With the new 750S, McLaren defines a new benchmark for supercar performance and driver exhilaration.

The lightest and most powerful series-production McLaren, the new V8-engined, rear-wheel drive 750S – which is available in coupe and convertible form – is unashamedly a supercar for the purist. Designed and engineered following meticulous analysis of the renowned McLaren 720S, the new 750S combines advances in weight-saving, powertrain performance, aerodynamics and dynamic excellence to elevate a benchmark driving experience to new heights. Around 30 per cent of 750S components are either new or changed in order to deliver these improvements and with them an even greater emotional connection to the car.

With all available carbon fibre and lightweight options selected, the coupe weighs 1,277kg in dry lightest form, which delivers a segment-leading power-to-weight ratio of 587PS-per-tonne. This is a remarkable 193kg lighter than its closest competitor and delivers a power-to-weight advantage of 22PS.

The 750S Spider is designed with the same focus on minimising weight. It features a Retractable Hard Top (RHT), rollover protection system and a bespoke rear upper structure to the monocoque constructed from carbon fibre, but such is the strength of the carbon fibre monocoque that no additional reinforcement is needed. This ensures the Spider is equally impressive in power-to-weight terms and segment-leading at 566PS-per-tonne, at its lightest dry weight of 1,326kg.

The extraordinary levels of exhilaration, precision, agility, feel and feedback that the 750S delivers are immediately apparent to the driver, even at lower speeds – and its low weight is a key factor in its dynamic performance. At just 1,389kg (DIN), it weighs 30kg less than a 720S – a clear example of McLaren’s dedication to lightweight engineering. This philosophy of performance- based innovation is evidenced by features such as carbon fibre-shelled racing seats that are a combined 17.5kg lighter than the base seats in a 720S. New 10-spoke ultra-lightweight forged wheels are the lightest ever fitted as standard on a series-production McLaren and save 13.8kg. The new driver instrument display is lighter by 1.8kg. Even the windscreen glass contributes to weight reduction, providing a 1.6kg saving.

Drivers will also benefit from new features such as Apple CarPlay® and the new Central Information Screen, which features richer, even more detailed graphics to further enhance the driver experience. The Rear View and Surround View camera system are also upgraded, for higher definition and clarity and a new vehicle-lift system raises the front of the 750S in only four seconds compared to the 10 seconds it takes in a 720S.

A heightened physical and emotional connection between driver and car is aided by bespoke engine mount tuning, as well as a new central-exit exhaust layout inspired by the McLaren P1TM that is acoustically tuned to give a distinctive clear tone and sharp crescendo at high engine speeds.

750S customers planning extensive circuit driving can opt for a track brake upgrade engineered using ceramic discs and monobloc calipers derived from the McLaren Senna system, together with a new brake booster and vacuum pump and Formula 1-inspired integrated caliper cooling technology. New Super-Lightweight Carbon Fibre Racing Seats are also available as an option, as are track-focused Pirelli P ZEROTM Trofeo R tyres and lightweight titanium wheel bolts.

Visually, the 750S refines its predecessor’s design with a new lower nose section featuring an extended front splitter, narrower ‘eye socket’ intakes that enclose the headlights, new sill air intakes and rear wheelarch vents. Rear aerodynamic revisions incorporate a redesigned and lengthened rear deck that channels air towards a distinctive raised and lengthened carbon fibre active rear wing, positioned above the central-exit exhaust.

Headlight surrounds are now optionally body coloured or in carbon fibre. The new rear bumper and front bumper vents are also available in McLaren’s signature lightweight material.

The carbon fibre monocoque construction facilitates near 360-degree visibility, with a low scuttle, ultra-slim A-pillars and on the coupe, glazed C-pillars, all benefitting the spread of natural light into the cabin. Crisp, new, customisable ambient lighting highlights cabin design details at night and on the coupe, the V8 engine can be visible from within the cabin via a double-glazed panel set in the rear luggage shelf, exposing the top of the powertrain behind the driver’s shoulder.

The 750S Spider features glazed flying buttresses that, as well as guiding airflow over the rear tonneau, enhance rearward visibility. To bring additional light into the cabin, the Retractable Hard Top (RHT) is optionally available with electrochromic glass, enhancing the feel of an open-air environment, even with the roof closed. The RHT can be opened in under 11 seconds at vehicle speeds up to 50km/h (31mph).

A full Nappa leather-trimmed interior or a combination of Alcantara and Nappa leather are available with new TechLux and Performance interior themes. McLaren's audio partner, Bowers & Wilkins, has developed a new system for the 750S, with a more powerful amplifier and the company’s proprietary Continuum® cone speakers.

MINIMISING WEIGHT FOR MAXIMUM BENEFIT

McLaren’s philosophy of super-lightweight engineering is inherent in the new 750S. Already 30kg lighter than the 720S coupe at 1,389kg (DIN), the weight of the new supercar can be further reduced with additional carbon fibre and lightweight options. With all of these components selected, in dry lightest form the 750S coupe weighs just 1,277kg. This is 193kg lighter than the closest rival and in conjunction with the 750PS of the engine gives a segment-leading power-to- weight ratio of 587PS-per-tonne – a 22PS advantage over the competition and a combination that delivers exceptional levels of performance and dynamic excellence.

The carbon fibre-shelled racing seats fitted as standard are a combined 17.5kg lighter than the sports seats previously standard-fit on the 720S. Where local market legislation allows, the passenger seat is fixed as standard, but can be specified with adjustable rails if required. A new 10-spoke ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheel is the lightest ever fitted as standard on a series- production McLaren supercar and brings a significant 13.8kg weight reduction over 720S.

The 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 engine with power of 750PS and torque of 800Nm provides ferocious performance, with the 750S capable of 0-100km/h in 2.8 seconds and 0-200km/h in 7.2 seconds (Spider 7.3 seconds). This is quicker than its closest competitor on both measures. In- gear acceleration is amplified by optimised transmission gearing and a revised kickdown control strategy.

McLaren’s Proactive Chassis Control linked-hydraulic suspension, which is renowned for combining astonishingly precise body control with a remarkably compliant ride, is now even more impressive in new PCC III form. The new-generation system delivers even higher levels of suspension performance and is integral to the outstanding dynamic abilities of the 750S.

The suspension springs are softer at the front and stiffer at the rear than in the 720S, which together with reconfiguration of both the passive and active elements of the bespoke valve stack and a new approach to tuning the suspension – adjusting the accumulators in the struts, which is used for the first time in 750S – benefits ride comfort, roll control, steering feedback and cornering balance. Additionally, new spring and damper design reduces weight by 2kg.

The combined hardware and software changes made for PCC III mean the dynamic breadth of 750S is even greater than its predecessor, McLaren’s new benchmark supercar maintaining 720S levels of comfort while delivering significantly improved circuit performance.

The 750S is also more agile than the benchmark car it replaces, with better front-end grip – helped by a 6mm wider front track and new suspension geometry – and McLaren’s electro- hydraulic steering, which is widely recognised for its precision and clarity of feedback, now having a faster steering ratio and new power-assistance pump.

The interior of the 750S fuses innovative technology with exquisite materials, but most importantly is even more driver-focused in design. At the heart of the driver experience are new displays – both for information and instruments, with the instrument display fitted to – and moving with – the steering column. This driver-centric display is mounted in a binnacle that has the controls to select Powertrain and Handling modes located are on either side, meaning the driver can move effortlessly between Comfort, Sport and Track Active Dynamic settings while keeping their hands on the wheel and a complete focus on the road ahead.

The McLaren Control Launcher (MCL) is another new McLaren technology that debuts on 750S and adds yet another dimension to the driver’s interface with the car. Activated using a button featuring the famous McLaren Speedmark, MCL allows the driver to personalise their McLaren driving experience by storing a bespoke dynamic preference – their favourite combination of aero, handling, powertrain and transmission settings – that can instantly be recalled with a push of the MCL button.

FOCUSED ON DRIVING EXHILARATION

The goal for the 750S development programme was to increase driver engagement and performance while also stretching the dynamic breadth of the car. This process focused on enhancing agility, feedback and connection to increase the ‘sense of fun’ behind the wheel.

Suspension system developments engineered for 750S include new geometry – the front track is 6mm wider than on 720S – and a new coil spring and damper design that reduces weight by 2kg. The 750S features a new generation of McLaren’s renowned Proactive Chassis Control linked- hydraulic suspension. Achieving the seemingly incompatible combination of precise body control and a compliant ride – but at an even higher level – PCC III combines passive coil springs (which control ride frequency); semi-active dampers (with fully controllable compression and rebound); and a hydraulic roll circuit in place of conventional mechanical anti-roll bars.

The driver-selectable modes change both damper settings and roll stiffness, to alter the character of the vehicle. With the hydraulic circuit able to achieve greater roll stiffness than any conventional set-up, there is very little body roll during cornering. Front spring rates are 3% softer than those of the 720S and rear spring rates 4% firmer, benefitting both ride comfort and dynamic precision and control. On the rear axle, increased spring stiffness improves vehicle balance on track through more neutral mid-corner balance and superior roll support. Front-to- rear spring balance is further harmonised, enhancing how the 750S ‘breathes’ over road undulations to improve high-speed motorway refinement.

The tuning of the compression and rebound of the dampers expands the dynamic bandwidth of the 750S, while new construction and material technologies ensure a more repeatable response, no matter the temperature, environment or subjective loads. A new way of tuning dampers – adjusting the accumulators in the struts – was also used to perfect 750S.

“When you have a car recognised by so many drivers as a benchmark, to do something even better you have to examine every detail and really push hard for improvements that raise the bar again. This is what we have done with the new 750S and the light weight, V8 engine performance and outstanding dynamic abilities combine to deliver a supercar driving experience that hits new heights, with truly exhilarating levels of emotional connection.”

Michael Leiters, CEO, McLaren Automotive.

“We set ourselves an extremely difficult challenge with 750S, namely bringing a significant degree of McLaren ‘Longtail’ agility, feel and feedback, while ensuring that comfort and usability are not compromised – the ‘best of both’ combination that our customers tell us they want. The result is a huge breadth of abilities for benchmark supercar dynamic performance.”

Jamie Corstorphine, Director of Product Strategy, McLaren Automotive.

“Just as the vehicle dynamics team focused on letting 750S drivers really ‘feel’ the enhanced performance, our designers worked to highlight the high-tech, driver-centric nature of the cabin. Features such as the new steering column-mounted instrument display with Active Dynamics controls incorporated and the HD display screens are immediately apparent, but everywhere you look or feel, the quality and craftsmanship of the 750S is evident.”

Sandy Holford, 750S Chief Engineer, McLaren Automotive.

“All McLarens are precisely engineered and remarkably rapid, but with the new 750S we have focused on enriching the full range of characteristics that deliver the exhilaration experienced when driving the car, that pure emotional connection so sought after by enthusiasts.”

Ben Gulliver, Head of Vehicle Development, McLaren Automotive.

“The new 750S further sharpens McLaren’s ‘form follows function’ design philosophy, the organic form of the car enhanced by reprofiled ‘eye sockets’ and a larger active rear wing. The aluminium, carbon fibre and composite bodywork is visually elegant but has the aerodynamic features incorporated, so when you look into the intakes and ducts you can understand how the airflow is controlled.”

Sandy Holford, Chief Engineer, McLaren 750S

McLAREN 750S IN DETAIL

The steering column – now 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 NVH (Noise, Vibration, Harshness) properties.

The area adjacent to the central touchscreen, where the Active Dynamics switches were located on the 720S, 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, powertrain and transmission settings using a button that features the famous McLaren Speedmark 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.

METICULOUSLY CRAFTED; DRIVER FOCUSED

The cabin of the McLaren 750S is unashamedly driver-focused. 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 Formula 1.

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 – while a high-tech world away from the MP4/1 – retains all of the benefits that advanced carbon fibre construction brings. The dihedral doors of the 750S coupe 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.

The 750S is fitted as standard with Pirelli P ZEROTM tyres, with even higher-performance Pirelli P ZEROTM Corsa and racetrack-focused Pirelli P ZEROTM Trofeo R tyres as options. All three tyres are engineered specifically for the 750S by McLaren and its tyre technical partner Pirelli, as are the Pirelli P ZEROTM Winter tyres available from McLaren retailers.

10-spoke Ultra-Lightweight ‘Turbine’ wheels, 10-Spoke Super-Lightweight Forged Alloy ‘Strike’ wheels and 5-Twin Spoke Ultra-Lightweight Forged Alloy ‘Vortex’ wheels are offered, in a variety of finishes depending on wheel design: Silver, Dark Stealth, Gloss Black Diamond Cut, Gloss Black and new gold Orum. Buyers can also specify the ‘Strike’ wheel in a Dark Stealth finish with a McLaren Orange rim.

The hydraulically actuated wing is built at the state-of-the-art McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in Yorkshire, UK, using new production methodologies unique to the 750S. Deployed at angle configurations and vehicle speeds that are individual to the coupe and the Spider, there are three main operational positions:

▪ Driver Downforce (active wing partially deployed, dependent on speed) is engaged when the Aero button is pushed in the cabin, increasing downforce levels during high-speed cornering

▪  DRS automatically delivers drag reduction functionality when accelerating in a straight line, up to the maximum vehicle speed

▪  High Speed Braking fully deploys the active wing in less than half-a-second, delivering significantly increased rear downforce that improves high-speed braking stability and reduces braking distances

For drivers wishing to explore the full dynamic abilities of the 750S, McLaren Variable Drift Control, or VDC, allows them to adjust the intervention level of the traction control system independently of the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) setting. This adjustability means the driver can move seamlessly from the stage where the car’s electronic systems are intervening regularly to a stage where they are not intervening at all.

Formidable braking performance is enhanced by the larger surface area of the active rear wing, which fully deploys in less than half-a-second, increasing rear downforce to improve high-speed stability under braking and reduce braking distances. The carbon ceramic discs are paired with a new brake booster that improves pedal feel and modulation.

For 750S customers intending to use their vehicles extensively on race circuits, a new track brake upgrade comprising 390mm carbon ceramic discs and monobloc calipers. The discs take seven months to create – seven times longer than a conventional carbon ceramic component – but are 60% stronger and have four times the thermal conductivity. These virtues increase braking performance without a corresponding increase in the size or weight of the disc, yet also reduce brake fade and wear rates.

The passive hydraulic valves and electronic valves in the semi-active dampers have been engineered to embrace a specific focus on low-speed performance, improving steering response and ensuring both axles respond in harmony, giving the 750S a compact and agile feeling. On each axle, the new dampers work with the corresponding change in spring rates – for instance, stiffer rear springs allow for more compliant rear dampers, while still maintaining control of the car. On the 750S Spider, the damping characteristics consider the minimal weight difference versus the coupe.

Mitigating bump steer – where the vertical movement of a front wheel affects the suspension toe position – was particularly important to the development team. By neutralising this effect, vertical suspension stiffness and steering response can be decoupled, allowing for a faster transient steering response and therefore greater agility.

The 765LT’s bespoke brakes, wheels and tyres are also key to enhanced dynamic feedback and driver engagement. Braking performance is simply phenomenal, latest-generation carbon ceramic discs combining with calipers from the McLaren Senna to provide precise pedal feel and astonishing stopping power. The 765LT Spider also features the Formula 1-inspired integrated caliper cooling that debuted on the coupe, reducing brake pad temperatures by up to 50 degrees during track driving and ensuring consistent feel and performance.