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| The McLaren Senna |
MAXIM - For all the work McLaren Automotive has done in recent years to climb the supercar hierarchy, its reputation is still based on its success on the track. Worldwide, the brand is associated not only with Formula 1 but also the most celebrated driver of modern times, the late Ayrton Senna. So it’s natural that the British automaker’s most performance-obsessed supercar is named ater the Brazilian Formula 1 icon.
The McLaren Senna is an evolution of the groundbreaking 720S, starting with the Monocage III, a modified take on the company’s carbon-iber monocoque, which provides immense strength and rigidity despite its minimal weight. Each of the 500 vehicles will be given an upgraded iteration of the 720S’s 4.0-liter use a compact custom case that brings the transmission four inches closer to the engine, leaving room for a longer rear swingarm and allowing for better suspension compliance and traction.The Founder’s Edition Titanium could be one of the world’s most exclusive bikes. This model truly lives up to Ecosse’s motto: sculptural industrial motorcycles. —Dan Carney twin-turbocharged V-8, tweaked to produce 789 horsepower, with all its power sent to the car’s rear wheels. The power plant is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, while next-generation Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes provide brickwall levels of stopping power. (The Carbon Theme version shown below features extra carbon-iber outitting and is painted with the colors of Senna’s iconic helmet.)
Whereas most of McLaren’s road cars balance performance and aesthetics, here McLaren’s design team focused entirely on aerodynamics. The Senna’s body is designed to improve airlow, both into the engine for power and along the exterior for maximum grip. The result is unapologetically brash and aggressive, with air intakes and vents strategically placed around the body and a massive rear wing.
All but one of the 500 units were quickly scooped up at a price just north of a million dollars, with the irst deliveries scheduled for later this year. The 500th Senna was auctioned of at the McLaren Winter Ball, where the car was formally debuted, and the money went to the Ayrton Senna Institute. The charity, formed by the late racer’s sister, provides educational assistance to some 2 million children in Brazil’s underprivileged areas. A righteous cause indeed. —Keith Gordon (MAXIM USA)
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