18McLaren will be signing off its iconic 700 supercar series with one final special edition that brings all the brand’s learnings into one exclusive new model. It’s called the McLaren 788HS, and only 200 will be built through McLaren’s Special Operations division, split evenly between the fixed-head coupe and open-top Spider. The HS’s fundamentals are familiar, but each has been taken to its limits – starting with the engine. Like all McLarens in the 700 series, the 788HS features a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 776bhp and 800Nm of torque. It creates the extra power thanks to a few additional goodies, including forged pistons, twin-scroll turbochargers with ultra-low inertia turbines, and a new titanium exhaust system. There’s no hybrid assistance and the car is exclusively rear-wheel drive, but that doesn’t stop it being able to sprint from 0-62mph in just 2.8 seconds and go onto a top speed of 204mph. That set-up also makes this an incredibly light supercar compared with its near two-tonne hybrid rivals, coming in at just 1,265kg. Even with fluids and a driver on board, it’s still hundreds of kilos lighter than the Ferrari 296 Speciale or Lamborghini Temerario. Extensive use of carbon fibre also helps keep the kerbweight down, but at speed a 700-series McLaren has never gained so much weight thanks to the aggressive new aero kit. Taking learnings from the brand’s F1 team, the overall aero kit is 10 per cent more effective than that of the 765LT. This includes a new front splitter, rear diffuser and an active high-mounted rear wing, with the Coupe also adding a roof-mounted intake. 18The 788HS includes new forged centre-lock alloy wheels that sit in front of a carbon-ceramic brake package taken from the Senna hypercar. It also sits 5mm lower to the ground than the 750S, and comes with a unique engine-mount calibration and suspension set-up for an even more direct road feel. However, as much as a car like this is about performance, it’s also a celebration of this generation of non-hybridised McLaren supercar, and to that end the British company has also leant into some more flamboyant elements. Things such as the start-up procedure are more theatrical, and the engine note through the titanium exhaust is richer and more emotional than in previous models. Each car will be built through the McLaren Special Operations program, so prices will be up significantly over the standard 750S, although details have yet to be announced. Yet with just 200 examples planned for production, and this possibly being one of the last McLaren supercars to be built without hybrid assistance, it could well hold onto most of that value – and potentially accrue even more – over time. If you’re in the market for a new high-end supercar, check out the Auto Express Buy a Car service for all the latest deals...
