The Senna - McLaren’s latest Ultimate Series car - is designed, says the British supercar manufacturer, to be the ultimate track-concentrated car for the road, compromising daily usability for 'the most intense circuit experience'.
The use of the Senna name is part of an official collaboration between McLaren Automotive and the Senna family, in which a contribution will be donated to the Instituto Ayrton Senna (IAS), a non-profit organisation dedicated to providing good-quality education for more than 1.6 million unprivileged children and youngsters in Brazil.
The car's technical package includes ultra-lightweight construction, with carbon fibre chassis and body panels, a mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged V8 engine powering the rear wheels, race-derived suspension and electro-hydraulic steering.
Although the Senna is made for two, its cabin is said to be absolutely focused on the driving seat. The carbon fibre Monocage III chassis is a development of the structure that underpins the 720S and is also the strongest monocoque ever built by McLaren for a road-legal vehicle.
McLaren says the Senna’s design adheres to the company’s ‘form follows function’ mantra with downforce and aerodynamic balance as the guiding principles. Every body panel is made from carbon fibre and that makes is the lightest road-legal McLaren since the F1 road car - tipping the scales at 1,198kg.
The 4.0-litre twin- turbocharged V8 produces 800PS (789bhp) and 800Nm (590lb ft), resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 688PS-per-tonne. The track-focused Race mode lowers the ride height and stiffens the suspension, while the carbon ceramic braking system is the most advanced McLaren has ever fitted to a road car.
Featuring a race-inspired centre lock system, Its ultra-lightweight alloy wheels are shod with bespoke P Zero Trofeo R tyres, developed in conjunction with Pirelli.
The Senna will be hand-assembled in England at McLaren's Woking-based Production Centre from Q3 next year (2018). Just 500 vehicles are to be built, but - despite a hefty £750,000 price tag - all of these are already spoken for.