Old-school speed demons will recognize the McLaren F1 as the fastest production car from 1992 to 2005.
It took something as absurd as the Bugatti Veyron to take the title from this British beast.
Besides its frankly overpowered 6.1L engine (with a staggering output of 618hp), the F1 shines for its aerodynamic design and futuristic outlook.
The way the driver sits in the middle of the cockpit with space for two passengers behind him reminds me of a sci-fi spaceship. Maybe this could be a good car for undercover aliens?
You can still see vestiges of the McLaren F1 in the more modern McLaren 12C, but the years brought smoother edges, more aggressive air intakes – and, regrettably, no more spaceship cockpit.
The 12C gets its name from its 100% composite carbon fiber chassis, which heavily reduces the car’s weight. This helps the 3.8L twin-turbocharged V8 engine’s 592hp propel the car to 345kph with ease.
Design-wise, the 12C looks more juvenile and feminine than the F1.
It’s a curvy, sexy car any fun-loving sim would love to have in the garage.
After the technical success of the McLaren 12C, the British sports car manufacturer took the carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer chassis and built a new car around it.
The McLaren 650S shares 75% of its parts with the 12C, so you can think about it as a successor.
By far, my favorite change is the remodeled front fascia. The entire car has a more stylish and creative design than the 12C, but the front fascia is the most eye-catching new idea.
Get this for any Sim who can afford it! This car is just gorgeous, and anyone would like to pilot it.
For the 720S, McLaren opted for a futuristic sporty design that takes inspiration from the McLaren F1.
Its teardrop-shaped cockpit is distinctive, and its twin-hinged butterfly doors are the picture of luxury.
These bold design decisions earned this British supercar the title of Most Beautiful Supercar of 2017 from the International Automobile Festival in Paris. It has garnered just as much recognition for its remarkable performance on the track.
With a max speed approaching 342kph and assisted drifting technology, the McLaren 720S is what any gearhead Sim wants to find under the tree on Christmas morning.
Even among McLaren supercars, there are hierarchies.
At the top of the pyramid is the McLaren Ultimate Series, a group of vehicles that represent the company’s highest technological and aesthetic achievements.
The latest addition to this prestigious pantheon was the McLaren Senna, an open-top sports car that finds its roots in open-top racers from the 1960s.
It’s impossibly light and swift.
James Bond would be happy to drive this elegant powerhouse.
Another member of the McLaren Ultimate Series you can’t overlook is the McLaren Senna.
Like the newer Elva, the Senna was designed to be as lightweight as possible. To achieve this, designers at McLaren took the already light 720S and made a bunch of aerodynamic adjustments that made the car look downright futuristic.
If I had to compare the Senna with another supercar in terms of visual impact, it would be the Lamborghini Centenario.
They share aggressive angles and numerous air intakes, and they both look as if they’re about to take off and fly out into space.
The Senna is simply sublime.
And your gearhead Sims will go nuts when they find this in the garage.
Nelson Chitty is a Venezuelan expat living in Argentina. He’s a writer and translator passionate about history and foreign cultures. His ideal weekend is spent between leisurely playing games of Civilization VI and looking for the next seinen anime to marathon.
