mclaren senna

British supercar maker McLaren has confirmed 186 Australian cars are included in a global recall issued in April for a fire hazard. The 186 McLaren cars span 2017-2020 model year 720S coupe and spider, Senna, 570GT and GT models sold between 31 August 2016 and 29 March 2020. Included cars are susceptible to an increased risk of fire due to a noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) pad fitted to the fuel tank that can trap moisture, eventually leading to corrosion and leakage from the tank.

McLaren has recalled the 2019 Senna, over concerns about an issue with the engine's wiring harness. According to the company, a part of the car's wiring harness could come into contact with the 'metal link pipe heat shield' and chafe, damaging wires within the harness. If damage occurs to the wiring harness, the engine could stall, misfire or rupture its exhaust system, possibly causing a loss of power. That increases the risk of an accident or injury to the driver and other road users.

The new McLarne Senna GTR is powered by the company's 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, which has been tuned to deliver 607kW of power and 800Nm of torque. A recalibrated control unit and the removal of the secondary catalyst are responsible for the 18kW increase over the road-going Senna. Unlike the 2018 concept, the production version has exhaust tips at the back of the car instead of the side, as well as an enhanced aero package with new dive planes and vortex generators.

McLaren’s head of design says he cherishes the controversy surrounding the Senna's styling, defending the function-over-form ethos driving the company's design. Speaking to CarAdvice at the Geneva motor show this week, Rob Melville, chief designer for McLaren, defended the Senna’s aggressive styling, arguing it’s a no-compromise car in search of 'ultimate road-legal track car' status. “We haven’t done that just to tell the story visually,” Melville says of the Senna’s controversial styling.