McLaren

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McLaren 600LT Spy Shots – Goodwood 2018 Debut

June 28th is the official date when McLaren 600 LT will be revealed. There are only two days left until we see what is expected to be the hottest Sport Series model to date. It’s fitting that we should have a final teaser of the test mule to tide us over until the bog launch.

These photos were spotted at the Nürburgring in Germany recently. They show the 600 LT testing and give us a few hints as to what we should expect come Thursday!

We have already seen the unique exhaust placement which is inspired by the recently-launched McLaren Senna. The 600 LT will get a deck-lid exhaust with two tailpipes. The aerodynamic work package is clear with the 600 LT benefiting front a new front facia. The internal vanes used to face inwards, now the face outwards and are joined by a side air channel.

McLaren 600 LT

Remarkably, nothing seems to have changed with the bonnet or the fenders. We have expected to at least see some air vents for the wheels. The side profile does reveal an aggressive side skirt, the camo to the read window might suggest that this is either perspex or there is some other modification being hidden.

Turning to the rear, the cut out rear wheel arches are clear, as is the deep rear diffuser the rear spoiler suggests that McLaren will offer an active aerodynamic package for the 600 LT, something that’s normally reserved for higher models.

Just like its Super Series predecessor, the McLaren 600 LT is expected to be a very exclusive vehicle. It is scheduled to make its dynamic debut on July 12th at the Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018. McLaren Special Operations should released some bespoke variants of the 600 LT in the future too!

June 26, 2018 / Comments Off

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Mclaren 570S-based track car spied at the Nurburgring

We’re just a few days away from the reveal of Mclaren’s latest car, a track vehicle of some sort, but new spy shots give us a sneak peek at the new car. It’s unquestionably based on the McLaren 570S and its Sports Series variants. It also looks like a pretty hardcore machine.

We can tell this is the car McLaren has been teasing the last few weeks because it has the same top-mounted exhaust, and the same taillights and extreme diffuser. There are a number of details we weren’t able to see in the teaser images, though. A big one is the big rear wing on the back. It’s matched by deep side splitters with tall fins for channeling air. And of course there’s a deeper front splitter to finish things off. It also appears that the intake scoops on the sides are a bit larger than on the normal 570 models.

McLaren hasn’t revealed any specifics about this new vehicle. All the company has said is that this will be a serious, no compromises track car. It’s a safe bet that it features a number of suspension upgrades to go along with the aerodynamic changes. It’s possible that it has more power, too, just as the 675LT had more power (and a revised name) compared with the 650S. We won’t have long to wait for the details, since McLaren will show the car on June 28, and it will be driven at Goodwood on July 12.

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June 25, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren reveals top-exit exhaust of new model, announces launch date

McLaren just released some more tidbits of info about its next car, including a new teaser image. This one explains the lack of the exhaust in the last photo: The exhaust comes out of the top of the engine cover. Two big outlets sit at the back and center of the engine cover, and it looks like they’re just ahead of the retractable rear spoiler. They certainly look cool, probably sound cool, and we wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a performance reason behind this placement.

Besides the sneak peek at the exhaust, McLaren made a few broad statements about the car. It said that it will be more powerful and lighter than whatever it’s based on.The company also indicated earlier that the car will be very hardcore and uncompromised. From the previous teaser, we’re fairly certain the car is based on the Sports Series McLarens that include the 570S, 570GT and 570S Spyder in the U.S., and the 540C in other markets. Since the names of the cars are based on horsepower, and this one will make more than the current 570 models, it probably won’t use the 570 moniker.

We also won’t have to wait too long to see the car revealed. The company will show it off on June 28 at 7 a.m. Eastern time. We’ll then get to see it in action when it heads up the hill at Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 12.

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June 13, 2018 / Comments Off

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2018 McLaren 720S – The Best of Britain

Blurred Lines

While romping around in the new McLaren 720S, things around you quickly become a blur as you accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Pavement markings aren’t the only lines being blurred though – thanks to the 720S, so too is the line between supercars and hypercars.

These days, the McLaren 720S is leading the charge of a growing number of cars – a raucous gang of automobiles which are causing a disturbance to the metrics in which we define what a hypercar is. Government restrictions and traffic laws put a ceiling over just how far a road-worthy car can go, and the 720S – a supercar – pushes ever closer to that limit.

2018 McLaren 720S

The great thing about the McLaren 720S is that it perfectly blends the best of both the supercar and hypercar worlds – you get all the performance (if not more) of today’s ridiculously expensive hypercars, but at a relatively low supercar-price.

Starting at $288,845 USD the 720S looks like the bargain of the century, as you quickly realize that a million-dollar budget won’t necessarily net you a more capable car. In fact, even when fully optioned out, it remains less than a third of the price of most “entry-level” hypercars.

With such pedigree, the successor to the 650S gets to rub shoulders with some very elite company. It completes the quarter-mile in 10.1 seconds (227.7 km/h) – faster than a Bugatti Veyron – and according to Motor Trend, is the fastest purely gasoline-powered car they’ve tested.

Only hybrid hypercars such as the Porsche 918 Spyder and Ferrari LaFerrari are running the stretch just fractions of a second quicker.

It is also remarkably refined and amenable, making it comfortable enough for daily use. McLaren engineered the 720S to be a supercar which begs to be driven under all circumstances and conditions while precluding any notion of being a ‘garage queen’.

The McLaren 720S could very well be the new template for the modern (and future) supercar.

Features And Highlights

Engine

The 720S employs a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine, which produces 710-horsepower @ 7,500 rpm and 568 lb-ft of torque @ 5,500 rpm.

As the numbers suggest, you do need to keep the revs above 5,000 rpm to really get the most from the engine. That is not to say that the car feels in anyway gutless in the lower range – the 720S surges forward with smooth linearity throughout the rev range, transitioning into peak power in a progressive, yet dramatic way.

Chassis

The engine is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. This gearbox is a technological marvel – upshifts and downshifts are completed in the blink of an eye in either automatic or manual shifting mode.

McLaren engineers also delivered some programming ingenuity into the transmission’s behavior while in Track mode. Dubbed ‘Inertia Push’, the clutch slams shut for the next cog during high rpm upshifts, enabling the engine to spin slightly faster than the input shaft. According to McLaren, this “uses the inertia of the rotating engine components to deliver a torque pulse to the wheels that improves acceleration”.

The 720S’ Comfort mode allows for a car that feels just as capable of daily driving as it does for track use. Suspension dampers are hydraulically linked and each has two pressure sensors. There are twelve additional sensors which analyze data in real-time for each of the car’s driving modes to determine the best damping settings in each situation.

Carbon-ceramic brakes and Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires respectively provide the stopping power and grip required to harmonize with the overall performance of the car, while perfectly weighted and world-class steering feedback allows the driver to conduct the chassis with true precision.

Design & Interior

The 720S is inundated with functional exterior body parts which improve aerodynamics, air-flow efficiency and cooling – the aggressive front spoiler, bonnet gills and active rear wing amongst the many parts working in harmony to generate up to 50 percent more downforce, double the overall aerodynamic efficiency and 15 percent more efficient cooling over its predecessor, the 650S.

Underneath the cornucopia of its predominantly carbon fiber shell, is the ‘Monocage II’ chassis structure which incorporates an upper structure and windscreen surround, making it more rigid than the 650S. It also lowers its center of gravity by 3 percent and is the lightest of the Super Series cars, with a dry weight of 1,286 kg – over 135 kg lighter than a Ferrari 488 GTB.

Inside, the 720S is deftly ergonomic and comfortable, while the driver’s seating position and visibility are terrific. This is thanks in part due to the bubble-style cabin and A-pillars with transparent roof panels. The butterfly doors and center cutouts also make it easier for driver and passenger to enter/exit the vehicle.

The interior is adorned with high-quality Nappa leather, carbon fiber and Alcantara trim finishing. Cleverly appointed digital instruments provide key vehicle data and infotainment for the driver.

Verdict

Compared to its most obvious rivals – the Lamborghini Huracán Performante ($274,390 USD) and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS ($294,250 USD) – the McLaren 720S is priced right in the middle at $288,845 USD.

In my opinion, the 720S offers the most daily-usability and its performance, to put it lightly, is not lagging behind its competition. This makes it more approachable and all-around-capable than any other supercar in its class.

Then we also must remember how it fares against cars that should be out of its league. Million-dollar cars (in some cases, twice over) barely manage to cope with the 720S’ performance arsenal.

If not for an undying loyalty to the more historic marques, or a decades-long love affair with a certain poster car, the 720S is the pragmatist’s choice.

The McLaren 720 is the complete supercar.

Specifications And Performance Summary

Pricing And Model Info

Make	McLaren
Model	720S
Generation	2017 – Present
Car type	Coupe
Category	Series Production Car
Built At	Surrey, UK
Base Price (USD)	$288,845

Chassis And Powertrain

Curb Weight	1,434 kg (3,161 lbs)
Layout	Mid-engine
Driven wheels	Rear-wheel drive
Engine	V8, aluminum block and heads
Aspiration	Twin-turbocharged
Displacement	4.0 Litres
Transmission	7-speed DCT

Engine Output

Power	710 hp @ 7,500 rpm
Power / litre	177.5 hp / litre
Power-to-weight ratio	4.45 lb / hp
Torque	568 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm

Performance

0-60 mph	2.5 seconds
0-100 mph	5.3 seconds
¼ mile	10.1 seconds
Top Speed	212 mph (342 km/h)m

Photo Gallery

Video Reviews

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June 5, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren Focusing on Supercars; No SUV Lineup!

A bold move that is against today’s landscape is the announcement of McLaren focusing solely on supercars with no future SUV release. Unlike the competition that has ‘sporty’ SUV’s to help fund their R&D, McLaren is having none of it.

AutoNews reports that McLaren will not be following Porsche, Bentley, Tesla, Jaguar, or Rolls Royce(!) in watering down their brand with an SUV release. President of McLaren North America, Tony Joseph, says,

“We have been a company in existence for a long time prior to automotive and we’re a profitable company, so there’s really no need to go into SUVs. We want to concentrate just on two-seat sports cars and be known as the iconic sports car company.”

While that’s the case, McLaren is focused on future-proofing their car lineup, with hybrid configurations on the works in Woking. The makers of the new Senna hypercar reports that a full-electric car is also in the works, but that is unlikely before 2022.

That’s pretty exciting stuff but you think they’ll follow through with it? Or succumb to the pressure?

June 4, 2018 / Comments Off

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Lady Driver Walks Away from Horrific McLaren 720S Crash in Las Vegas

As far as horrific accidents go, this McLaren 720S wreck which happened this weekend during the Corsa Rally 2018 has to be high up there. The event took place just outside Las Vegas in the Mohave Desert. The driver of the McLaren reportedly walked away from the accident, the carbon fibre crash cell protecting her from injury. The car was less fortunate.

The photos show a car that has evidently rolled a number of times, crushing the passenger side A-Pillar and causing a small engine fire which looks to have been smothered quickly. The wreckage makes the 720S look completely unrecognisable, save for those tell-tale doors.

McLaren 720S Crash

The driver took to the forums to explain that she misjudged a corner and lost control of the car. She reckons it rolled twice causing her passenger very minor injuries and her, some broken ribs. She makes the point that the car’s final act was to prove just how safe it was. The strength of the carbon fibre cell evidently superior to that of a normal steel construction example.

It remains to be seen whether the owner will order a replacement car. We suspect she might having walked away from this horrifying accident with a minimal amount of injuries!

By way of reminder, the McLaren 720S features a 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 720 hp and 770 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm. It manages a 100 km/h sprint in 7.8 seconds with 300 km/h in 21.4 seconds and a top speed of 341 km/h.

May 15, 2018 / Comments Off

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VIDEO: McLaren Senna Driven

The McLaren Senna, Woking’s new Ultimate Series model, packs a 789bhp punch and weighs considerably less than the mighty P1 and 720S. Matt Prior talks you around the limited edition hypercar, as he drives a prototype around the international circuit at Silverstone.

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May 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren EV supercar: Here’s the math that says it’s 5-10 years off

It emerged last December that McLaren had built an all-electric testbed for a future EV supercar, to go along with the English automaker’s $1.4 billion investment in electrified powertrains. But as we told you a few weeks ago, McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt said that such a car was, as a practical matter, years away from production. Now COO Jens Ludmann has put some numbers to the carmaker’s quest, saying, “[The] Senna has 800 PS [Pferdestärke] on 1,200 kg, that’s about the power to weight that we’re looking for.” He’s talking about 789 horsepower in a package lighter than a base Honda Civic Coupe.

The issue isn’t energy capacity, it’s energy density. Said Ludmann, “[The] battery technology should achieve 500 watt-hours per kilogram. That is a level where it really makes sense. Today we are around 180 watt-hours per kilogram.” McLaren Engineering provides batteries for Formula E rated at 216 Wh/kg, but those packs aren’t suitable for a consumer road car. According to what the company’s learned from the battery industry, we’re 5 to 10 years away from 500 watt-hours per kilogram for a roadworthy vehicle.

In 2015 Rimac unveiled a battery it made for the Koenigsegg Regera. Said to be the most energy-dense car battery at the time, it boasted a power-to-weigh ratio of 60 Wh/kg. Figure that the battery industry’s adding 40 Wh/kg per year — which gets us from 2015 to Ludmann’s 180 Wh/kg current state of affairs. Using that measure, we’re 8-10 years away from 500 Wh.

McLaren wants its theoretical EV owner to be able to do 30 minutes or 10 hard laps at the track, be “as exciting as a 675LT,” and recharge in 30 minutes for another half-hour track session. That battery would need exceptionally high energy density, and the cells and electronics would need to stand up to constant high power output and extreme discharge cycles. To enable that with today’s battery tech, you’d end up with a vehicle that could do 500 miles in everyday road use, be far too heavy for McLaren’s aims, and take far too long to charge.

Ludmann told Wheels magazine everything else about the EV supercar is “all resolved — easy.” While we dig in for what could be a lengthy wait, we’ll have to be satisfied with the McLaren hybrids that should start showing up in a couple of years.

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April 9, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren granted trademark for ‘McLaren GT,’ but is even a car?

Last year McLaren Automotive Limited applied to trademark the name “McLaren GT” in the U.S. and the UK. Last week the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted the request. It’s tempting to wonder if we’re looking at the name of the new McLaren monster car, the three-seat road-going Ultimate Series offering so far known as BP23. McLaren has, after all, called the coupe a “Hyper-GT” in an official press release.

There are two hitches to making that connection, though. The first and weakest hitch is that last month, Autocar reported that McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt said he wanted proper names for the company’s Ultimate Series cars, “rather than an alphanumeric designation.” The Senna was the first under that regime. Yes, we could consider “GT” a name, and there are no numbers involved. Yet that would be a pretty bland follow-up to the Senna, especially a follow-up that’s meant to be the new capstone on what McLaren can do, faster than the 243-mile-per-hour F1 and more powerful than the P1.

The second, more compelling hitch comes in the line describing what the trademark is for: “Retail store services featuring motor land vehicles.” That pinpoints a different use than a road car trademark. McLaren’s P1, 650S, 12C Spider, Spider, and Longtail trademark applications are all for “Motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles, and structural parts therefor.” McLaren GT, on the other hand, appears to be some kind of storefront that will sell those cars. The trademark for “Jaguar Racing” is also for stores selling cars, among other things, and the trademark for McLaren Qualified applies to “Retail store services featuring pre-owned vehicles.” Perhaps this is part of a future dealer initiative or rebranding effort. Or maybe it’s nothing, you know how trademarks go.

Does this mean the new hypercar won’t be called “McLaren GT?” No. But we’ll need more clues and a stronger case to make the call either way.

March 13, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren Senna GTR Concept

A big reveal during Geneva Motor Show was the track-focused update to the McLaren hypercar, the Senna. Revealed online last year, the Senna is anticipated to be McLaren’s most compelling model produced since the original McLaren F1.

The technical specifications speak for themselves and are able to justify the million-dollar price tag. Firstly, the Senna is powered by a 4.0-liter V-8 engine, producing 789 brake horsepower, enclosed in a carbon fiber tub with an overall curb weight of slightly over 2,400 lbs. The twin-turbo engine can launch the Senna from 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 2.8 seconds. Now imagine all of that, but exponentially faster, with a retuned transmission, suspension tweaks, fancy decals, big wing, and slick tyres.

The track-ready Senna GTR still needs a power boost (ha). I mean, it will still have the same four-liter engine with two blowers for boost. The folks in Woking, however, have not decided how much more power the GTR will need but it’ll definitely be no slouch.

The main focus of the Senna is a high power-to-weight ratio. If you can’t add more power, lose more weight and the latter is what McLaren did. Focusing on technological advances, McLaren heavily invested in carbon fiber technology, and how to save every gram of excess weight. The aerodynamics are improved with the wing generating downforce of 1,000kg. That’s the equivalent of an American bison sitting on top of the car, keeping the Senna GTR planted.

No official data has been released yet but will be an exciting addition to an already beastly hypercar.

March 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren’s electric supercars are not quite there yet

While Rimac is all about electric supercars and has just revealed its outrageous-sounding 1,914-horsepower C_Two car at the Geneva Motor Show, McLaren is cautious about producing an EV quite yet. Hybrids are far more suitable for McLaren’s immediate need than launching a full electric vehicle, says McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt.

In an interview with Autocar, Flewitt says McLaren’s electric portfolio is still very much in development, and that one in two McLarens sold in 2022 is to be a hybrid. But it wouldn’t be right for the brand to launch a half-baked, full-electric supercar, and McLaren’s standard is that any EV would have to offer performance equal to its existing cars. “It’s a challenge for us to produce the same engagement as with the P1, the Senna and the 675 LT,” says Flewitt.

Earlier, he has stated that for an electric supercar to match the P1’s performance, it would have to weigh two tons.

EV development, however, is still on track, and McLaren has “an electric mule running around.” For the company, getting the desired electric performance in a production-viable package is still at least five years away, Flewitt says. “It’s not in [the Track22 plan] because we don’t have an answer yet.”

McLaren is a lot more positive about hybrids. Flewitt says hybrid tech is a lot easier to integrate into a powertrain design, making it integral instead of bolt-on. As he said a month ago: “Hybrid design is part of the next platform. It is designed-in from day one rather than having to adapt an existing chassis.”

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March 7, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren Senna GTR Concept gets racy in Geneva

The McLaren Senna GTR Concept storms its way into the Geneva Motor Show with one very bold claim attached to it: Outside of the British company’s Formula One cars, this $1.4-million-dollar supercar is the fastest way around a racetrack in a car with the McLaren badge on it. This is especially big news from a manufacturer that targets the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Bugatti; not to mention that McLaren already has legendary exotic cars like the F1 and P1 on its automotive resume.

Based on the recently introduced Senna road car, the Senna GTR delivers more horsepower, more aerodynamic grip, and even more exclusivity. McLaren has promised that the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 will produce a minimum of 813 horsepower in the Senna GTR, versus the 789 hp found in the road-going variant.

The enormous rear diffuser, towering spoiler, and snow-plow-like front splitter aren’t just there for show, either. The highly sculpted carbon fiber bodywork delivers upward of 2,200 pounds of downforce at speed. Much of the body is fitted with quick-release catches, making it easier to replace fenders and other exterior pieces during the heat of competition. The Senna GTR also rides on a special set of lightweight, 11-spoke alloy wheels.

Combined with a revised double wishbone suspension, Pirelli racing slick tires, and a race-style transmission, the Senna GTR will “post the quickest McLaren circuit lap times outside Formula 1,” according to McLaren’s press release. That headline-grabbing claim probably won’t stand for much longer, however.

It’s an open secret that McLaren is hard at work on road and race versions of the cryptically-named BP23, the firm’s “hyper-GT” that pays homage to the original F1 supercar, produced from 1992-1998.

“The track-only McLaren Senna GTR will have more power, more grip and more downforce – up to 1,000 kilograms – than the McLaren Senna and post even faster lap times,” said Mike Flewitt, McLaren Automotive CEO. “The very limited number of customers who secure this car will be buying the closest experience you can get to a race car without actually lining up on a circuit grid.”

Interestingly, about the only thing this race-focused McLaren doesn’t offer is the means to drive it on public roads – this is a track-only speed machine. Then again, if you can afford the roughly $1.4-million price and manage to snag one of the 75 scheduled to be built, commissioning the build of your own private racetrack probably isn’t out of the question.

McLaren will reveal exact technical specifications of the Senna GTR at a later date, though the automaker revealed its taking “expressions of interest” during the Geneva Motor Show. McLaren, consider us interested!

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March 6, 2018 / Comments Off

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Form Follows Function: the McLaren Senna

McLaren has announced the official performance figures for its Senna Hypercar and they just might offer a helping hand to people who were struggling to see past those polarising looks.

The Senna is the latest vehicle in McLaren’s Ultimate Series, the second vehicle in the series after the ballistic P1. The British luxury sports car manufacturer revealed its performance stats ahead of the car’s public debut, which is due to take part on March 6 at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show.

Performance without compromise

From earlier information, we know that a 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine will power the Senna, producing 789bhp and 590 lb ft of torque – McLaren’s most powerful internal combustion engine fitted to a road car. While those power figures are actually less than the previous Ultimate Series car, the plug-in hybrid McLaren P1, that’s no reason for concern.

Thanks to its teeny 1197kg weight, the Senna will reach 62mph from a standstill in 2.8 seconds according to McLaren, with 124mph coming up just 4 seconds later. It will cover the standing quarter mile in 9.9 seconds, and top speed is 211mph. By comparison, the P1 weighed 1547kg, though it had a hefty electric motor and batteries to lug around.

McLaren’s true focus with the Senna is on bestowing it with razor-sharp handling and, as well as the aforementioned lightness, those looks that caused such a stir when it was unveiled last year are all a part of this.

Built around a carbon fibre monocoque, which McLaren says can trace its roots back to the 1981 McLaren MP4/1 Formula 1 car, all of the shapes and wings on the Senna contribute to downforce of up to 1763.7lbs on-circuit, with the aim of delivering a pure connection between the car and driver.

A huge amount of effort has been put into ensuring the Senna’s aero all works together to provide downforce and sufficient cooling. The rear of the car’s distinctive slashes and diffuser may look somewhat jutting at first glance, but every single part of the design is there to do a job.

McLaren says it is impossible to follow a single body line from the front to rear of the car without it passing a functional intake or vent.

On sale and on the road

While the Senna has been designed to provide the ultimate sensation for the driver on track, McLaren say that it has kept the car road-legal. Another figure recently released was the price – $958,966 US.

All 500 examples of the Senna have already been assigned to buyers, with the final model having been auctioned off at a private McLaren customer event for £2 million. Proceeds from that sale went to the Ayrton Senna Institute – a non-profit set up in the name of this car’s namesake that provides education for unpriveleged children and youngsters in the F1 legend’s native Brazil.

Do you think the McLaren Senna will live up to its namesake? Let us know!

February 15, 2018 / Comments Off

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Future McLaren cars will be hybrids and autonomous

You may want to look away supercar purists, McLaren views its future as partially electrified and autonomous. Autocarreported today that McLaren’s CEO Mike Flewitt wants to bring in hybrid technology for next-generation McLaren sports cars, with the electrified tech baked in from the beginning rather than adding it on after the fact.

“Hybrid design is part of the next platform,” Flewitt said. “It is designed-in from day one rather than having to adapt an existing chassis.”

The British manufacturer would even offer hybrid-only models in most product lines, rendering conventional, non-hybird McLarens as limited editions only. The powertrain in the strongest-selling hybrid cars would feature a turbo V6, reports Autocar. The upcoming BP23 hypercar will already have an electric motor and a battery pack backing up its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8.

Flewitt also confirms that future McLaren cars will have autonomous capabilities, which is certainly an interesting move by a driver-centric specialty car manufacturer. Flewitt acknowledged this, but noted that “Autonomy in its own right isn’t that appealing to our customers, but we need to have capabilities designed in for safety, legislation and emissions.”

The first model to be replaced with a hybrid successor would be the entry-level 570S, reportedly by next year. The electrification would then continue until the 2022 replacement of the 720S.

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February 6, 2018 / Comments Off

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Last of 500 allocated McLaren Sennas sells at auction

If you held any hope of obtaining the last available McLaren Senna, abandon it now: The last of the 500 build allocations has sold at a private auction for McLaren customers. It raised £2 million ($2.67 million) for the Ayrton Senna Institute, the nonprofit non-government organization named for the late three-time Formula One world champion.

The company announced the sale three days after the supercar’s official unveiling and four days after it was leaked during an early reveal party. Excluding taxes, the winning bid from an anonymous buyer was more than three times the U.K. list price for the car.

Originally dubbed the P15, McLaren says the Senna is the “most extreme” road car it has ever created, with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 generating 789 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It’s also the lightest, at 2,641 pounds. It boasts a RCC II RaceActive Chassis Control hydraulic suspension and unique features like a Jetsons-esque glass greenhouse and glass panels in the doors.

Ayrton Senna won three F1 world championships driving for McLaren. The auction for McLaren customers was attended by his sister, Viviane Senna da Silva Lalli, and Bruno Senna, her son, also a race driver and McLaren ambassador.

The Ayrton Senna Institute provides education to underprivileged children in Brazil.

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December 13, 2017 / Comments Off

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McLaren unfurls bespoke black-and-gold inscribed 720S for Dubai

Here’s a unique regional spin on a supercar: It’s a bespoke McLaren 720S designed by McLaren Special Operations done in Zenith Black paint with satin finish and gold accents, including an inspirational quote from the company’s founder on the rear wing done in Arabic lettering stylized to echo the Dubai skyline. It’s showing at the Dubai International Motor Show, after which the unnamed new owner will take delivery.

McLaren says achievement was a key theme behind the commission, both for the British luxury carmaker itself and the United Arab Emirates and Gulf states themselves, which form a key client and shareholder base for the company. The quote on the rear wing reads “Life is measured in achievement, not in years alone,” part of a longer quote from Bruce McLaren’s 1964 memoir “From the Cockpit.” A plaque inside the car identifies it as a “1 of 1” MSO commission.

Offsetting the satin black finish are gold accents, such as gold-colored alloy wheels, a 24-carat (!) gold engine heat shield and gold-colored interior components. Also added were carbon fiber exterior packs encompassing the front splitter and air intakes, rear bumper and roof panel. Inside, the trim is a mix of black leather and black Alcantara complemented by MSO Defined carbon fiber sill panels, fascia vents and steering wheel, plus a regular carbon fiber interior upgrade pack. The gearshift paddles are satin gold-painted, and each door inner panel gets a satin gold-colored appliqué.

The car is equipped with the 720S’s standard 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that goes 0-124 mph in 7.8 seconds and boasts a top speed of 212 mph.

McLaren says the personalization added more than 120 hours to the production process, including 30 hours alone to complete the rear wing stencil graphic.

November 14, 2017 / Comments Off

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McLaren Ultimate Vision GT | 1,134-hp hybrid with a crazy driving position

As with Gran Turismo 6, Gran Turismo Sport will feature special Vision GT cars, which are concepts designed by real car manufacturers for use in the video-game series. These cars imagine what a company might produce far into the future, as far as 2030 or later in the case of the car McLaren has just revealed as its contribution. It’s called the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo, and it’s a thoroughly wild hybrid.

Starting with performance, the McLaren retains a certain amount of gasoline propulsion thanks to a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. This engine powers the rear wheels, while the fronts are powered by individual electric motors. The combined output is 1,134 horsepower and 940 pound-feet of torque. While there are some hypercars with greater output right now, those numbers become more impressive when you realize this virtual McLaren weighs a little more than 2,200 pounds, less than a current Mazda Miata. The light weight should also make the inboard carbon ceramic brakes highly effective, too.

The light weight comes from a body and chassis created using a considerable amount of carbon fiber. That body has unique active aerodynamics that rely on opening and closing holes near air inlets to adjust drag and downforce. According to McLaren, this method is simpler and lighter than mechanical flaps for the same purpose.

Aside from the remarkable performance numbers, the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo also has a remarkable cockpit. It has a large glass area for good visibility, but the party piece is the prone seating position that McLaren calls “motorcycle-like.” It probably is a cool way to drive, though we do wonder how comfortable that position would be for a length of time. Interestingly, the McLaren isn’t the first to imagine a Vision GT car with this sort of seating. The Chevrolet Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo did something similar. Much more of that car was outlandish though, since it was supposedly propelled by lasers. No, really, lasers. That’s what Chevy said.

Don’t expect to see the McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo on the road anytime soon, but you can get behind the wheel virtually very soon. It will be featured in Gran Turismo Sport for PlayStation 4, which goes on sale October 17. The car will also join another special sports car, the Fittipaldi EF7, designed by Pininfarina and racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi.

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September 20, 2017 / Comments Off

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McLaren said to be developing an all-electric hypercar

British supercar maker McLaren plans to produce an all-electric version of its Ultimate Series hypercars, the automotive website Autocar reports.

The new, unnamed vehicle is reportedly not the same as the previously rumored P15, a lightweight Ultimate Series car we learned more about just last month. The EV is set to arrive sometime after the release of both the P15, which comes later this year, and the release of the BP23 hybrid in 2019. The latter is a replacement for the three-seater F1.

Autocar reports that the automaker plans to produce five models of the EV initially and let favored McLaren owners drive them as part of the development process. It also plans to introduce hybrid replacements for its 570 Sport Series and 720 Super Series in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

McLaren has said it expects half of its fleet to feature hybrid powertrains by 2022.

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August 18, 2017 / Comments Off

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Watch 280,000 Lego bricks become a McLaren 720S in just a minute

At this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, McLaren brought a bright orange 720S constructed almost entirely of Lego bricks. The only parts not obviously made of the little plastic pieces were the wheels and tires. As cool as the finished product is, one of the most fun things about building with Lego bricks is building it, and seeing everything come together. Fortunately, McLaren let us get a peak at the process by releasing this time-lapse video of the process.

According to the video, the final model used 280,000 bricks, and it took a whopping 2,000 man hours to finish it. It’s all condensed into a one-minute video. One of the impressive things to note during the build is that the vast majority of the car really is made of the plastic pieces. Only a metal base and two structures on which to mount the wheels and tires weren’t made of Legos. The Lego 720S also is clearly quite sturdy, as there are a number of times when builders are sitting on the hood section without any issue. It’s a fun way to spend a minute of your day, so check it out above.

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August 4, 2017 / Comments Off

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McLaren reportedly has another Ultimate Series car in the works – the P15

Automotive publication Autocar is reporting that McLaren has another new Ultimate Series hypercar in development that will be quicker than the P1. The publication says the car is called P15 and will be bare bones with a focus on function and lightweight to make it a monster on the track. The estimate Autocar gives for weight is under 2,900 pounds, and it estimates power to be about 789 horsepower from a version of McLaren’s ubiquitous 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8.

The publication doesn’t say whether the P15 will use some kind of electric assist. If it’s as basic and light as implied, there’s a decent chance it won’t be electrified. But McLaren has previously said it wants to have electrification in all of its cars within 10 years, and that was back in 2014, plus the P1 and the upcoming BP23 had and will have hybrid powertrains. So it would seem natural to give this P15 some form of hybrid motivation.

There are reasons to believe this rumor. Back in 2014, McLaren did confirm to us a report, brought up by Autocar, that it was working on a car with the P15 designation. At the time, it was predicted that this car would fit between the top level Super Series car, which is now the 720S, and the P1, and cost roughly half a million dollars. That would at first seem to contradict this new rumor that the P15 will be quicker than P1, but perhaps McLaren will still position it lower if it’s as bare bones and stripped out as Autocar suggests.

Additionally, Autocar was right about a rumor that McLaren was working on a three-seat F1 successor. which turned out to be the aforementioned BP23. McLaren’s CEO confirmed the car’s existence and three-seat layout along with a few other details. Specifically, it will be the fastest, most powerful McLaren yet, it will use a hybrid powertrain, and McLaren will build only 106 units. Not long after came an official sketch revealing a sleek, slippery profile.

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July 26, 2017 / Comments Off

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