2024 McLaren 750S First Drive: Even In The Rain, The Modern Magic Shines Through

"You're asking me about the weather?" Kristen Stewart depressingly asked Robert Pattinson in the first Twilight movie. How passé, indeed, but turns out weather becomes a serious subject of conversation when discussing a day out ripping through the desert in a 740-horsepower rear-wheel-drive supercar. That figure steps up modestly from the 710 horsepower of a 720S, made possible by lightweight pistons, dual fuel pumps, higher cylinder pressures, and more boost.

But despite the similarities to a 720S, McLaren reps on hand described the 750S as fully 30% new. Much of the update focused on weight savings, achieved in large part by installing the lightest wheels ever built for a series-production McLaren, as well as optional bucket seats that weigh 38.6 pounds less—each—than the base seats on a 720S. A lightened hood, wing, and exhaust system also slash a few more pounds, resulting in a lowest dry weight of 2,815 pounds for the 750S coupe and just 2,923 pounds for the droptop Spider.

Michael Teo Van Runkle/SlashGear

The presentation before any of the media members received 750S keys in hand also hinted at a tighter steering rack, a new brake booster and vacuum pump to improve pedal feel on track and at elevation, all the way to engine mounts that McLaren tuned to enhance the sensation of firing up and dynamic driving while reducing vibrations during sedate cruising. The front track measures 6 millimeters wider, the front-axle lift system now works in four seconds with the touch of one button, a 0-60 run takes 2.7 seconds... But that's in the dry—throughout the whole spiel, everyone just wanted to know when the rain might stop.

Getting up to those speeds required first leaving Las Vegas, though, on already rough roads made even rougher by the recent weather. Everyone knows—or should know—about how McLaren's hydro-linked suspension architecture prevents body roll during performance driving without requiring sway bars. But programming a Comfort mode for the Handling settings on the 750S takes that concept to new levels of truly enjoyable cruising. The system now absorbs bumps and potholes without transferring every jolt and jounce into seat bottoms and armrests, despite a set of low-profile Pirelli P-Zero tires mounted on 19 front and 20-inch rear wheels measuring 245 and 305 millimeters wide, respectively.

Washed-out portions of road caused those tires to occasionally produce the racecar clattering of pebbles and dirt sprayed up into the carbon fiber chassis. And the day proved less than ideal for letting the Spider hardtop back, but the tiny rear window rolled down a crack let in much more than hints of engine noise without too many raindrops joining the party. Even with the powertrain set to Comfort, which reduces throttle response and tones back transaxle behavior, the sounds of spooling turbos and runoff burbles crept in as a method for coping with the otherwise dreary drive.

But quick hits of countersteering don't necessarily do the 750S justice. Instead, while rolling through the wavy desert with dampers at full firm, engine spun up near the 8,250-rpm redline, and rain coursing backward on the windshield without requiring wipers, this supercar found a flow almost immediately despite the moist surfaces and repeatedly pulling over onto dirt shoulders hoping to sneak in a moment's respite from the raindrops to snap a few pics.

Michael Teo Van Runkle/SlashGear

The 750S gets a set of springs that weigh less than those used on the 720S, but also with a 3% softer nose and 4% stiffer rear setup that brilliantly enhances the ability to shift weight onto the front tires. Soft suspension often serves supercars well, though. Just look at the Huracan Sterrato! For the 750S, only the weirdest sections of heat expansion caused moments of rafting where real sway bars may have managed better. But otherwise, the hours of midday simply flew by, blipping and snarling at downshifts, braking hard with either left or right foot, and then hauling the steering wheel through corners.

Weather prevented anyone from trying out the Spider's retracting roof, the nifty rolling burnout feature, or launch control over the course of the day. And nobody truly felt the aero gains of the 750S's revised bodywork, either, even while watching the active rear wing flip up at every quick chop of throttle or braking. "No comment" should be the official response when anyone asks about top speeds achieved on public roads that day.

But as much as a new McLaren deserves its day in the sun, this wet ride showed exactly how much trust this newly modernized supercar can handle. McLaren always seemed akin to Lotus, in certain regards, just MORE—more of everything, with all caps. Firmer-than-firm brakes, so unique and racy, plus steering almost as close to unassisted as possible, always set McLarens apart from the competition. The 750S arrives in much more malleable form, thanks to updates to brake boosting and steering assist and drive modes, but at what cost? Similar to the new Lotus Emira, increased approachability comes at the risk of diminishing some of the radical edge that makes supercars so enthralling.

Michael Teo Van Runkle/SlashGear

Pricing for the 750S coupe starts at $324,000 and a Spider runs about 20 grand more. And rest assured that McLaren will always keep building more expensive, more aggressive LT models for the speed freaks willing to sacrifice comfort in the name of hardcore performance. For now, the 750S delivers a solid statement from Woking about the advantages that modern tech affords supercar manufacturers aiming to attract a broader swath of potential customers. More sales means more money means more racing means more models means, simply put, more McLaren, something every supercar enthusiast—regardless of buying power—can agree the world definitely needs.