Aero Sculpted
McLaren says that it has turned up its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 to produce a claimed peak of 789 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque . The hybrid P1 had a total system output of 903 horses , but the Senna does without the electrical components , motor , and battery pack and their attendant weight . McLaren says that , in its lightest possible configuration , the Senna weighs just 2641 pounds dry ; we ’ ll see when we get one on our scales . More relevant is that this is over 400 pounds lighter than the company ’ s estimation of the P1 ’ s mass and just under 400 pounds heavier than the dry weight it cites for the original McLaren F1 . Official performance estimates haven ’ t been issued , but we can safely presume they will be equally astonishing . Given that the 720S is already quicker around most racetracks than was the P1 , we can bet that the Senna will raise the bar by several additional notches .
Aero Sculpted
The styling of the Senna , like that of the Enzo that debuted 15 years ago , is more brutal than beautiful , the result of the car ’ s mission for uncompromised performance and the consequent need for aerodynamic efficiency . The potential path of every air molecule passing over its many surfaces has been carefully considered , from extra-compact radiators in the nose to the need to direct clean airflow over the vast rear wing , underhung from its supports like an endurance racer ’ s and with a total surface area of 1007 square inches across its various elements . Like the Ford GT , the Senna will hunker down into an extra-low Race mode to reduce drag and increase aero grip further , the drop of nearly two inches putting the tops of the rear wheels inside the arches . The wing can tilt forward to increase downforce or backward to take its main element out of the airflow to improve speed in a straight line . There also are two movable flaps inside the air intakes on both sides of the front bumper that will be used to increase or decrease aerodynamic grip at the front and keep the car in balance . McLaren is staying coy about the exact downforce numbers . When we tried to discuss the substantial loads that the burly wing supports are clearly designed to handle , vehicle line director Andy Palmer ( no relation to the Aston Martin CEO of the same name ) showed no visible dissent when we speculated that the peak figure could well be greater than the weight of the car itself . This might be the first roadgoing car to boast the theoretical capability of driving on the ceiling .
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