McLaren’s latest beast is simply called the Senna, and it’s here to demonstrate the company’s ability to create the absolute best in terms of raw performance, surpassing even the mighty P1 in its most extreme form.
Well, one thing is for sure: the new McLaren Senna won’t win any beauty contests. That’s fine with the people at Woking, as this was never on their agenda. Instead, the new Senna wants to become the perfect four-wheel example of the ‘form follows function’ mantra.
However, no one can deny that this is a very striking car, in a sledgehammer-hitting-you-in-the-face kind of way. The bodywork design was clearly dictated by the air tunnel and the air tunnel alone, giving the Senna a complex set of surfaces and voids never seen before on a car with number plates.
The result of all this aero wizardry is a staggering 800kg of downforce at 155mph (250km/h). The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 produces 789hp (800PS) and 590lb-ft (800Nm) of torque that are channeled to the rear axle via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
All this power in a car that weighs just 1,198kg dry (2,641lbs) means that the Senna can hit 124mph (200km/h) in 6.8 seconds and cover the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds. The 0-62mph sprint comes in 2.8 seconds, while flat out it’ll do 211mph (340km/h).
Evo magazine and Carfection had the privilege of some time alone with the new British supercar, delving into the finer details of this impressive machine. And there are a lot of details.