Even though the McLaren Senna was a monster, it was unattractive. The company hopes to improve the appearance of its upcoming hypercar.
The McLaren Senna is one example of how the requirements of aerodynamic efficiency and aesthetically pleasing design aren’t always perfectly aligned. The hypercar’s looks was just as surprising as its performance on the track, which demonstrated its astonishing effectiveness. The manufacturer has learned its mistake, though, and is promising a more aesthetically pleasing next hypercar.
Code-named the P18, McLaren’s future hypercar is scheduled to arrive in the United States in the latter part of 2026. When it arrives, it will have technologies inspired by Formula One, bodywork designed by Tobias Suhlmann, McLaren’s new designer,
According to Autonews, these and other details were disclosed on April 16 at a merchants’ gathering in Las Vegas.
Modern aerodynamic design will be included in the P18, whose body was refined in McLaren’s recently constructed wind tunnel. This will include an active splitter below the “eye-socket” headlights that can open and close to minimise drag, floating fenders to improve airflow around the car, and a sizable air scoop above the C-pillar. This scoop lets the driver hear the V8 engine that will power the vehicle and draws cool air into the engine compartment.
A large carbon fibre diffuser that covers the whole width of the hypercar’s back end will also be added. Dealers who were given images of the P18 before its release have described the mechanism of the active rear wing, which is reminiscent of the McLaren P1, as “jewelry-like.” The aero element will be located beneath the dual titanium exhaust pipes.
McLaren is putting a lot of effort into making sure the design stays unified despite all of those amazing aerodynamic design components. A dealer told the publication, “The [P18] has a hell of a lot of prettier features, but it has a lot of the Senna’s technical aspects as well.” The hypercar will also have top-mounted gullwing doors instead of the brand’s iconic butterfly doors.
Although McLaren will produce just 400 examples of the hypercar, it will be an important model for the brand. The new V8 engine will power future models, and the P18’s design language will be applied to future vehicles, including the four-door model that the brand is considering.
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