The McLaren Senna is many things—it’s distinctive, among the quickest road cars we’ve ever tested, and it’s rare, limited to just 500 units. It’s also eye-wateringly expensive, stickering for nearly $1,000,000. So, is it worth it? Here are the ways it justifies its price tag and the ways it doesn’t. You be the judge.
It’s certainly quick
Any car named for the legendary Formula 1 racer Ayrton Senna better be quick, and thankfully the McLaren Senna lives up to expectations here. Utilizing a juiced-up version of the McLaren 720S’ 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, the Senna puts 789 hp and 590-lb-ft of torque through a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and out the rear wheels. It’ll do 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, 0-100-0 mph in 8.5 seconds, and run the quarter mile in an astonishing 10.1 seconds 147.5 mph. Oh, and it currently holds our figure eight lap record with its 21.9 sec at 1.02 g average lap. So, uh, yeah, it’s fast.
It brakes and turns like no other road car
For mere mortals, the Senna’s ridiculously high limits can be tough to get used to. Thanks to its massive carbon disc brakes and active aero, the Senna feels like it has more braking power than any other streetcar. When driven in anger, it becomes quite easy to undershoot your braking points because of how responsive and effective its brakes are.
The Senna, also thanks to its active aero, handles phenomenally. Keep your speed up (way up), and just when you begin to reach the limits of the McLaren’s tires, that big rear spoiler and front aeroblades come into play and squash the car into the ground.
It’s exclusive
Capitalism 101dictates that with a limited supply, demand will be high—and, as you and I well know, when demand is high, so are prices. With just 500 units to be built—and all already spoken for—the Senna’s exclusivity alone makes its $964,996 ‘base’ price and $982,816 as-tested price worth it.
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Despite its otherworldly performance, its rough around the edges
We don’t expect hypercars to coddle their drivers or ride particularly well, but the McLaren Senna beats you up in ways that no other car but the Dodge Viper ACR does. The Senna is raw, and rough. Its ride is punishing on anything but a smooth track, its cabin is so loud that it’s near impossible to listen to the radio, and, thanks to its massive greenhouse, the cabin can get quite hot.
It’s not exactly a looker
Most exotics are truly rolling pieces of art: the Ferrari LaFerrari, Bugatti Chiron, and Pagani Huayra are all both functionally and beautifully designed. The Senna is less so. Between the glass-paned doors (an admittedly neat touch, despite their drawbacks), orange aeroblades, raccoon eye headlights, and massive rear spoiler, there’s a lack of cohesion, beauty, and ultimately artfulness in the Senna’s design. Is it a bad design? I wouldn’t go that far, but as far as exotics go, I don’t imagine many kids will be putting this one on their walls.
The post 3 Ways the McLaren Senna Justifies its $1 Million Price Tag (and 2 Ways it Doesn’t) appeared first on MotorTrend.
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