Some cars are made for practical purposes; some are made to maximise economy and, thankfully, some are made simply for the joy of driving and the McLaren 750S is one such car. With a pedigree derived from Formula 1 racing, the name is now attached to road-going supercars that are refined enough to be docile in traffic but wild enough for the open road: In the right hands, naturally.
The Looks
With near 360° visibility from inside the canopy-like cabin the driver can fully experience the 750S in action. Driving design is the fundamental way of thinking that informs the construction. A deep and broad windscreen and narrow A-pillars provide unparalleled sight lines over the raised front wings, assisting the driver in precisely placing the McLaren 750S on the road.
The coupé features transparent, glazed C-pillars – made possible by the carbon fibre ‘Monocage II’ and an expansive rear screen to ensure unrivalled over-the-shoulder visibility, often an issue with sports car design. The rearwards positioning of the B-pillars creates a feeling of generous cabin space; there’s no sense of being confined at all.
The 750S Spider variant features the same narrow A-pillars, and the carbon fibre lower structure is also identical to the coupé. However, the Spider’s ‘Monocage II-S’ architecture has a bespoke carbon fibre structure above the engine bay to accommodate the carbon fibre rollover protection system and retractable hard top.
Viewed from above, the driver and passenger sit in a teardrop shape that tapers to a focal point near the new central-exit exhaust. Using especially developed cooling solutions, visible intakes are hidden within the double-skinned dihedral doors. This is one of many concepts present that together maximise downforce, minimise drag, enhance power-train cooling and optimise aerodynamic balance.
In the nose of the car, ‘eye sockets’ perform a double function, integrating digital LED lighting with a unique intake path for the low-temperature radiators, all the while minimising drag. Just as intakes cut down deep inside the doors of the 750S, so too do these aero ducts slice into the bodywork of the vehicle, functionally highlighting how cooling airflow is driven into key areas.
These ‘eye sockets’ are dissected by sequential indicators that sweep through thin LED light strips. Below them are the aero ducts that feed a low-temperature radiator on each side of the car, cooling the seven-speed transmission. Above them are particularly slim, deeply-hooded LED headlights.
A new extended front splitter provides aerodynamic balance in combination with an enlarged active rear wing and a new front bumper with sharper form to dissect airflow at the leading edge of the 750S. The air is driven into the eye-socket intakes, channelled over and around the contoured nose of the 750S, or directed down to the flat underfloor. All this and more add up to a sublime drive with handling to match.
The Luxury Cabin
The cabin of the McLaren 750S is unashamedly driver-focused. As ever in this prestige brand, advanced technologies are fused with exquisite materials, but one of the most innovative elements is largely hidden from sight: beneath the soft leather and finely textured Alcantara surfaces is a strong and stiff carbon fibre monocoque that is inextricably linked to the aforementioned Formula 1.
Here’s the interesting history bit that leads us to today: When McLaren introduced the ground-breaking MP4/1 race car in 1981, its carbon composite monocoque was clearly superior to steel and aluminium alternatives. Immense structural rigidity created an incredibly stable platform that enhanced dynamic performance and the light weight – only possible with carbon fibre construction – brought immediate benefits to acceleration, braking and dynamic performance. More than four decades on, the monocoque at the heart of the 750S, a high-tech world away from that original race car, offers all the benefits that advanced carbon fibre construction brings.
The dihedral doors of the 750S coupé hinge dramatically upwards as they open, taking with them a section of roof, because the upper section of the monocoque can effortlessly support such a wide opening in its structure. This inherent strength is the same reason that the 750S Spider – which features its own bespoke doors – needs no additional structure reinforcement to incorporate a convertible roof.
Carbon fibre is also used for the integrated frame and panel of the Spider’s one-piece retractable hard top. Driven by eight electric motors, the operating mechanisms are near silent, and the strength and lightness of the top enables the roof to open or close in 11 seconds at vehicle speeds up to 31mph.
The new suite of driver controls introduced on the 750S is no less technically advanced and brings significant benefits. The new driver-centric instrument display is in a binnacle that is mounted on and moves with the steering column. The binnacle also features the controls for the Active Dynamics functions on either side, meaning a driver doesn’t have to take their hands off the wheel to select power-train and handling modes.
The steering column, electrically powered as standard and the beam structure on which the driver display is mounted, are both new and stiffer, contributing to an improvement in the reduction of noise, vibration, and harshness. The area adjacent to the central touchscreen, where the Active Dynamics switches were located on the earlier 720S model (superseded but available used), now houses the buttons that control Launch and Aero settings, in an easier-to-use location. This is also where the control for an exclusive new driver technology feature that debuts on the 750S: The McLaren Control Launcher (MCL) is sited. The MCL allows a driver to save their favourite configuration of aero, handling, power-train and transmission settings using a button that features the famous McLaren Speedy Kiwi logo. This bespoke dynamic setting can be recalled with a single press of the same button to immediately return to their personalised McLaren driving experience.
As with all McLaren vehicles, the steering wheel of the 750S is deliberately free from any buttons or switches, allowing the driver to focus upon the feel and feedback from the chassis and road. Information and infotainment detail is accessed through the new driver display and the touch-sensitive central infotainment screen, the latter enhanced by richer graphics and increased touch sensitivity.
The Rear-View camera and Surround View system have both been upgraded for higher definition and clarity and the quality of the in-car microphone has also been improved for greater voice command accuracy and clearer hands-free calling. Driver convenience features include Apple CarPlay, allowing smartphone mirroring and the use of defined apps from the infotainment screen. An upgraded in-car audio system developed in conjunction with McLaren's audio partner, Bowers & Wilkins, can also be specified as an option.
The Power And The Road
AS the name suggests, the McLaren can call on up to 750PS (740bhp / 552kW) from its mid-mounted 4.0 litre V8 engine, sited right behind the seats. With the added bonus of 800Nm of torque, this supercar eclipses the petrol-engine outputs of even the legendary McLaren P1. These numbers not only underline the incredible rate of in-house progress, but also the astonishing levels of performance available to McLaren 750S drivers.
Rather than making the car more hardcore, in fact the engineering developments advance the renowned daily usability of the previous 720S and yet the power and performance of the 750S is more full-blooded and undiminished than ever. Outright acceleration is phenomenal, with 62mph (100kph) achieved in 2.8 seconds and on to 186mph before you can finish a short prayer of thanks to the automotive gods.
But they’re just figures on a page. Anyone who has ever driven a McLaren will know that the real factor is the visceral sensation of performance and speed that astounds and excites. From the moment the V8 comes to life, through the immense torque delivery via the seven-speed auto ‘box and the thrilling climb to the rev limiter at 8,500rpm, the driver’s emotional connection to the 750S is extraordinary; a supercar experience that is becoming increasingly rare and sought after.
Cars from the McLaren stable are sought after and justifiably so. Clients interested in purchasing a McLaren to export from the UK to New Zealand, Ireland, Kenya, the Caribbean and other global destinations should first enquire about availability and then find out more about our tried and tested service, VAT-free, here at MHH International.
