Every great automotive chapter deserves a memorable conclusion.
For McLaren, that chapter began in 2017 with the revolutionary 720S, evolved through the razor-sharp 765LT and matured into the brilliantly capable 750S.
Now, it reaches its final destination.
Introducing the McLaren 788HS, a limited-production supercar that represents the ultimate evolution of the Super Series and the final expression of McLaren’s twin-turbocharged V8 architecture before a new generation of road cars arrives.
Rather than replacing the 750S, the 788HS celebrates everything that made this family of McLarens so admired: lightweight engineering, uncompromising aerodynamics and extraordinary driver engagement. Limited to just 200 examples worldwide, it stands as one of the most exclusive V8-powered McLarens ever created.
The Return of the High Sport Philosophy
The initials HS carry particular significance within McLaren.
Short for High Sport, the designation has always been reserved for cars that sit outside the conventional model hierarchy. Unlike the Longtail philosophy, which focuses almost exclusively on circuit performance, High Sport explores a broader balance between extreme capability and road usability.
The 788HS follows that tradition.
It is lighter than the 750S.
More powerful.
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More aerodynamically efficient.
Yet it remains a road car designed to be enjoyed beyond the racetrack.
It is not simply another special edition.
It is the definitive interpretation of the Super Series platform.
The Final Evolution of the M840T
Power comes from the familiar 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged M840T V8, now developed to its highest factory specification.
Output rises to 788 PS (777 hp), accompanied by 800 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful road-going Super Series McLaren ever produced. Forged pistons, revised engine calibration and an updated titanium exhaust system allow the V8 to deliver sharper throttle response while preserving the character that has defined McLaren’s modern road cars for almost a decade.
Performance naturally follows.
The sprint from 0–100 km/h takes just 2.8 seconds, while 200 km/h arrives in seven seconds before the car continues towards a top speed of 330 km/h.
More impressive than the figures themselves is the way they are delivered.
Immediate.
Progressive.
Relentlessly precise.
Aerodynamics Beyond the 750S
Almost every visible panel has been redesigned.
A deeper carbon-fibre front splitter generates additional front-end downforce, while a newly sculpted bonnet incorporates a central airflow channel that improves cooling and high-speed stability.
The roof receives a functional intake, feeding cooler air towards the engine while reinforcing the car’s visual connection with McLaren’s competition machinery.
At the rear, the active wing grows significantly in size and works alongside a completely redesigned diffuser inspired by Formula 1 underbody aerodynamics.
The objective is not visual theatre.
It is measurable aerodynamic efficiency.
Every surface contributes to greater stability, improved cooling or reduced lift at high speed.
Lighter Than Ever
McLaren’s obsession with weight reduction continues throughout the 788HS.
Dry weight falls to approximately 1,265 kilograms, thanks to extensive use of exposed carbon fibre, a lightweight carbon centre console, fixed-back racing seats and numerous detail refinements throughout the chassis.
One particularly notable innovation is the introduction of centre-lock wheels, appearing for the first time on a production Super Series model.
Borrowed directly from motorsport, they reduce unsprung mass while strengthening the visual connection between the 788HS and McLaren’s racing heritage.
A Driver-Focused Interior
The cabin remains unmistakably McLaren.
Minimalist.
Purposeful.
Entirely centred around the driver.
Carbon fibre dominates the interior architecture, while unique HS detailing, bespoke trim elements and a numbered production plaque remind occupants that this is far more than another 750S derivative.
Customers can further personalise the car through McLaren’s bespoke options, including an exterior finished almost entirely in visible carbon fibre.
It is a cockpit designed to eliminate distractions and celebrate the fundamentals of driving.
Exclusivity by Design
Production is strictly limited to 200 cars, evenly divided between 100 Coupés and 100 Spiders.
That rarity immediately places the 788HS among the most exclusive McLaren road cars of the modern era.
More importantly, it ensures that this final chapter of the Super Series remains every bit as special as the cars that inspired it.
It is a fitting conclusion to a family that has helped define McLaren Automotive for almost a decade.
Closing an Extraordinary Era
The Super Series fundamentally reshaped McLaren’s identity.
The 720S redefined expectations for lightweight performance.
The 765LT demonstrated just how focused a modern road car could become.
The 750S refined the concept into one of the most complete supercars on sale.
The 788HS brings those achievements together.
It is faster.
Sharper.
More exclusive.
But above all, it serves as a celebration of a philosophy that placed engineering above excess and driver engagement above spectacle.
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The Last Great V8 Super Series
Every manufacturer eventually reaches the point where one generation gives way to the next.
The McLaren 788HS embraces that moment rather than avoiding it.
It does not attempt to reinvent the Super Series.
Instead, it perfects it.
As McLaren prepares for a new era of technology and electrification, the 788HS stands as a reminder of everything the company’s V8-powered supercars have achieved over the past decade.
It is not simply the most extreme Super Series McLaren ever built.
It is the final chapter of one of the most important generations in the marque’s modern history.