It was hard to say goodbye to the McLaren 720S when the British supercar manufacturer announced the end of its production at the end of 2022. After all, it was an era-defining supercar that had set a new benchmark for performance. Yet, it needed an update as it was on sale for half a decade. Well, the much-awaited replacement for the 720S is finally here. Behold the 2024 McLaren 750S, a fitting goodbye to the breed of pure-internal-combustion supercars. Understandably, the new supercar is a reincarnated version of the 720S with evolutionary changes over its predecessor. It even looks very similar to the 720S. But don’t be fooled by that; it packs a lot of significant changes that make it a wilder version of the already wild McLaren supercar.
Lighter than ever
Weighing in at 3,123 pounds, the McLaren 720S is already a very light supercar. However, wanted to make its predecessor even lighter to further improve its performance and agility. Thanks to the use of a carbon-fiber chassis and a conventional non-hybrid powertrain, the British marque managed to make the 750S coupe weighs up to 66 pounds less than the 720S. The meticulous weight-saving measures adopted by McLaren include lighter carbon-fiber racing seats that are 38.6 pounds versus the regular seats in the 720S and lighter suspension components. Even the new standard forged wheels are claimed by McLaren to be the lightest ever worn by a series-production model.
The mighty got mightier
With 710 horsepower on tap, the 720S is not power-deficient by any measure. In fact, the 720S is one of the scariest supercars to drive with only its advanced electronics making it controllable. But McLaren chose to eke out more output from the familiar twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with the help of new twin fuel pumps, a triple-layer head gasket, and increasing boost pressure. The mid-mounted engine now makes an extra 30 horsepower and 22 pound-feet of torque, increasing the peak output to 740 hp and 590 pound-feet. The center-exit exhaust is also lighter, while the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission has been reworked with a shorter final-drive ratio. As a result, both coupe and Spider variants claimed to hit 60 mph in 2.7 seconds and have a top speed of 206 mph, despite the Spider version being 108 pounds heavier than the coupe.
Subtle but crucial design updates
To the untrained eye, the 750S might appear to be nearly identical to its predecessor; after all, only 30 percent of the supercar’s components are new or changed. However, McLaren has made several crucial changes to enhance its performance. The nose sits lower than before and features a smoother design for better aerodynamics, while the intakes that house the headlights are narrower. Furthermore, a new extended front splitter provides aerodynamic balance and works in conjunction with the 20-percent larger active rear wing. McLaren says the 750S has a 6-millimeter wider front track and new suspension geometry for improved drivability.
Updated cabin equipment
Much like the exterior, the new supercar’s cabin isn’t completely different than the model it replaces. The overall cabin layout and design look familiar; however, McLaren has made several equipment updates along with some other noticeable changes to help it compete with the latest crop of supercars. The cabin features a new vertically-oriented 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that now features Apple CarPlay, while the instrument cluster sits inside a binnacle attached to the steering column. A new McLaren Control Launcher feature allows drivers to save their favorite aero, handling, powertrain, and transmission settings and is easily accessible via a single button.
Pricing and availability
The 2024 McLaren 750S coupe starts at $331,740, while the Spider version has a starting price of $352,740. That’s a bump of more than $20,000 over the 720S. the McLaren dealerships have already started taking orders for the new supercar and the first examples are expected to be delivered sometime in the third quarter of this year.
