The last word on what this platform can become
There is a particular gravity to the moment when a lineage reaches its terminus — not in failure, but in culmination. McLaren's 788HS arrives this week as the final expression of a supercar family that began with the 720S and matured through the 765LT and 750S, closing with 788 horsepower, 1,256 kilograms, and a production run of just 200 cars. It is the kind of ending that engineers and collectors alike recognize as a form of tribute — every refinement pushed to its limit, not because a successor demands it, but because the platform deserves nothing less.
- A beloved supercar lineage reaches its deliberate end, with McLaren extracting every last measure of performance from a platform it will soon leave behind.
- The 788HS posts a 0-100 km/h sprint of 2.8 seconds and a 330 km/h top speed, numbers that carry the weight of years of cumulative engineering ambition.
- A reworked V8, titanium exhaust, forged lightweight internals, and sound-enhancement systems transform the mechanical into something almost ceremonial.
- Ten percent more downforce than the 765LT, Senna-derived brakes, and a five-millimetre lower front stance signal that usability and ultimate performance are being pursued simultaneously, not traded against each other.
- With only 200 units at £450,000 each and full bespoke customisation available, the 788HS lands as both a collector's milestone and a quiet announcement that something new is coming next.
McLaren has drawn a deliberate line under one of its most consequential supercar families. The 788HS, revealed this week, is the final car in a lineage that ran from the 720S through the 765LT and 750S — a platform that shaped the brand's mid-range performance identity for nearly a decade. Only 200 examples will be built, split evenly between coupé and Spider, each priced from £450,000 and personalised through McLaren Special Operations.
The performance figures are the product of sustained refinement rather than reinvention. The familiar 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 has been rebuilt with forged lightweight pistons, low-inertia twin-scroll turbochargers, and dual fuel pumps, arriving at 788 PS and 800 Nm of torque. A titanium four-exit exhaust, supplemented by induction and exhaust symposers, ensures the driver feels and hears the effort. The result is a 0-100 km/h time of 2.8 seconds and a 330 km/h maximum.
Weight discipline is equally rigorous. At 1,256 kilograms dry — 21 kilograms less than the 750S — the 788HS achieves a power-to-weight ratio of 623 PS per tonne. The Proactive Chassis Control III suspension sits five millimetres lower at the front, and revised engine mounts channel more powertrain sensation into the cabin without sacrificing long-distance composure. Aerodynamic updates, including an S-duct bonnet, active rear spoiler, and enlarged rear diffuser, generate 10 percent more downforce than the 765LT. Braking is handled by Senna-derived six-piston carbon-ceramic hardware.
For those who follow McLaren closely, the 788HS reads as both a farewell and a statement of intent — a final proof of what this platform could become before the company moves on to whatever shape its supercar ambitions take next.
McLaren has closed the book on a chapter of its supercar lineage. The 788HS, unveiled this week, is the final evolution of a family that began with the 720S, passed through the 765LT and 750S, and now ends here—a limited run of 200 cars that represent the last gasp of a platform that has defined the brand's mid-range performance identity for years.
The numbers tell the story of relentless refinement. The 788HS squeezes 788 horsepower from its 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine, a gain of 23 horses over the 765LT it succeeds. Torque climbs to 800 Newton-metres. The result is a car that accelerates from rest to 100 kilometres per hour in 2.8 seconds, reaches 200 kilometres per hour in seven seconds, and tops out at 330 kilometres per hour. These are not merely impressive numbers; they represent the cumulative engineering effort of a lineage being sent off with maximum intensity.
The engine itself has been thoroughly reworked. Lightweight forged pistons reduce reciprocating mass. Twin-scroll turbochargers with low inertia spool faster and more responsively. Dual fuel pumps ensure consistent delivery under extreme demand. The exhaust system is now titanium with four exits, and McLaren has layered in sound-enhancement technology—induction and exhaust symposers—to make the mechanical fury audible to the driver and anyone nearby. This is engineering theatre, but it is also engineering substance.
Weight has been obsessively managed. The 788HS tips the scales at 1,256 kilograms dry, a reduction from the 750S's 1,277 kilograms. That 21-kilogram loss, combined with the power increase, yields a power-to-weight ratio of 623 horsepower per tonne. The suspension has been recalibrated specifically for this car—the Proactive Chassis Control III system with adaptive dampers sits the front end five millimetres lower than before, a small adjustment that signals McLaren's attention to how the car will feel in the driver's hands. Engine mounts have been revised to transmit more powertrain sensation to the cabin while preserving the car's ability to be driven over long distances without becoming a punishment.
Aerodynamics have advanced further. A new bonnet with an S-duct, a raised active rear spoiler, and an elaborated rear diffuser combine to generate 10 percent more downforce than the 765LT. A bespoke front splitter and louvred panel complete the package, the latter serving dual duty by improving cooling as well as aerodynamic efficiency. These are not cosmetic flourishes; they are functional elements designed to keep the car planted and cool under sustained hard driving.
Braking hardware comes from McLaren's Senna supercar—six-piston forged aluminium monoblock calipers gripping carbon-ceramic discs. The company claims these deliver enhanced pedal feel, superior stopping power, and consistency during the kind of sustained hard driving that separates a track day from a casual drive. New lightweight forged alloy wheels with centre-locking mechanisms complete the mechanical picture.
Production is capped at 200 units, split equally between a fixed-roof coupé and a Spider convertible. Each car will be customised through McLaren Special Operations, allowing buyers to personalise their examples. Pricing starts at £450,000 sterling, or roughly 2.46 million Malaysian ringgit. For collectors and enthusiasts, the 788HS represents a milestone—the last of its kind before McLaren moves its supercar platform forward into whatever comes next.
Notable Quotes
The 788HS delivers 10% more downforce than the 765LT through a new bonnet S-duct, raised active rear spoiler, and elaborated rear diffuser.— McLaren
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does McLaren feel the need to mark the end of a lineage this way—with a "High Sport" variant that pushes power even higher?
Because it's a conversation with the people who've been buying these cars for years. You're telling them: we heard you, we pushed further, and this is the final word on what this platform can do.
The weight reduction is only 21 kilograms. Does that really matter at this performance level?
It matters in how the car responds. Lighter pistons mean the engine revs faster. Less mass overall means the suspension and brakes have less inertia to manage. It's not about a single number—it's about how everything talks to everything else.
Ten percent more downforce sounds modest. Why not push harder?
Because you're already at the edge of what the platform can handle without a complete redesign. At some point, you're optimising for a specific purpose—track driving, sustained performance—and you have to accept that you're not building a race car. You're building a supercar that can still be lived with.
The price is £450,000. Who buys this car instead of a Ferrari or Lamborghini?
Someone who understands what McLaren has built here—a lineage that's been refined relentlessly, not reinvented every few years. The 788HS is the culmination of that thinking. It's for people who care about engineering coherence, not just badges.
What happens to this platform after the 788HS?
That's the question, isn't it. McLaren is signalling that this chapter is closed. Whatever comes next will be different—new architecture, new thinking. The 788HS is the last word on what the 720S family could become.