McLaren’s latest supercar revealed
After something of a hiatus, McLaren has unveiled its first new nameplate since it unveiled the Artura. Meet the McLaren 750S – the lightest and most powerful road going McLaren produced to date.
The 750S looks like a reworked 720S because that’s more or less exactly what it is.
And that’s not a complaint. It makes use of a rather familiar carbon fibre monocoque platform with aluminium front and rear ends, and the equally known M840T 4.0-litre twinturbo flat-plane crank V8 engine.
Inevitably, as the bold claims in that headline above give clue to, McLaren has further refined these elements and their attachments, with a more formidable supercar (on paper, at least) being the result.
There’s no electrification under the bonnet this time around for the platform. This might be something of a surprise to some, particularly given that the aforementioned Artura is a hybrid. One wonders how many more McLarens are likely to utilise this V8 without electric assistance.
McLaren states that the 750S is made up of at least 30% new parts. These include a faster steering ratio and power assistance pump, tweaks to the hardware behind the model’s lauded PCC III suspension system, and a lighter exhaust system.
Under the rear hatch, the midmounted V8 has inherited lightened pistons and a lump of added boost, increasing power and torque from the 530kW/ 770Nm of the 720S to 552kW/ 800Nm.
The dash to 100kph is over in a mere 2.8 seconds (200kph comes in just 7.2 seconds) – a feat that’s perhaps just as owing to the weight that McLaren has extracted from the platform. The 750S is lighter than its predecessor, tipping the scales at 1,281kg dry in coupe form.
The British marque with the Kiwi name has made weight inroads all over the place. The lightweight wheels trim 13.8kg and the seats 17.5kg. There’s other weight boffinry to be found, too, like McLaren’s decision to remove seat rails from the passenger side.
In its lightest form (aka, not
as a roadster), the 750S’ 432kWper-tonne is the best power-toweight ratio in its class, bettering the Ferrari F8 Tributo.
Obviously you cannot just add power, subtract weight, and call it a day. McLaren has also given the 750S a larger active aero rear spoiler (with DRS) and a deeper front splitter for added stability, and each corner gets its own super sticky Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R.
Perhaps the most impressive thing is that, even with all of these changes, the 750S will probably be somehow even easier to live with than its softriding 720S sibling. McLaren has made its front-axle lift system quicker, while adding more customisation to its drive modes.
‘‘When you have a car recognised by so many drivers as a benchmark, to do something even better you have to examine every detail and really push hard for improvements that raise the bar again,’’ said Michael Leiters, CEO of McLaren Automotive.
‘‘This is what we have done with the new 750S and the light weight, V8 engine performance and outstanding dynamic abilities combine to deliver a supercar driving experience that hits new heights, with truly exhilarating levels of emotional connection.’’
The model has already been confirmed for the New Zealand market, with McLaren Auckland confirming in its official release that it is already taking orders for the model. The coupe will be priced from $468,000, and the Roadster from $522,900.