The Monstrous 624BHP McLaren MP4-12C Can-Am

McLaren will debut the MP4-12C Can-Am Edition at this weekend’s Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. It’s a comprehensively re-worked version of the carmaker’s existing GT3 racer, albeit free from FIA regulation and therefore better in every measurable way. Boom shakalaka.

Although the Can-Am’s 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 is, to all intents and purposes, the same engine McLaren uses in its road-going 12C, power’s up to a healthy 624bhp thanks to a reworked cooling system and unique engine mapping. Hence, the Can-Am is the most powerful 12C derivative yet shown.

At only 1200kg, the Can-Am is 270kg lighter than a road-going 12C Spider, even though it uses the standard car’s ‘MonoCell’ carbon chassis. As you’d imagine, being so light,  there’s a fair amount of aero keeping those slick Pirellis glued to the tarmac. The rear of the car is wholly dominated by a grandiose carbon wing, while the front benefits from a deep splitter and angled dive-plates (no, I've no idea what they are/do either). All told, the Can-Am’s aero package generates 30 per cent more downforce than the GT3’s.

The Can-Am Edition’s fetching orange hue is a tribute to the company’s namesake - Bruce McLaren - and Denny Hulme, who both found success driving the company’s cars during the 60s and 70s in the fiercely competitive Can-Am racing series. Sadly, McLaren died in 1970 as he was testing his company’s latest Can-Am racer at Goodwood.

The 12C Can-Am Edition is, regrettably, a concept. Built solely to gauge public reaction to an off-the-shelf racer for well-heeled petrolheads. Only if demand warrants will McLaren even consider putting it into production. Boo.