Ever heard of the McLaren MP4-12C HS? Well neither had we until this week and the details are very scarce, but here’s what we do know. The McLaren MP4-12C HS was first spotted at The Collection in Miami and it just so happens to be the first project turned out by the McLaren Automotive Special Operations – a division responsible for bespoke vehicles built to order.
The McLaren MP4-12C HS has been produced in a batch of five cars, which are all owned by one customer. The ‘HS’ name, given to the cars by the customer, stands for ‘High Sport’ and signifies a number of unique changes to the cars.
For one, the vented louvres over the front wheel arches, together with the side vents in the front bumper, have been designed to remove turbulent air from the wheels wells at high speed, thereby eliminating unwanted lift at high speed. In fact, the HS cars generate a lot more downforce than the original 12C.
The entire nose of the car was redesigned under strict specifications by Mclaren to enhance the downforce and increase air flow to the turbo intercoolers in order to maintain higher boost pressures. Apparently Mclaren invested close to half a million dollars in research and development to design and certify the new front nose. Also the rear opening and diffusers enhance stability and downforce performance. All the enhancements on the car were done in carbon fibre.
On the performance front, power and torque have been increased by an undisclosed figure, which not even McLaren’s own dealerships know about. Insiders whisper that the increase is around 55 kW over the standard 12C, taking the total from 441 kW to an estimated 496 kW, although nothing has been confirmed.
