Skip advert
Advertisement

McLaren 12C Can-Am special edition

A new more powerful McLaren 12C racing variant is due to be unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours

McLaren is planning to launch a new version of the 12C racing car at the Pebble Beach concours. It’s an evolution of the GT3 race car, with 621bhp and 30 percent more downforce.

Under the skin, the racing car features the same carbon fibre monocoque as the 12C road car, and with all the upgrades, the total dry weight comes in at just 1200kg.

Advertisement - Article continues below

A new aerodynamic package includes a carbon fibre front splitter, carbon fibre dive planes, and a carbon fibre wing, said to increase downforce by 30 percent over GT3-spec racer. This is largely due to the fact it isn’t adhering to any current race regulations.

The extra power comes from a revised version of the standard 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, which due to not having any restrictions, is producing a healthy 621bhp – making this the most powerful 12C variant yet.

The Can-Am is finished in McLaren Orange, as a tribute to the cars of Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme, who made McLaren such a big name in the USA during the 1960s and ‘70s.

The official statement from McLaren is that the Can-Am is currently a one-off design study, and has not been confirmed for production.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best McLarens – Woking’s scintillating Ferrari fighters
Best McLarens
Best cars

Best McLarens – Woking’s scintillating Ferrari fighters

McLaren has produced some of the most stunning, technically impressive supercars in history – these are the best of the bunch
2 Mar 2026
From karting in a warehouse to lead McLaren test driver: Gareth Howell’s story
Gareth Howell McLaren
Features

From karting in a warehouse to lead McLaren test driver: Gareth Howell’s story

The ex-BTCC racer who’s helped develop every modern McLaren road car, as well as the GMA T.50, on how indoor karting and the power of friendship have …
20 Nov 2025
£2m McLaren W1 makes public debut – 1257bhp P1 successor eyes Ferrari F80
McLaren W1
News

£2m McLaren W1 makes public debut – 1257bhp P1 successor eyes Ferrari F80

First F1, then P1… and now W1. The next chapter in McLaren’s Ultimate Series has arrived to challenge Ferrari’s forthcoming new hypercar, and we've ta…
14 Jul 2025
Lanzante 95-59 debuts as £1.2m tribute to McLaren F1’s Le Mans win
Lanzante 95-59
News

Lanzante 95-59 debuts as £1.2m tribute to McLaren F1’s Le Mans win

Lanzante’s celebration of its Le Mans win in 1995 has 850bhp and uses a McLaren 750S as its basis, revealed at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed
14 Jul 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Four hyper hatches for two-thirds less than the new £92k Audi RS3 Competition
Used hyper hatches
News

Four hyper hatches for two-thirds less than the new £92k Audi RS3 Competition

Whatever happened to accessible hot hatchbacks? Nevermind the £92k Audi RS3 Competition, buy these instead
19 Mar 2026
Peugeot’s new petrol engine swaps belts for chains to improve reliability
Peugeot Turbo 100
News

Peugeot’s new petrol engine swaps belts for chains to improve reliability

New engine isn’t performance-oriented but does address some reliability issues around so-called ‘wet belts’, swapping them out altogether for chains
16 Mar 2026
Car makers are U-turning on EVs but car buyers are going to pay the price
Plug-in hybrid Lamborghini
Opinion

Car makers are U-turning on EVs but car buyers are going to pay the price

While the combustion engines we love have a stay of execution, the future won't be all sunshine and rainbows for car enthusiasts
17 Mar 2026