McLaren 650S 3.8 (A) Review
02 Jan 2015|15,951 views
With more than 50 years of experiencing racing in the highest echelons of motorsport, it comes as little surprise that McLaren's experience and expertise in producing fast race-winning machines extend itself to the production line.
We've experienced it previously in the MP4-12C and we've witnessed a far more extreme version of it in the wet-dream worthy P1, McLaren's plug-in hybrid supercar with a mind-blowing system output of 903bhp.
Form meeting function - not only does the curvature of the wing mirrors look good, it helps with aerodynamics too
Slotting right in the middle between the two, the Surrey-based carmaker's third offering, the 650S, essentially builds upon the 12C's handling and performance, combining it with the P1's distinctive flair.
As its name implies, the '650' in the 650S's badge refers to the 650PS (PferdeStarke, the German measurement of power) or 641bhp put out by the car's 3.8-litre British-built McLaren M838T twin-turbo V8 engine, while the 'S' refers to 'Sport' - self-explanatory given its looks. The updated performance sees the 650S make 25 more horsepower and 78Nm more torque than before.
Exterior
With a front end that's been carved from the same block as the McLaren P1, the 650S cuts a dramatic visage that'll see it jostle with the Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Huracan for poster space on a bedroom wall.
We've experienced it previously in the MP4-12C and we've witnessed a far more extreme version of it in the wet-dream worthy P1, McLaren's plug-in hybrid supercar with a mind-blowing system output of 903bhp.
Slotting right in the middle between the two, the Surrey-based carmaker's third offering, the 650S, essentially builds upon the 12C's handling and performance, combining it with the P1's distinctive flair.
As its name implies, the '650' in the 650S's badge refers to the 650PS (PferdeStarke, the German measurement of power) or 641bhp put out by the car's 3.8-litre British-built McLaren M838T twin-turbo V8 engine, while the 'S' refers to 'Sport' - self-explanatory given its looks. The updated performance sees the 650S make 25 more horsepower and 78Nm more torque than before.
Exterior
With a front end that's been carved from the same block as the McLaren P1, the 650S cuts a dramatic visage that'll see it jostle with the Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Huracan for poster space on a bedroom wall.
 |
Unlike the McLaren F1-inspired 12C, whose looks may come across as a tad too subdued for a million-dollar baby, the 650S features a svelte form that's highlighted by an integrated front splitter between the large air intake ducts and distinctive LED head lights in the shape of McLaren's 'speed marque' logo.
In the spirit of McLaren's company ethos, 'form follows function', the car's form, built around the carbon fibre mono-cell structure, has been sculpted to maximise aerodynamic efficiency. From the side air intakes channelling air towards the engine to the air-brake at the rear, every feature has been purposefully crafted.
But for maximum visual effect, having a two-tone colour, like the black and Torraco orange paintwork on our test car, will surely turn heads and draw envious glances in your direction.
 |
Interior
As you swing up the dihedral doors and enter the 650S's cockpit, you'd notice a simple, ergonomic interior layout that's purposeful without being distracting.
Like the 12C, you'd find a clean steering wheel and comfortable racing seats that keep you snugly at speed
Alcantara upholstery lining the dash, satellite navigation and rear view cameras now come as standard on the 650S. Buttons replace the standard gear knob and on the centre console, and a vertically-aligned infotainment system with Meridian sound system continue to feature.
As you swing up the dihedral doors and enter the 650S's cockpit, you'd notice a simple, ergonomic interior layout that's purposeful without being distracting.
Alcantara upholstery lining the dash, satellite navigation and rear view cameras now come as standard on the 650S. Buttons replace the standard gear knob and on the centre console, and a vertically-aligned infotainment system with Meridian sound system continue to feature.
At the centre console, you'd find two knobs 'H' and 'P' that let you independently control the car's handling (McLaren's Proactive Chassis Control) and powertrain by toggling the drive modes between Normal, Sport and Track.
That said, a wide range of customisable options are available for the 650S, and they're only limited by the depth of your pockets. Electric steering adjustment, carbon fibre dash panels and carbon fibre backed racing seats are just some of the available cost options that could help further pare down weight without compromising on the fit and finish.
Press and go: Buttons replace the standard gear knob
That said, a wide range of customisable options are available for the 650S, and they're only limited by the depth of your pockets. Electric steering adjustment, carbon fibre dash panels and carbon fibre backed racing seats are just some of the available cost options that could help further pare down weight without compromising on the fit and finish.
 |
The Drive
Looks aside, the drive is where the 650S shows its true prowess as a supercar.
On paper, the car's 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine produces 641bhp and 678Nm of torque. Shod with lightweight forged '650S' alloys that shed 6kg off the standard cast wheels on the 12C and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres as standard, the 650S can seemingly teleport itself from nought to 100km/h in a phenomenal three seconds flat, and from 0-200km/h in 8.4 seconds, before moving on to a maximum speed of 333km/h.
The car will complete the century sprint in three seconds flat
To achieve this, McLaren upgraded the 650S's engine, furnishing it with new pistons, cylinder heads, revised valve timings and new exhaust valves. The already silky-smooth seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox has also been tweaked for slicker gear changes.
Elsewhere, the car also receives carbon ceramic brakes as standard and stiffer suspension springs for improved handling.
What all these translate to, as we experienced from our short test drive in wet weather, is a car that drives effortlessly and with immense finesse and restraint. In a way, it's like an extension of your consciousness, where the car responds to your exact will.
Looks aside, the drive is where the 650S shows its true prowess as a supercar.
On paper, the car's 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine produces 641bhp and 678Nm of torque. Shod with lightweight forged '650S' alloys that shed 6kg off the standard cast wheels on the 12C and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres as standard, the 650S can seemingly teleport itself from nought to 100km/h in a phenomenal three seconds flat, and from 0-200km/h in 8.4 seconds, before moving on to a maximum speed of 333km/h.
To achieve this, McLaren upgraded the 650S's engine, furnishing it with new pistons, cylinder heads, revised valve timings and new exhaust valves. The already silky-smooth seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox has also been tweaked for slicker gear changes.
Elsewhere, the car also receives carbon ceramic brakes as standard and stiffer suspension springs for improved handling.
What all these translate to, as we experienced from our short test drive in wet weather, is a car that drives effortlessly and with immense finesse and restraint. In a way, it's like an extension of your consciousness, where the car responds to your exact will.
With city driving, the car carries itself with the composure of a seasoned martial arts exponent, with none of the restless mechanical goading you'd find in other supercars. But should the opportunity present itself for a little burst of speed, the 650S will quickly spring to life: with as much aggression your throttle demands of it, or with as much ease your mood prefers. Both ways, you get blistering pace that'll see you find yourself some ways over the speed limit in a blink of an eye.
Two knobs 'H' and 'P' let you independently control the car's handling (McLaren's Proactive Chassis Control) and powertrain
Switch the car's handling and powertrain settings into Sport and feel the suspension stiffen up and the engine and gearbox prime the car for sportier driving with a deeper, louder exhaust note that raises the fun by a couple more decibels.
The highlights in the car come in quick succession. Despite its stiffer springs, the 650S is exceptionally pliant on local roads, soaking up imperfections on the tarmac. This leaves you to enjoy the aural pleasures of the deep growling baritone from that peach of a V8 engine - something we felt was lacking in the 12C.
Switch the car's handling and powertrain settings into Sport and feel the suspension stiffen up and the engine and gearbox prime the car for sportier driving with a deeper, louder exhaust note that raises the fun by a couple more decibels.
The highlights in the car come in quick succession. Despite its stiffer springs, the 650S is exceptionally pliant on local roads, soaking up imperfections on the tarmac. This leaves you to enjoy the aural pleasures of the deep growling baritone from that peach of a V8 engine - something we felt was lacking in the 12C.
 |
Conclusion
A car's individual appeal is something highly subjective, especially in the realm of supercars like the McLaren 650S. However, if speed, power, handling and evocative attention grabbing good looks are boxes to be checked off, the 650S has done so extremely well. Couple the fact that it is exceedingly comfortable to drive on a day-to-day basis and you may just have the ideal sports car that needs no compromise.
A car's individual appeal is something highly subjective, especially in the realm of supercars like the McLaren 650S. However, if speed, power, handling and evocative attention grabbing good looks are boxes to be checked off, the 650S has done so extremely well. Couple the fact that it is exceedingly comfortable to drive on a day-to-day basis and you may just have the ideal sports car that needs no compromise.
Emotional appeal aside, the next thing to consider would be the 650S's $1.15 million price tag without COE, tariffs and options. It may cost about 150 grand more than a 12C coupe ($998,000 as of 18th December 2014 without COE, tariffs and options), but when you consider the amount of options that come as standard in the 650S, you'd be getting more bang for your buck.
As for the fight for poster space between the McLaren, Lamborghini and Ferrari on a bedroom wall, it'll be a real cross to bear.
As for the fight for poster space between the McLaren, Lamborghini and Ferrari on a bedroom wall, it'll be a real cross to bear.
With more than 50 years of experiencing racing in the highest echelons of motorsport, it comes as little surprise that McLaren's experience and expertise in producing fast race-winning machines extend itself to the production line.
We've experienced it previously in the MP4-12C and we've witnessed a far more extreme version of it in the wet-dream worthy P1, McLaren's plug-in hybrid supercar with a mind-blowing system output of 903bhp.
Slotting right in the middle between the two, the Surrey-based carmaker's third offering, the 650S, essentially builds upon the 12C's handling and performance, combining it with the P1's distinctive flair.
As its name implies, the '650' in the 650S's badge refers to the 650PS (PferdeStarke, the German measurement of power) or 641bhp put out by the car's 3.8-litre British-built McLaren M838T twin-turbo V8 engine, while the 'S' refers to 'Sport' - self-explanatory given its looks. The updated performance sees the 650S make 25 more horsepower and 78Nm more torque than before.
Exterior
With a front end that's been carved from the same block as the McLaren P1, the 650S cuts a dramatic visage that'll see it jostle with the Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Huracan for poster space on a bedroom wall.
We've experienced it previously in the MP4-12C and we've witnessed a far more extreme version of it in the wet-dream worthy P1, McLaren's plug-in hybrid supercar with a mind-blowing system output of 903bhp.
Slotting right in the middle between the two, the Surrey-based carmaker's third offering, the 650S, essentially builds upon the 12C's handling and performance, combining it with the P1's distinctive flair.
As its name implies, the '650' in the 650S's badge refers to the 650PS (PferdeStarke, the German measurement of power) or 641bhp put out by the car's 3.8-litre British-built McLaren M838T twin-turbo V8 engine, while the 'S' refers to 'Sport' - self-explanatory given its looks. The updated performance sees the 650S make 25 more horsepower and 78Nm more torque than before.
Exterior
With a front end that's been carved from the same block as the McLaren P1, the 650S cuts a dramatic visage that'll see it jostle with the Ferrari 458 and Lamborghini Huracan for poster space on a bedroom wall.
Unlike the McLaren F1-inspired 12C, whose looks may come across as a tad too subdued for a million-dollar baby, the 650S features a svelte form that's highlighted by an integrated front splitter between the large air intake ducts and distinctive LED head lights in the shape of McLaren's 'speed marque' logo.
In the spirit of McLaren's company ethos, 'form follows function', the car's form, built around the carbon fibre mono-cell structure, has been sculpted to maximise aerodynamic efficiency. From the side air intakes channelling air towards the engine to the air-brake at the rear, every feature has been purposefully crafted.
But for maximum visual effect, having a two-tone colour, like the black and Torraco orange paintwork on our test car, will surely turn heads and draw envious glances in your direction.
Interior
As you swing up the dihedral doors and enter the 650S's cockpit, you'd notice a simple, ergonomic interior layout that's purposeful without being distracting.
Alcantara upholstery lining the dash, satellite navigation and rear view cameras now come as standard on the 650S. Buttons replace the standard gear knob and on the centre console, and a vertically-aligned infotainment system with Meridian sound system continue to feature.
As you swing up the dihedral doors and enter the 650S's cockpit, you'd notice a simple, ergonomic interior layout that's purposeful without being distracting.
Alcantara upholstery lining the dash, satellite navigation and rear view cameras now come as standard on the 650S. Buttons replace the standard gear knob and on the centre console, and a vertically-aligned infotainment system with Meridian sound system continue to feature.
At the centre console, you'd find two knobs 'H' and 'P' that let you independently control the car's handling (McLaren's Proactive Chassis Control) and powertrain by toggling the drive modes between Normal, Sport and Track.
That said, a wide range of customisable options are available for the 650S, and they're only limited by the depth of your pockets. Electric steering adjustment, carbon fibre dash panels and carbon fibre backed racing seats are just some of the available cost options that could help further pare down weight without compromising on the fit and finish.
That said, a wide range of customisable options are available for the 650S, and they're only limited by the depth of your pockets. Electric steering adjustment, carbon fibre dash panels and carbon fibre backed racing seats are just some of the available cost options that could help further pare down weight without compromising on the fit and finish.
The Drive
Looks aside, the drive is where the 650S shows its true prowess as a supercar.
On paper, the car's 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine produces 641bhp and 678Nm of torque. Shod with lightweight forged '650S' alloys that shed 6kg off the standard cast wheels on the 12C and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres as standard, the 650S can seemingly teleport itself from nought to 100km/h in a phenomenal three seconds flat, and from 0-200km/h in 8.4 seconds, before moving on to a maximum speed of 333km/h.
To achieve this, McLaren upgraded the 650S's engine, furnishing it with new pistons, cylinder heads, revised valve timings and new exhaust valves. The already silky-smooth seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox has also been tweaked for slicker gear changes.
Elsewhere, the car also receives carbon ceramic brakes as standard and stiffer suspension springs for improved handling.
What all these translate to, as we experienced from our short test drive in wet weather, is a car that drives effortlessly and with immense finesse and restraint. In a way, it's like an extension of your consciousness, where the car responds to your exact will.
Looks aside, the drive is where the 650S shows its true prowess as a supercar.
On paper, the car's 3.8-litre V8 twin-turbo engine produces 641bhp and 678Nm of torque. Shod with lightweight forged '650S' alloys that shed 6kg off the standard cast wheels on the 12C and Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres as standard, the 650S can seemingly teleport itself from nought to 100km/h in a phenomenal three seconds flat, and from 0-200km/h in 8.4 seconds, before moving on to a maximum speed of 333km/h.
To achieve this, McLaren upgraded the 650S's engine, furnishing it with new pistons, cylinder heads, revised valve timings and new exhaust valves. The already silky-smooth seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox has also been tweaked for slicker gear changes.
Elsewhere, the car also receives carbon ceramic brakes as standard and stiffer suspension springs for improved handling.
What all these translate to, as we experienced from our short test drive in wet weather, is a car that drives effortlessly and with immense finesse and restraint. In a way, it's like an extension of your consciousness, where the car responds to your exact will.
With city driving, the car carries itself with the composure of a seasoned martial arts exponent, with none of the restless mechanical goading you'd find in other supercars. But should the opportunity present itself for a little burst of speed, the 650S will quickly spring to life: with as much aggression your throttle demands of it, or with as much ease your mood prefers. Both ways, you get blistering pace that'll see you find yourself some ways over the speed limit in a blink of an eye.
Switch the car's handling and powertrain settings into Sport and feel the suspension stiffen up and the engine and gearbox prime the car for sportier driving with a deeper, louder exhaust note that raises the fun by a couple more decibels.
The highlights in the car come in quick succession. Despite its stiffer springs, the 650S is exceptionally pliant on local roads, soaking up imperfections on the tarmac. This leaves you to enjoy the aural pleasures of the deep growling baritone from that peach of a V8 engine - something we felt was lacking in the 12C.
Switch the car's handling and powertrain settings into Sport and feel the suspension stiffen up and the engine and gearbox prime the car for sportier driving with a deeper, louder exhaust note that raises the fun by a couple more decibels.
The highlights in the car come in quick succession. Despite its stiffer springs, the 650S is exceptionally pliant on local roads, soaking up imperfections on the tarmac. This leaves you to enjoy the aural pleasures of the deep growling baritone from that peach of a V8 engine - something we felt was lacking in the 12C.
Conclusion
A car's individual appeal is something highly subjective, especially in the realm of supercars like the McLaren 650S. However, if speed, power, handling and evocative attention grabbing good looks are boxes to be checked off, the 650S has done so extremely well. Couple the fact that it is exceedingly comfortable to drive on a day-to-day basis and you may just have the ideal sports car that needs no compromise.
A car's individual appeal is something highly subjective, especially in the realm of supercars like the McLaren 650S. However, if speed, power, handling and evocative attention grabbing good looks are boxes to be checked off, the 650S has done so extremely well. Couple the fact that it is exceedingly comfortable to drive on a day-to-day basis and you may just have the ideal sports car that needs no compromise.
Emotional appeal aside, the next thing to consider would be the 650S's $1.15 million price tag without COE, tariffs and options. It may cost about 150 grand more than a 12C coupe ($998,000 as of 18th December 2014 without COE, tariffs and options), but when you consider the amount of options that come as standard in the 650S, you'd be getting more bang for your buck.
As for the fight for poster space between the McLaren, Lamborghini and Ferrari on a bedroom wall, it'll be a real cross to bear.
As for the fight for poster space between the McLaren, Lamborghini and Ferrari on a bedroom wall, it'll be a real cross to bear.
Photos by Jonathan Tan
Car Information
McLaren 650S 3.8 (A)
CAT B|Petrol|8.5km/L
Horsepower
478kW (641 bhp)
Torque
678 Nm
Acceleration
3sec (0-100km /hr)
This model is no longer being sold by local distributor
All Used McLaren 650S
Thank You For Your Subscription.
