McLaren Senna

On paper the McLaren Senna is the type of car any enthusiast wants in their garage. However, one does have to look at the outside of the car from time to time and this one is as beautiful as a turd. Normally we love McLaren styling, but there is something funky with the styling of the Senna that is hard to put our finger on. It looks a bit like the supercar that Homer Simpson might design.

Even though we aren’t fans of the styling, the performance is enough to make us want to get in the driver’s seat. I mean if we had McLaren Senna kind of money, buying a blind fold to wear while our butler walked us to the car isn’t too much to ask. However, even if you are worth billions and wanted to buy a McLaren Senna it is too late.

Only 500 examples of the Senna will be made and all but one had already been sold when the car was introduced to the public. That one example has since been sold for $2,687,720. That money does go to a good cause, the non-profit Ayrton Senna Institute. They will use the funds to help underprivileged children and youngsters in Brazil.

“The McLaren Senna is the personification of McLaren’s motorsport DNA, designed without compromise to excel on a race circuit, but legalised for road use,” explained Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive. “Only 500 will be built and to raise such a significant sum at auction for a cause as worthy as the Instituto Ayrton Senna – the foundation that cherishes the legacy of one of McLaren’s greatest Formula 1 racing drivers – is both a genuine pleasure for McLaren and a testament to the desirability of our new Ultimate Series car.”

With a 789 horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 powering the Senna, it should prove quite the track toy (at least the few examples that aren’t always kept in the garage). The McLaren only weighs 2,635 lbs dry which makes for a fairly light package with a lot of power. Beyond the incredible power-to-weight ratio, the aerodynamics and RCC II RaceActive Chassis Control hydraulic suspension help keep the car firmly planted even in a tight corner.

McLaren is aiming for the Senna to be the new benchmark for a road-legal track car. That’s saying a lot when the same company made the P1 that could lap the Nurburgring in under 7 minutes. It’s just too bad it doesn’t look a bit better.

Let us know what you think of the McLaren Senna in the comments below.