Elite Traveler Summer 2024

elite traveler SUMMER 2024 79

MCLAREN 750S McLaren took the supercar world by storm with the 720S in 2017, and now the supremely capable sprinter receives a stellar upgrade for model year 2024. Design cues on the exterior that hint at big changes beneath the skin run from a smoothed-over nose to tidier side aero lines and buttressed engine air intakes fl owing back toward a uni fi edcentral exhaust port. Now known as the 750S, thanks to a not insigni fi cant bump up to 740 hp, the new model’s most important revisions make driving this supercar daily a much more realistic proposition. Softer springs in the front, improved brake pedal modulation, new steering gear and more sympathetic tuning of the hydraulic suspension system all help to tone down the formerly race car-esque McLaren experience. Until called upon, anyhow, because with the gas pedal fl oored, the 750S can still rip out a 0-60 mph sprint in just 2.7 seconds or dart around a racetrack with some of the greatest cars ever built. The new brake setup produces absolute con fi dence while approaching a corner, and putting only slight muscle into the revised steering starts to haul the 750S through apex, where the mid-engined layout truly shows its worth. Then, easing back into throttle brings the rear tires to life, exhaust crackling and popping as the twin-turbo V8 rears up towards redline, shifting through gears with surgical precision. Few cars of any era have ever managed to achieve such sublime levels of subtle engagement, much less within the con fi nes of a modern convertible that marks a major step up in terms of creature comforts. Best of all, McLaren again worked the typical weight saving magic that made the fi rm’s Formula 1 team legendary inthe fi rst place, so opting for a 750S Spider equipped with a retractable hardtop only adds 108 lbs to the svelte supercar’s curb weight. The top can retract in just 11 seconds, at speeds of up to 31 mph, and for those inevitable drives when the weather turns sour, the 750S also features a small rear window that can roll down to prevent water or snow intrusion while allowing the spellbinding exhaust roar and rush of spooling turbos to echo through the modernized cockpit. McLaren 750S Spider from $345,000, mclaren.com

Design cues on the exterior that hint at big changes beneath the skin run fr om a smoothed-over nose to tidier side aero lines and buttressed engine air intakes fl owing back toward a uni fi ed central exhaust port