McLaren 50 12C and Spider mark birthday

Special-edition cars to mark anniversaries are nothing new, but for McLaren, having its own production car around to commemorate the occasion is. The brand borne from racing is capitalising on the opportunity, with the new McLaren 50 12C and McLaren 50 12C Spider, celebrating the brand's 50th anniversary.

These special-edition models will be limited to a run of just 50 cars each for coupe and spider. Unique styling and specification elements by McLaren Special Operations (MSO) mark them apart from the normal versions.

Upgrades for the McLaren 50 models include: a remodelled, CFD-optimised front bumper; new carbon fibre and Kevlar exterior elements; a black F1-inspired heritage badge; standard carbon ceramic brake discs; unique 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels that save 2kg total; and a full leather upgrade inside the cabin, with carbon fibre accents and floor mats. A special dedication plate numbers each of the limited-run cars.

Three colours will be available for the McLaren 50 12C and 12C Spider: Carbon Black, Supernova Silver, and McLaren Orange.

Each also gets its own monogrammed black and silver car cover, a limited-edition key in a carbon fibre presentation box, and a specially commissioned art print signed by McLaren Automotive's design director, Frank Stephenson.

Global deliveries of the McLaren 50 12C should begin something after the official anniversary date of September 2. So far, only UK pricing has been announced, with the coupe priced from £196,000, and the spider from £215,500.

www.motorauthority.com