It is over. Or at least, it is about to be.
The 750S is getting a replacement, a swansong if you will, from Special Operations. They call it the 788HS. High Sport. A name that sounds like a sneaker line until you remember it has nearly 800 horses under that bonnet.
This machine closes the book on a lineage that began in 2017 with the 720S. That was followed by the 765 LT, a car so good it beat just about everyone for “Best Driver’s Car” in 2020. Then came the 750S in 2024. Now this.
McLaren is changing too. They merged with Forseven, a British start-up, back in April 2025? The calendar seems a little loose there, but the shift is real. Woking is trying to get its house in order. Debt needs clearing. Quality control needs sharpening. Future plans? They promise those in the coming months. Promises are cheap. Cars are expensive.
The 788HS isn’t a minor tweak. It is a total strip-out of the 750S and a rebuild with aggression.
777bhp. That is the headline number. The twin-turbo 4.0-litre V eight is now the most potent version McLaren has ever stuffed into a mid-engined chassis. Remember, the 765 LT only hit 755bhp. This tops that. Torque hits 590 lb ft.
How do you get there?
Forged pistons. Yes, old school engineering meets new school power. They also gave it a new exhaust with four tailpipes. McLaren claims it adds “intensity.” You probably don’t need their word on that, the rev counter hitting 8500 rpm says enough. Engine mounts were tweaked too. Stiffer? Probably. You want feel, not comfort, at this level.
Weight is the enemy. The new bodywork is carbon fibre. It shaves off weight. Down to 1265 kg. That is 12 kg lighter than the 750 S.
Speed follows.
0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds. It ties with the 765 LT. No win there, but no loss. 0-124 mph in 7 seconds. Top speed 205 mph.
Is it better?
That is not really the point, is it? The point is it exists. A final burst of noise from an era ending. McLaren has other ideas now. Electric ones. Silent ones. Maybe.
This one just screams.
