McLaren hasn’t really shown us anything new since the W1 broke cover back in late 2024. For a brand that once pumped out new variants like clockwork, nearly 2 years of silence felt like we were long overdue for something new. And it turns out McLaren was just saving up for a proper goodbye.
Meet the 788HS, the final evolution of the platform that started with the 720S back in 2017, and only the third McLaren in history to earn the High Sport designation.
The Rarest Letters in Woking
The HS badge has surfaced exactly twice before, on the MP4-12C High Sport (10 built) and the 675LT-based MSO HS (25 built). Against those runs, the 788HS’s 200-unit allocation almost reads as generous, split evenly between 100 coupes and 100 Spiders, with every example individually curated by McLaren Special Operations.
This isn’t badge engineering for the collector crowd, either. McLaren is calling it the definitive send-off for the lineage that ran from the 720S through the 765LT and 750S, closing the book before the brand’s post-merger reinvention under CYVN Holdings takes hold.
The M840T’s Last Stand
The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 now churns out 777 horsepower (that’s 788PS, hence the name) and 590 lb-ft of torque, revving to 8,500 RPM and exhaling through a new quad-exit titanium exhaust. Among McLaren’s pure-gasoline road cars, only the Senna LM and Senna GTR LM have ever made more.
Pair that with a 2,789-pound dry weight, 26 pounds lighter than the 750S despite all the added bodywork, and you get 0-60 in 2.8 seconds on the way to a 205-mph top end. That’s 765LT territory, and McLaren freely admits the extra aero drag is the reason it isn’t quicker.
Borrowed From the Senna
Speaking of aero, the 788HS gains an S-Duct bonnet, a sharper multi-zone front splitter, a raised active rear wing, and an F1-inspired diffuser, all working together to produce 10 percent more downforce than the 765LT. Refreshingly, McLaren points out it verified that number in an actual Formula 1 wind tunnel.
Underneath, the nose sits 5mm lower than the 750S, the Proactive Chassis Control III suspension gets bespoke HS calibration, and Senna-derived carbon-ceramic brakes hide behind forged center-lock wheels, a first for the entire platform.
Spec Sheet
Model: McLaren 788HS / 788HS Spider
Model Year: 2027
Engine: Twin-Turbocharged 4.0-Liter V8
Power: 777 HP & 590 lb-ft of Torque
Transmission: 7-Speed Seamless Shift Gearbox
0-60 MPH: 2.8 Seconds
Top Speed: 205 MPH
Dry Weight: 2,789 LBs
Limited Edition: 200 Units (100 Coupe / 100 Spider)
Pricing & Availability
McLaren hasn’t published official pricing yet, though with the 750S starting at $365,100 and every 788HS passing through MSO’s hands as a bespoke commission, expect the final invoice to land well north of that figure.
Recap
2027 McLaren 788HS
McLaren closes out the 720S platform with a 777HP, 200-unit High Sport send-off that borrows its brakes from the Senna.
