edition 650S Can-Am.

Can-Am – abbreviated from its full title of the Canadian-American Challenge Cup – began in 1966, attracting stars from across the motor racing world – names such as Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart, Dan Gurney and Keke Rosberg all competed in the series over the years. It also wears a set of 1960s-racer-inspired forged alloy wheels, shoed with Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires. There is additionally a quad stainless-steel exhaust system tuned to provide these versions their very own enourmous note. Its color scheme pays homage to the M1B raced by Bruce McLaren and teammate Chris Amon in the debut season. The louvres are created to reduce pressure over the front wheels and increase downforce, while the four circular tailpipes at the rear of the auto housed within a new visual carbon fibre rear grille echo the aggressive and purposeful throttle trumpets of the historic models.

A second color, Papaya Spark, serves as a modern take on the Can-Am racing McLaren Orange, while Onyx Black is similar to the base color used by McLaren customer teams in the later seasons.

Power still comes from McLaren’s ubiquitous 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V-8, with 641 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque sent to the rear wheels through a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox. It won five consecutive championships from 1967, just after the sport kicked off in 1996. Acceleration from 0-100km/h takes just 3.0 seconds, while the top speed is an eye-peeling 329km/h.

Inside the sports seats are wrapped in leather and Alcantara, and each example will carry an individually numbered plaque on the driver’s door. But the Can-Am also gets a carbon-fiber retractable hardtop, which McLaren says is a first for the company, and there’s lots of carbon everywhere else – including the unpainted hood.

McLaren release a uniquely designed, bespoke 650S inspired by the McLaren Can-Am racers of the 1960s.