Get your seat belts ready and fasten up, McLaren->ke284 fans!

The British automaker has released a one-off, race concept that will blow your socks off. The car is called the 12C Can-Am Edition and is based on the MP4-12C GT3 race car. The only difference is that the 12C Can-Am Edition is far and away more powerful than its GT3 cousin.

Set to debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance organized in California, the 12C Can-Am Edition is what happens when you have an automaker as devoted to the meticulous and obsessive pursuit of performance like McLaren put their thinking hats and build a car that's just way too cool for words.

It's been dressed in the company's now iconic McLaren Orange paint scheme, further adding a touch of Woking to its overall appeal. Add that to a boat load of aerodynamic modifications combined with enhanced performance capabilities and it's easy to surmise exactly why McLaren is taking pride in this one-off race concept.

UPDATE 11/19/12: The McLaren MP4-12C Can-Am Edition is headed to production. How much is it going to cost? Find out after the jump!

Find out more about the McLaren 12C Can-Am Edition after the jump

mclaren-12c-can-am-edition

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: mclaren-12c-can-am-edition
Pros
Cons

2013 McLaren 12C Can-Am Edition

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 McLaren 12C Can-Am Edition
  • Engine/Motor: V8
  • Horsepower: 630
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The McLaren 12C Can-Am Edition has been dressed in what is now the unmistakable McLaren Orange paint scheme. The color is a testament to the cars of Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme that staked their claim to fame back in the 60's and 70's. The orange paint scheme casts a dramatic contrast to the car's roof, door, and bumper sections, which have been finished in satin black. Carbon fiber was also prominently used on the car and can be found being used as components throughout the concept. Even on the McLaren badges on the front and rear and the car's chassis, which was built from carbon fiber MonoCell.

As a race concept, McLaren also gave the 12C Can-Am Edition a comprehensive aerodynamic body kit that consists of a number of components, including a carbon fiber front splitter, carbon fiber dive planes, and a carbon fiber wing, which is then held in place by polished aluminum mounts. With this aerodynamic package, McLaren was able to increase the car's downforce by 30%.

Interior

It seems a little weird that a car like this has a bare bones interior, but such is the case because it's a racing concept. The cockpit of the 12C Can-Am Edition features two black racing seats with full six-point harnesses. A full race-spec roll cage was also fitted, while the steering wheel, derived from the shape and grip of Lewis Hamilton's MP4-24 F1 car, is the same found on the 12C GT3. Finally, carbon fiber details are prevalent throughout the cabin, including across the dashboard and sill panels. An integrated air conditioning system is also available, which is now mandatory in a growing number of race series.

Performance

The McLaren 12C Can-Am Edition is powered by a revised version of the road car's 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with added engine calibration and an optimized cooling system. The result is an output of 630 horsepower, making it, without question, the most powerful race version of the MP4-12C.

In order to accommodate the race concept's insane performance capabilities, McLaren used a highly efficient braking system that has been developed by Akebono where it sits behind a new set of black satin-finished forged lightweight racing alloy wheels, wrapped in Pirelli racing slick tires.

Pricing

We know that buying a car of this caliber will set you back a lot of money. How much money, you ask? According to McLaren, the MP4-12C Can-Am Edition will cost £375,000, around $596,000 based on current exchange rates. The supecar is scheduled to hit production by March next year so you better get your checkbooks ready.

Will We See It In A Race Series?

McLaren hasn't divulged their plans for this one-off race concept except for the fact that it will be in attendance at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.