The New McLaren 650 Le Mans Rocks a Vintage Coat

Dressing like your dad is cool if your dad won Le Mans.

In 1995, McLaren sold one car, the F1, a 200-mph, million-dollar juggernaut. That year, the team founded by legendary racer Bruce McLaren brought five specially prepared F1 GTRs to Le Mans and swept the race, finishing 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and, uncharacterstically, 13th.

To commemorate that awesome victory, and to show some appreciation for the brand die-hards who can pick out every special detail of those GTRs, tip to tail, McLaren is now releasing the 650S Le Mans, a version of their mid-level sports car dressed up like its famous grandfather. The roof-mounted “snorkel” air-intake and gunmetal grey lightweight wheels are pulled right off the racecars, and help the already fast (0-60 in 3 seconds, flat) 650S become just a little sharper. Modified wings and louvers add downforce (and racetrack style) and the Sarthe Grey exterior color is an approximation of the shade of the winning F1 GTR. Orange carbon ceramic calipers brighten things up and slow them way, way down.

The design of the 650S Le Mans was aided by no less than Peter Stevens, who penned the F1, so you can be sure that this is no retro hack-job. Rather, the 650S Le Mans is a wicked blend of some awesome F1-racer elements and Mclaren’s latest technology. If you want one, act GTR-fast: only fifty will be made.[$244,500, at your probably-not-local Mclaren showroom]

Photos by Mclaren