McLaren P14 image leaked 27 | 01 | 2017

THE 2017 McLAREN P14, the successor to the 650S, has been leaked via the internet six weeks before it makes its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The image appears on @woppum’s Instagram account.

The new Super Series model — which will replace the 650S raced by Black Bull Ecurie Ecosse in last year’s British GT Championship — is referred to internally within McLaren as the P14, though its production badging has not yet been released by the company.

What we can see from the image — despite it being handicapped by the poor lighting and glare — is the P14 has a completely new and much sharper front-end design.  Prominent aerodynamic bodywork, which suggest the car will produce more downforce than its predecessor, can be seen on its sides. It’s also clear that McLaren has ditched its familiar side intakes for smoother panels.

As a result of being built round McLaren’s all-new Monocage II structure, the car’s roofline is also quite different from that of the outgoing car.

Not surprisingly, McLaren has yet to release any technical details or figures for the P14, but we have already seen the Monocage II, which uses dihedral doors and is said to offer improved access for passengers.

It’s expected the McLaren P14 will be powered by a newly-developed version of McLaren’s turbocharged V8 engine which will see its capacity increase from the 3.8-litres of the current models.

Power is also likely to exceed the 666bhp of the current 675LT, with the 0-62mph sprint ducking below three-seconds. Top speed? Given the new Ford GT will hit 216mph, expect the P14 to be faster than the 205mph of the current 650S.

Related: McLaren doubles car sales

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Jim McGill