The McLaren 788HS Closes Out an Eight-Year Platform With 777 HP and Its Best Power-to-Weight Ratio Yet

McLaren revealed the Goodwood Festival of Speed its answer to nearly two years of silence: the McLaren 788HS, described by the brand as the definitive and final evolution of the platform that began with the 720S in 2017. The McLaren 788HS closes out a lineage that ran through the 765LT and the 750S — and it does it with 777 hp, the highest power-to-weight ratio the series has ever produced, and a name that finally borrows the High Sport badge McLaren has used only twice before.

777 HP and the Best Power-to-Weight Ratio in the Series

The McLaren 788HS runs the familiar twin-turbo 4.0-liter M840T V8, now tuned to 777 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque — 37 hp more than the 750S and 22 hp more than the 765LT. Engine mount calibration is specific to this car, tuned for what McLaren calls heightened engagement between powertrain and driver without sacrificing long-distance usability.

Dry weight comes in at 1,265 kg (2,789 lbs), giving the McLaren 788HS a power-to-weight ratio of 614 hp per metric ton — the best the series has ever recorded. Zero to 62 mph takes 2.8 seconds, a tenth slower than the 765LT due to the added aero, but 124 mph arrives in 7.0 seconds flat, a couple tenths quicker. Top speed lands at 205 mph.

The aero package generates roughly 10% more downforce than the 765LT — measured, McLaren notes, in an F1 wind tunnel rather than simply claimed. A new S-duct hood inhales air through the front fascia, an F1-derived rear diffuser and a raised active rear wing replace the previously flush airbrake, and a redesigned front splitter drops the nose 0.2 inches lower than a 750S.

Carbon-ceramic brakes borrowed from the Senna, with six-piston forged aluminum front calipers and integrated cooling, bring it all back down. This is also the first car in the series to run center-lock wheels, with an optional “super lightweight” wheel for buyers chasing every last gram. A quad-exit titanium exhaust handles the soundtrack, engineered specifically to sound more intense across the rev range.

Only 200 Cars, and No Two Alike

Production is capped at 200 examples worldwide, split evenly between 100 Coupes and 100 Spiders — the Coupe holds the lighter weight and better ratio for buyers chasing pure numbers. Every McLaren 788HS passes through McLaren Special Operations, meaning bespoke paint, materials, and accent options are effectively limitless; buyers can option a full carbon-fiber body, and MSO involvement means no two cars are likely to leave Woking looking the same. Baseline pricing hasn’t been officially confirmed for the U.S. market, though early estimates put it north of $600,000 — well above the 750S’s $365,000 starting point.

McLaren hasn’t revealed a new car since the W1 debuted in October 2024, and the McLaren 788HS arrives as the company undergoes a major restructuring backed by £1.5 billion in fresh investment — more hybrids, an SUV-shaped model reportedly on the table, and CEO Nick Collins promising more details on the brand’s next chapter later this summer. Closing out an eight-year platform with its most powerful, most bespoke, best-balanced version yet is a deliberate way to end a chapter. What McLaren builds next is the more interesting question, and it’s coming soon.

About The Author

Allan Lane

Philadelphia born and bred, Allan Lane is the Publisher and Editor in Chief of digital magazines. He launched his first publication, SportBikes Inc Magazine in 2010, followed by dosage MAGAZINE in 2019. Recently, Allan launched his third online publication, Club For Man. As a journalist, Allan covers fashion, lifestyle, culture, art, and motorcycles.

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