McLaren unveils Senna supercar

McLaren has lifted the sheet off what it says is the brand's ‘most extreme’ road car yet, named in honour of F1 driving legend, Ayrton Senna.

The British car maker’s latest supercar shaves 200kg off the 720S coupe it is based on while turning up the power even further. The re-tuned version of McLaren’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 makes 588kW of power and 800Nm of torque – 58kW and 30Nm more than before.

Promising what the brand describes as “the purest connection between driver and car of any road-legal McLaren”, the car drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

The Senna’s loud bodywork will be distinctive on the road but it hides active aerodynamics intended to maximise downforce on the road and track. Making the car standout further are glass elements in the roof and doors that offer a new perspective of the driver’s inputs. While enhancing the feeling of speed, the optional windows should also help drivers see out of a race-inspired cabin trimmed in carbon fibre and Alcantara.

Only 500 units will be made and former F1 driver and McLaren brand ambassador, Bruno Senna, says his family is “extremely proud” to be associated with the new car, which joins the discontinued P1 as a member of McLaren's Ultimate Series.

“This is the first project that really connects with Ayrton’s racing spirit and performance," he said.

"The McLaren Senna honours my uncle because it is so utterly dedicated to delivering a circuit experience that allows a driver to be the best they can possibly be.

"There is an absolute, seamless connection between car and driver and this pure engagement, these sensory cues that a driver responds to and relies upon, ensure an experience so focused and immersive that you are left in awe of the depths of excellence the McLaren Senna possesses.” 

The McLaren Senna will arrive in Australia in the second half of 2018 with its £750,000 ($1.3m) price in the UK likely to climb closer to $2 million here when luxury car tax and other duties are factored in.

Joining the two-seat Senna later in 2018 will be the new three-seat McLaren code-named BP23 that is pitched as a spiritual successor to the original McLaren F1 road car.

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