2024 McLaren 750S

When it came time to work on the new McLaren 750S, the company's engineers didn't want to spoil a good thing. After all, the 750S' predecessor, the 720S, could already hang with all but the most rarefied and expensive machines on the track while being relatively comfortable and easy to live with on a day-to-day basis. Don't fix what ain't broke, and all that. But the iterative changes that get us from 720 to 750 are nevertheless impressive.

At first glance, the new car doesn't look all that much different than the old one. But there's a lot going on underneath that familiar bodywork. More power, less weight, bigger brakes and parts borrowed from both the McLaren Senna and 765LT — both track-focused cars based on the 720S — are among the 750S' highlights. Some significant quality-of-life updates make the new car better to drive both on the street and on a track.

The 750S certainly looks familiar on the outside, but McLaren says about 30% of the car is new or has been revised. Even that familiar design has been changed ever so slightly, though that's to do with improvements to aero rather than simply trying to make the new car look different from the old one.

The goal of these changes isn't a dramatically different car but rather one that hones what made the 720S so good while improving on areas where it was lacking. We spent some time outside of Las Vegas both on the street and at the infield track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to see how the new 750S coupe and drop-top 750S Spider shake out.

Like the 720S, the 750S uses a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 mounted just behind the driver. It sends power solely to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission. The engine — dubbed M840T by McLaren — makes 740 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, up 30 horsepower and 22 lb-ft from the 720S. An increase in the turbo's boost pressure is the most notable change to the engine, though this year's V8 gets lighter-weight pistons borrowed from the McLaren 765LT.

There have been changes down the driveline too. The transmission remains a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, but the final drive ratio has been shortened slightly. While that means top speed is down from 212 mph to 206 mph, shorter gearing makes for quicker acceleration and a sharper throttle response.

The 750S features the latest iteration of McLaren's hydraulically linked suspension. As on the 720S, this distinctive suspension design uses an adaptive hydraulic system instead of traditional stabilizer bars; it works to minimize roll when cornering while also providing optimum ride comfort. For the 750S, the suspension features lighter-weight springs and dampers, an enhanced hydraulic system and revised suspension geometry. The springs themselves are softer at the front and stiffer at the rear compared to those on the 720S, though the car doesn't ride any worse than before on the street.

More weight savings come from parts like carbon-fiber seat shells, thinner glass for the windshield, and lighter wheels than before. With fluids (fuel, oil, etc.), the 750S weighs a little over 3,000 pounds, making it one of the lightest new cars on the road today.

The 750S' steering has been slightly revised compared to the 720S. There are two main changes: a quicker ratio for the rack itself and a new, enlarged power steering pump. McLaren still uses a hydraulically assisted power steering rather than the electronic power steering found on most other cars today, including rivals like the Ferrari 296. The new power steering pump has the added benefit of speeding up the car's front-axle lift as the lift system itself uses hydraulic pressure from the pump to work. It's easier to use than before, too, with a button just to the left of the wheel on the redesigned dashboard that will lift the nose in just 4 seconds, down from 11 seconds in the 720S. Better steering feel and a quicker nose lift seem like a win-win to us.

Everything is immediate and fierce. Despite packing a pair of turbochargers, the engine has seemingly no turbo lag, with a powerband that's smooth and even from idle to redline. The 750S feels quicker and more agile, pushing performance closer to that of the 765LT without the latter's spartan interior.

The McLaren's steering is frankly phenomenal, especially compared to the electronic power steering found in the competition. There's plenty of feedback through the wheel, so you always have a good sense of what the front end is doing. It changes direction quickly, too, but it's not so responsive that the 750S feels nervous or twitchy. It's easy to place a tire right on the apex of a corner, and the 750S wasn't unsettled by aggressive use of the track's curbs. On the street, the steering can feel heavy at low speeds, but it's a fine trade-off given how much it benefits the rest of the driving experience.

The firm brake pedal requires a bit more effort to push than what's in most other cars on the road, but the pedal doesn't feel stiff or wooden. Quite the opposite actually. The firm pedal and powerful brakes are confidence boosters and help encourage a driver to push a little harder and a little faster. You want to hold the throttle down a little longer and brake a little later, putting faith in those Senna-supplied brakes. The pedal is easy to modulate, too, so it's easy to do a bit of trail braking through a corner. The new rear wing can flip up on deceleration to act as an air braking to further improve stopping performance. Plus it just looks cool to see the active aero in action.

The 750S is available with three sets of Pirelli tires: the P Zero, the P Zero Corsa and the track-ready P Zero Trofeo R. The latter were equipped on the car we drove on the track, and once they've warmed up a bit after a quick lap, they provide plenty of traction both into and out of a corner. If you only plan to drive the car on the street, the standard P Zero tires are probably enough. But with the Trofeo R tires, you can really fly through a corner, trusting the car to hook up and exploit every single one of the V8's 740 horsepower.

The ride quality on McLaren's cars has always been a high point, with a relatively comfortable and compliant suspension for a car that handles as well as the McLaren does. Part of that is down to the retuned suspension, with new tunings for the springs and dampers.

The 750S is available with a handful of seat options, and all are comfortable, even the lightweight fixed-back bucket seats. Getting in and out is relatively easy, too, and the dihedral doors that swing upward when you open them haven't lost their cool factor.

The interior has been slightly revised compared to the 720S' cabin, drawing some of the better bits from the smaller, more affordable McLaren Artura. That includes a new instrument cluster and relocated controls, both of which make living with the car much easier. The drive mode controls are a finger's reach away from the wheel, so you don't have to remove your hands to adjust settings on the fly.

As before, the steering wheel itself is devoid of buttons, unlike what's in just about every other vehicle on the road today. You can't so much as change the volume for the stereo from the steering wheel (though there's a perfectly fine knob within easy reach), with some stalks behind the wheel adjusting things like cruise control and the windshield wipers. Some people may find the lack of redundant controls a little frustrating, but we appreciate the straightforward design. It makes this and other McLaren cars feel purposeful. You look at the clean, unadorned wheel and know exactly what this car was designed for.

Few cars can compete on the McLaren's playing field, be it in terms of price, performance or sheer wow factor. The Ferrari 296 GTB and 296 GTS convertible are the most direct rivals to the McLaren. The plug-in hybrid Ferrari is a slightly different take on a mid-engine supercar, though performance and pricing are similar to the McLaren. The Lamborghini Huracán has been an Edmunds favorite for years thanks to its sharp handling, stylish design and one very special V10 engine. The base Huracán is less expensive than the 750S, but not even the hardcore Huracán STO can match the McLaren's overall performance.

The same goes for cars like the Porsche 911 and Chevrolet Corvette, both of which are less expensive but also not as capable as the McLaren. Even for the price, the 750S is a real standout.