McLaren goes orange at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Can-Am theme to McLaren display at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Words John Lambert Published 1 May 2013

These days McLaren may be best known as a Formula 1 team, but for some enthusiasts the name is equally well known for the bright orange cars that competed in the Can-Am series in the 1960s and '70s. The championship took place in Canada and the United States of America - hence the name 'Can-Am' - and cars were typically powered by large capacity V8 engines. At this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed racers from the company's heritage collection will be joined by the latest limited edition, the 12C GT Can-Am Edition.

No more than 30 examples of the Can-Am Edition will be built, strictly for track use. It is described as 'the rawest, most track-focussed model built by McLaren Group's race car manufacturing arm'. The unrestricted 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8 engine is shared with the 12C GT3 racing car. Compared with the competition car the aerodynamics of the Can-Am Edition are optimised for increased downforce - and a passenger seat is fitted.

A short video showcasing the McLaren M8D Can-Am car and featuring footage of the 12C GT Can-Am Edition on the track has been released on McLaren's YouTube channel.

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