McLaren reveals 650S replacement’s monocoque

McLaren is all set to debut its 650S replacement, codenamed P14, at the Geneva motor show in March. The firm has now teased its upcoming Super Series model, releasing an image of the monocoque.

The image of the monocoque, called Monocage II, reveals that the car will indeed feature dihedral doors that extend into the roof, like those of the iconic F1. It uses a T-bar-shaped roof structure that allows for the extended dihedral doors, along with a wider entrance and lower sills for better access.

The P14 will weigh 1,283kg – almost 200g less than its rival, the Ferrari 488 GTB, and 18kg less than its predecessor. That weight reduction is largely due to the monocoque too, which uses carbon fibre to offer “an ultra-lightweight” and “immensely rigid” architecture, according to the supercar brand.

McLaren also claims that the structure enables a lower centre of gravity “further sharpening the dynamic performance” of the Super Series model.

The car will also use a development version of the firm’s twin-turbocharged engine. It will remain a V8, but the current 3.8-litre unit’s capacity could change and peak power will grow beyond the 650hp output of the 650S.

McLaren’s design director, Frank Stephenson, has previously said that the P14 will be “even crazier” than the P1 hypercar. As shown by previous spy shots of a development car, the company’s established hallmarks – such as the distinctive side-mounted air intakes and front bumper design – look to have been ditched for a new design, which makes use of LED headlight technology. The cabin is also expected to be overhauled with a new and more intuitive control system.

An open-top variant of the 650S successor is planned, and like today’s 650S Spider, it will feature a folding hard-top roof, which is expected 12 months later.