To slot between the 12C and P1

McLaren has released a teaser photo for its brand new mid-range "650S" model set to be unveiled next month at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.

Up until now we referred to McLaren's upcoming mid-range model as the P13 but it seems the British marque has opted to use the "650S" moniker. McLaren says their new product has been "designed and developed to offer the enthusiast driver the ultimate in luxury, engagement and excitement, as well as dramatic yet beautiful styling."

No further info is available at this point but McLaren promises to disclose spicy details in the weeks to come to create a buzz until March 4 when the car will be shown in Geneva. If we were to rely on a recent report, the 650S will be powered by the firm's well-known twin-turbo 3.8-liter V8 engine which will probably develop 650 HP (478 kW) based on the "650" designation.

The British sportscar will be capable of running the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) sprint in less than four seconds en route to a maximum speed of around 185 mph (298 km/h). The engine is going to work with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox hosted in a "pure driver's car" that will be lighter and smaller than the 12C.

Up until now we referred to McLaren's upcoming mid-range model as the P13 but it seems the British marque has opted to use the "650S" moniker. McLaren says their new product has been "designed and developed to offer the enthusiast driver the ultimate in luxury, engagement and excitement, as well as dramatic yet beautiful styling."

No further info is available at this point but McLaren promises to disclose spicy details in the weeks to come to create a buzz until March 4 when the car will be shown in Geneva

McLaren has a big reveal in store for next month's Geneva Motor Show. It has just announced a new model called the McLaren 650S for the Swiss show, but at the moment, it's not saying much more, releasing just the single teaser image shown above and no real details about its new sports car.

McLaren promises that the 650S sits between the MP4-12C and P1 in its lineup and says the new model incorporates the lessons from both of those supercars' development. According to the announcement, the 650S is "designed and developed to offer the enthusiast driver the ultimate in luxury, engagement and excitement, as well as dramatic yet beautiful styling."

There have been at least two rumors of upcoming McLaren models in the past month, and either of them could conceivably be the 650S. A high-performance version of the 12C is rumored to boost power to around 650 horsepower, while adding carbon-ceramic brakes and a new front end. The British boutique automaker is also rumored to be working on a dedicated model between the 12C and P1 codenamed 'P15.'

"All I can tell you at this stage is that the McLaren 650S being revealed at Geneva is not the much rumoured P13 and that it doesn't replace 12C," said Wayne Bruce, McLaren Global Communications Director, in an email to Autoblog.

All information we have right now comes from The Sunday Time's Driving section, which reports that McLaren F1 driver Jenson Button helped develop the new 12C-based 650S, which gets a 650PS / 641bhp turbocharged V8, an increase of 25hp over the former.

The Sunday daily mentions that all "go-fast bits" from the 12C, including aerodynamics, tires, suspension, brakes and transmission have been uprated on the 650S.

This is the new McLaren 650S, a £190,000 mid-engined coupé that's capable of hitting 207mph. It will make its public debut at the Geneva show next month alongside a 650S Spider model.

The McLaren 650S is closely related to the 12C but is £20,000 more expensive and closer in styling to the recently launched £860,000 P1 hypercar. It also incorporates a basket of detailed revisions that improve performance in all areas but major on driver involvement. The McLaren 650S gets more standard equipment than the 12C, including lightweight forged alloy wheels, LED headlights, an Alcantara interior, carbon-ceramic brakes, revised sat-nav and a DAB radio as part of a sophisticated, screen-based audio system. The car also gets a new, wider design of Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres.

As members of the press get their hands on McLaren's searing P1 hypercar, few are giving the smaller 12C supercar much attention. The new 650S, leaked over the weekend and due to be presented at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show in March, is another slightly more realistic proposition from the British brand.

The company has now revealed official details on the latest model, which is based on the 12C but offers a host of improvements to set itself apart from the humbler offering. Most noticeable is the P1-inspired design, with a set of sharp LED-laced headlamps, integrated front splitter, GT3-inspired rear bumper and a set of door blades behind the front wheels. The aerodynamic enhancements should ensure the 650S is a little more agile than the 12C, for a more focused drive. After all, the S in the name stands for "Sport".

It has no more drag than the 12C, but generates an extra 24 percent downforce at 150 mph, too. That's important, as the 650S develops more power than the 12C. Not quite 650 as the name suggests as that refers to the metric output, but at 641 regular horsepower, it's still a significant 25 horses wilder than the 12C. It should be faster as a result (no figures have yet been revealed by McLaren), and downforce aside, McLaren has also tweaked the 12C's "airbrake" for extra stability both under braking and whenever the car deems it necessary.

The 650S wears a new five-spoke lightweight alloy wheel design, and each of these is wrapped in Pirelli's latest P Zero Corsa tires for maximum grip. McLaren has made a few changes to its ProActive Chassis Control system too, letting drivers choose from Sport, Normal and Track modes (like the P1), all of which can be adjusted separately from the drivetrain to suit the driver's taste.

Despite all these tweaks under the skin, the 650S loses nothing to the 12C in terms of usability--it's still available in both coupe and retractable hardtop formats, you still get IRIS satellite navigation with Bluetooth, SIRIUS satellite radio, wireless tethering, audio streaming and voice control, and there's a host of options from fixed-back carbon bucket seats to a rear parking camera.

The 650S makes its official debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday, March 4. Deliveries begin in the spring.

Nick Trott talks about the new 12C-based 650S supercar. The new model will sit above the 12C, gunning for the 458 Speciale, and features a new version of the M838T 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. Power has been increased from 616bhp to 641bhp, with torque now pegged at 500lb ft.