McLaren Automotive is creating the ultimate street-legal track-focused car, the McLaren Senna, named after legendary three-time Formula 1 World Champion Ayrton Senna. At 1,198kg (2,641lbs) it is the lightest McLaren road car since the iconic McLaren F1. Its 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 is the most powerful McLaren road car internal combustion engine ever, with 789 bhp and 590 lb ft of torque. This ultimate McLaren carries a pretty ultimate price of £750,000 including taxes in the UK, that works out to just under $1.3 million Canadian. Production will be limited to 500 units, all of which will be hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, England starting in Q3 of 2018. Unfortunately, for interested buyers, all 500 are already spoken for.

“The McLaren Senna is a car like no other: the personification of McLaren’s motorsport DNA, legalised for road use but designed and developed from the outset to excel on a circuit,” said Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive. “Every element of this new Ultimate Series McLaren has an uncompromised performance focus, honed to ensure the purest possible connection between driver and machine and deliver the ultimate track driving experience in the way that only a McLaren can.”

The carbon fibre Monocage III chassis that forms the core of the McLaren Senna is a further development of the structure that underpins the McLaren 720S and the strongest monocoque ever built by McLaren for a road-legal vehicle. Every body panel is made from carbon fibre, in line with their focus on the weight of every individual component that has resulted in the McLaren Senna being the lightest road-legal McLaren since the F1 road car.

Ayrton Senna was renowned for his exceptional powers of concentration and single-minded focus on being the best on the track. The McLaren Senna driver is hardwired into the dynamic experience the car delivers. Their connection to the car comes through the steering wheel, the pedals and the seat. Every sensation that comes from driving at speed is precisely communicated, putting the driver in total control. As Ayrton Senna once stated, “You commit yourself to such a level where there is no compromise. You give everything you have; everything, absolutely everything.” The spirit of Ayrton Senna has always been alive at McLaren and the McLaren Senna will further amplify his global legacy and link to the McLaren brand.

“Our family is extremely proud of the naming of the new Ultimate Series McLaren Senna,” said Ayrton Senna’s nephew Bruno Senna. “This is the first project that really connects with Ayrton’s racing spirit and performance. The McLaren Senna honours my uncle because it is so utterly dedicated to delivering a circuit experience that allows a driver to be the best they can possibly be. There is an absolute, seamless connection between car and driver and this pure engagement, these sensory cues that a driver responds to and relies upon, ensure an experience so focused and immersive that you are left in awe of the depths of excellence the McLaren Senna possesses.”

The braking system of the McLaren Senna is the most advanced ever fitted to a McLaren road car, using carbon ceramic discs and motorsport technologies to deliver extreme performance. Tire choice is equally focused with Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tires developed in conjunction with McLaren technical partner, Pirelli. Designed for race tracks but approved for road use, they enable a McLaren Senna to be driven to a circuit. Only one style of wheel is available: an ultra-lightweight alloy wheel with a race-inspired centre lock system.

Dynamic parameters are adjusted by the driver through the Active Dynamics Panel located on the centre console to select Comfort, Sport or Track modes or via a switch in a roof-mounted panel to access Race mode.

“The McLaren Senna delivers true performance, all the way to the limit of a driver’s ability,” said Andy Palmer, Vehicle Line Director, McLaren Ultimate Series. “With a truly astonishing power-to-weight ratio, this car is about performance that is accessible and attainable, yet at the same time exciting and challenging for the very best drivers in the world – and with an intense, sensory experience to match.”

A dual-clutch, seamless-shift, seven-speed gearbox delivers power to the rear wheels. A fully automatic mode is the default, with the driver able to choose full manual control of gear shifts via paddles mounted on a rocker behind the steering wheel. The elongated carbon fibre paddles are optimised to be used both with or without racing gloves, and create a deep sense of mechanical connection with the McLaren Senna.