Your next dream car: McLaren’s 650S hits the web before official Geneva debut – UPDATE

By Nick Jaynes February 17, 2014

The pictures are grainy and the video is hand-held and uninspiring but the vehicle they portray is nothing shy of awe-inspiring.

No, I don’t mean for its looks – which, if I am quite honest, are not as striking as I was hoping they’d be – but rather for its guaranteed driving perfection.

Enough with my thoughts, though, let’s get to the important bits. The McLaren 650S will be the British supercar maker’s mid-level car, placed carefully between the MP4-12C and the P1 hypercar.

“The 650S badge designation refers to the power output – 650PS (641 horsepower), – of the unique British-built McLaren M838T twin turbo V8 engine. ‘S’ stands for ‘Sport’, underlining the focus and developments made to handling, transmission, drivability and engagement,” McLaren said in a press release. “Performance figures will be confirmed ahead of the Geneva Show but will improve on the already rapid 12C which continues on sale.”

We do know from the video that the 650S’ transmission offer faster shifts, which adds more “flare” on downshifts, improving driving enjoyment. Improved, too, is steering feel and response. Funny, we didn’t know it could get better than the 12C. That’s like being told Genesis Rodriguez gets more beautiful or Santa gets more generous; it’s almost mind-boggling.

We’ll be watching all of the Internet’s tubes closely for any more McLaren 650S details. I am sure more will leak before the 2014 Geneva Motor Show next month. Be sure to check back often for more details.

Update: We added official engine specs and photos from McLaren.

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Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

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