McLaren engineers have been working on an ambitious project that was quite unlike else in the lineup. In an effort to pay homage to one of the mightiest legends of motorsports, Brazilian Formula 1 driver Ayrton Senna, the company has claimed to have come up with a new supercar. Aptly named Senna, the new car is track-bred for the road.
The McLaren Senna employs the 720S's powerful 4.0-liter twin turbo engine, retuned to produce 789 hp and 590 Nm. That's an increase of a massive 79 hp and 30 Nm over the 720S's specs. Apart from the engine, the Senna also uses some of the 720S's base architecture, but that's where the similarities end. The McLaren Senna is 85 kg lighter than the 720S, at 1,198 kg road-ready.
Apart from the tub and body panels, the interior of the Senna is also liberally splashed with carbon-fiber. The theme is minimalist, yet there are all sorts of infotainment, audio, and driving aids on offer. The cabin of the McLaren is sophisticated yet elegant. The seats are also carbon-fiber and are tailor-made for each driver.
The outside of the car is what sets it apart from the entire McLaren lineup. What catches your eye at first glance is that massive spoiler jutting out the back of the car. Not only is it again, carbon-fiber, it is also part of the active aero components that impart the Senna more downforce at any chosen time. The other parts of the aero package are a double rear diffuser and underbody scoops to manage airflow, and a front spoiler that also assists brake heat dissipation.
The next detail you find yourself looking at has to be the see-through doors that open like wings. The transparent glass panels at the front of the doors lend the car a distinctive, almost video-game like appearance. Last but not the least, don't you just love the triple exhausts? Placed above and between the taillamps, the three pipes make the rear look really gorgeous.
McLaren will only build 500 examples of this fine supercar. Needless to say, all of them have been already sold. Each car commands a mammoth price tag of $1,000,000. That's no typo, it does cost a million dollars. Some of the money procured from the sale of this car will go to the Senna Foundation, an NGO built by Ayrton Senna's sister. The Senna will bow at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, along with the P1 and P1 GTR, rounding up McLaren's Ultimate Series.