We can talk all day about whether the shape of the Senna does justice to the late, great Ayrton or not, but in the end of the day, it’s still one of the most impressive supercars that landed this year.
The hardcore McLaren is one of the most extreme examples of the ‘form-follows-function’ ethos, doing away with aesthetically pleasing design for the sake of aerodynamics. Wherever you look, there are ducts and sharp edges ready to slice through the air and forcefully glue the Senna onto the tarmac at ridiculous speeds.
The figures are equally impressive: the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 produces 789 HP (800 PS) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque in a car that weighs 1,198 kg (2,641 lbs) dry. Moreover, the extreme (and active) aero agenda provides 800 kg of downforce at 155 mph (250 km/h).
Straight-line performance is blistering: 0-62mph (0-100km/h) comes in 2.8 seconds, 0-124mph (0-200 km/h) in 6.8 seconds and the quarter mile is dealt in 9.9 seconds. Oh, and top speed is a commendable 211mph (340km/h).
But the real ace in Senna’s sleeve is the track performance. Remember how fast the P1 hypercar was around a track? Well, compared to the Senna it’s slow – or at least that’s what McLaren says.
Everything about it screams at you in a way only a landmark supercar does. The question remains, though: is the Senna the ultimate handling hypercar? Let’s see what Carfection has to say about that in their latest video.