If you pay nearly $312,000 for a car, it had better be pretty special, right? Fortunately, the McLaren 650S Spider has special in spades. Besides its insane turbo power and glorious handling, a lot of that specialness is in the little details. Here are some of my favorites.
Good looking car, right? It's pretty stunning in person, low and wide and aggressive. I think the front end is a big improvement over the 12C. A few folks mistook it for a P1.
I love the curving shape of the arm that joins the mirror to the body. Also, check out the massive air intakes on the sides.
Here's the nose. I loved the shapes of the front aero kit.
Inside it's really airy, not cramped or uncomfortable. It's super easy to see out of. There's a lot of reasons it would make a good daily driver, and this is one.
Here's your paddle on the steering wheel. Also note the carbon fiber spokes on the wheel.
The gauges are super clear and easy to read.
The center brace is where the "active dynamics" are controlled. Hit the active button, and you can set the aero and handling (left) and powertrain (right) to normal, sport or track.
The engine cover release is actually on the inside of the door. It's the last button on the right.
In case you have any doubts about where it's from. Note also the aluminum block pedals, which are a delight to use.
The seats are well-bolstered and just the right amount of firm and comfortable. They're some of the best seats I've sampled in any car.
See that strap on the door sill? That's the manual door release in case the electric door switch fails for some reason.
The 650S badge on the side skirt is a nice touch.
Here's your frunk space, perfect for your next grocery run, but not much else. There's only a tiny, tiny storage area under the tonneau cover, but it can only be used when the top is up.
Here's a close up of the rear air brake, which gives you some nice detail on the Volcano Red paint.
A shot of the rear with the air brake up and the engine cover closed.
And here's the engine itself with the cover open. It's a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with 641 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. You can see the turbos and the firewall in the back, but not a lot else. It's no motor for a shade tree mechanic.
Here's the lower part of the carbon fiber center brace with the transmission controls. To "park" it, you set it in neutral and engage the electronic parking brake.
The A/C controls are built into the doors.
Here's your exhausts, set into the rear bumper itself.
The brakes are HUUUUGE.
All rise.
Nice Toyota Avalon back there too.
And one with the top down and the city in the background.
Photos credit Kurt Bradley, Patrick George for Jalopnik
Contact the author at patrick@jalopnik.com.