McLaren has brought numerous new creations to this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, including the 650S Spider Can-Am Edition, which is a celebration of the Canadian American Challenge racing series that McLaren dominated throughout the 1960s and ‘70s.
Can-Am was a particularly well loved racing series due to its loose restrictions in regards to aerodynamics, engine size and weight. By the late 1970s, Can Am cars weighed under 800kg and were producing over 1,000 horsepower. McLaren warmed up nicely to liberal rules, with company found Bruce McLaren and works drivers Denny Hulme and Peter Revson taking five consecutive Can-Am championships from 1967 to 1971.
The McLaren the 650S Spider Can-Am Edition at Goodwood is presented in Mars Red with the number ‘5’ on each door, a paint scheme reminiscent of the McLaren 1B Can Am racecar. All Can-Am Editions also sport a bare carbon fiber bonnet, retractable hardtop and airbrake and five-spoke alloy wheels.
The 650S Spider Can-Am Edition is powered by the same 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 as the standard 650S, which produces 641 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. 0-100 km/h happens in 3.0 seconds, while the top speed sits at 329 km/h.
