Yahoo Autos 2024 McLaren 750S Is a Lighter, Mightier, and Subtly Restyled 720S
The 2024 McLaren 750S debuts as a lighter, more powerful, and subtly restyled version of the outgoing 720S.
McLaren says about 30 percent of the 750S's parts are new or updated, with the 740-hp twin-turbo V-8 adding 30 horsepower.
The 750S coupe is said to weigh up to 66 pounds less than its 720S predecessor, and the 750S Spider is only 108 pounds heavier than the new coupe.
The 2024 McLaren 750S isn't dramatically different from the 720S model it's replacing. Some might see the new nameplate's subtle exterior alterations and jump to conclusions, like accusing McLaren of giving its series-production supercar a basic facelift. Others will correctly predict there's a lot more going on underneath the 750S's similar-looking skin.
Lighter and Mightier
Compared with the outgoing 720S, the changes to its successor are evolutionary rather than revolutionary. McLaren says around 30 percent of the 750S's parts are new or updated. A twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 is still mounted in the middle of the car's carbon-fiber structure, but higher boost pressure means the engine now makes an extra 30 horsepower and 22 pound-feet of torque, raising peak output to 740 horses and 590 pound-feet.
The flat-plane-crank V-8 also shares lightweight pistons with the track-focused 765LT. The previously separate exhaust pipes now converge in a center-exit setup like on the McLaren P1. We're told this makes the 750S sound even more ferocious, especially at stratospheric revs. Larger air intakes ahead of the rear wheels are said to improve engine cooling, and the redesigned rear bumper sits below a new mesh grille.
Power still routes to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but McLaren says the 750S's gearbox has a shorter final-drive ratio. A feature that limits downshifts that would otherwise over-rev the engine is also new, and it ensures gearchanges only occur at the optimal time.
These mechanical upgrades are further optimized by meticulous weight-saving measures. The 750S coupe is claimed to weigh up to 66 pounds less than its 720S predecessor (a 2018 example registered 3161 pounds on our scales). One source of the 750S's weight reduction is the new standard carbon-fiber racing seats, which are said to save a combined 38.6 pounds versus the regular seats in the 720S. An even lighter set of carbon buckets are also optional.
Other areas where McLaren did its best Atkins diet imitation include the new standard forged wheels that are claimed to be the lightest ever worn by a series-production model. These rollers allegedly save 30.4 pounds. Subtract another 4 pounds thanks to the new column-mounted digital gauge cluster, another 3.5 pounds for the lighter windshield, and another 4.4 pounds due to some revised suspension components and it's clear that McLaren was committed to improving the car's power-to-weight ratio.
With the 750S becoming lighter and mightier, the coupe and Spider (read: convertible) are both claimed to hit 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. The Spider, with its retractable hardtop, is said to weigh 108 pounds more than the coupe and reach 124 mph in 7.3 seconds—one-tenth behind the coupe. Top speed for both body styles is a claimed 206 mph.
