Pleasant But Punchy

The McLaren 750S is a well-mannered supercar with a wild side-and some flaws.

- Basem Wasef

AT FIRST BLUSH, the McLaren 750S doesn’t look all that new. Like an old friend with exceptional plastic surgery, the British marque’s latest model appears more taut but the underlying bone structure is still there. And it’s an impressive foundation; after all, its genes are inherited from the 720S.

Now, with an estimated 30 per cent of the 750S being new, performance enhancements include an obligatory bump in output to 740bhp, livelier handling, and a shoutier, angrier engine.

The gains are most pronounced on a closed circuit, as I experienced at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. Quickly apparent is the vehicle’s increased muscle and shorter gearing. The twin-turbo V8, with 800Nm of torque, dumps power assertively to the rear, allowing the 1,277kg (dry weight) car to dispatch zero to 100km/h in 2.8 seconds and barrel on to 332km/h.