McLaren completes its 7xx line of supercars with the new limited-series 788HS

It was back in 2017 when McLaren introduced the 720S to its Super Series lineup, followed by the 765LT in 2020 and the 750S more recently in 2023, all of them, by the way, with their respective Spider versions as well as the special or limited editions that have delighted us. Now, almost 10 years later, McLaren is ready to unveil the definitive and final evolution of its Super Series, the McLaren 788HS.

You may not be too familiar with the HS suffix that McLaren has given its new supercar, but these initials stand for High Sport, a designation the Woking-based brand reserves only for the most exclusive versions of a series-production McLaren. In fact, to date only the McLaren MP4-12C HS and the MSO HS have earned that honour, and now the 788 HS joins them.

Like its siblings in the Super Series lineup, the McLaren 788HS will be offered in both Coupé and convertible or Spider bodies. Visually it looks very similar to its siblings, but it differs especially in the advanced aerodynamic package it features. This package is based on a front splitter, a bonnet with an S-shaped duct, a large active rear wing and a rear diffuser inspired by those developed for Formula 1. All these carbon-fibre components increase downforce by 10% compared with the already spectacular 765LT.

The McLaren 788HS has a dry weight of 1,265 kg, which can be reduced even further through an optional upgrade allowing customers to have a fully visible carbon-fibre body, meaning all the exterior panels covering its monocoque chassis are also carbon fibre. It includes details such as the striking yet functional roof air intake on Coupé versions, the orange contrast stripe applied along the entire lower perimeter of the 788HS, and the new forged wheels with a centre-lock design.

Turning to the interior, the McLaren 788HS features a slightly modernised design of the kind we have come to expect across the rest of the Super Series models, with a digital instrument panel mounted on the steering column and a carbon-fibre centre console angled towards the driver, whose screen houses the McLaren II infotainment system. The steering wheel, simple in appearance, carries the controls for drive mode and powertrain, while both driver and passenger sit on seats with an exclusive stitch pattern for their upholstery.

The impressive heart of the McLaren 788HS is the well-known 4.0-litre M840T twin-turbo V8 from the English manufacturer, which delivers 788 CV of power together with 800 Nm of torque. Combined with its 1,265 kg dry weight, this gives a power-to-weight ratio of 623 CV per tonne, the highest of any Super Series model. These figures allow it to accelerate to 100 km/h in just 2.8 seconds and reach 200 km/h in 7.0 seconds, with a top speed of 330 km/h.

This spectacular engine will roar like never before thanks to the titanium exhaust system, which features four outlets at the rear and delivers an even more intense sound at high revs. Additionally, sound-amplification technologies for the intake and exhaust have been designed to make the twin-turbo V8’s noise inside the cabin even more pronounced. Meanwhile, the 788HS’s braking is entrusted to carbon-ceramic discs derived from the McLaren Senna, using front monobloc six-piston calipers in forged aluminium finished in black with integrated cooling, and it is completed by the synchronised hydraulic suspension Proactive Chassis Control III, which, in addition to offering greater dynamic performance, sits 5 mm lower than the 750S.

At present, the price and availability of the McLaren 788HS remain unknown, although the brand has confirmed it will be built as an exclusive limited edition of 200 units for worldwide sale, split equally between Coupé and Spider versions. The commemorative plaque identifying which unit you are looking at will sit on the centre console.