An extreme, track-focused version of the McLaren 12C supercar will make its debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this weekend, and we have all the pictures and details ahead of the unveil.
Badged the 12C Can-Am Edition, a McLaren spokesman described it as "purely a design concept, and it is being used to gauge international reaction of a track day specific car from McLaren GT."
McLaren GT is the new race car manufacturing arm of the McLaren Group, set up in 2011. It was McLaren GT who developed the MP4-12C GT3 race car, currently being raced by 25 private teams in Europe, but this Can-Am is its most-extreme creation yet.
It takes the MP4-12C GT3 race car as a starting point and adds a more extreme aerodynamic package, which improves downforce by 30 per cent. It includes a carbon-fibre front splitter, carbon-fibre winglets on top of the splitter and a huge carbon rear wing held in place by aluminium mounts.
The 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine has benefitted from an ECU remap and a new cooling system, so power is up to 621bhp - more than any other 12C derivative. Weight is down to 1,200kg - around 200kg less than the road car - so performance should be sensational.
An uprated braking system, developed by Akebono, has been designed to cope with the extra power, while the lightweight alloy wheels are wrapped in Pirelli racing slicks.
The interior is ready to race, too, with a steering wheel designed to mimic the shape and grip of Lewis Hamilton's Formula One wheel. Race seats with six-point harnesses and a full roll-cage are designed to keep drivers safe in an accident.
There's no word on price yet, if indeed McLaren decides to put the Can-Am into production, but it has made it clear this car is aimed primarily at the US track-enthusiast market.
