McLaren Sabre Makes Surprise Debut, Surpasses Senna With 824 HP

Recent spy shots and leaked images suggested the McLaren Sabre was on the cusp of a reveal. However, we didn't expect to see it like this. The hypercar is revealed, though the word comes to us not from McLaren, but through the automaker's Beverly Hills dealership. There's still quite a bit we don't know, and it's likely to stay that way since McLaren considers the Sabre a customer-commissioned machine. More on that in a bit.

For now, here's the Sabre in all its winged glory and the surprises extend beyond the unorthodox reveal. Rumors pointed to the Sabre wielding a hybrid powertrain packing over 1,000 horsepower, but that's not the case. It's pure internal-combustion, using a twin-turbocharged V8 that we assume is the familiar 4.0-liter mill. The press release doesn't offer specifics on the engine, other than it produces 824 hp (606 kilowatts) and 590 pound-feet (800 Newton-meters) of torque.

It's the most powerful non-hybrid V8 to ever come from McLaren, and it sends the Sabre to a top speed of 218 mph. Incidentally, that makes the Sabre the fastest McLaren two-seater to ever come from Woking, and before you jump into the comments to say Speedtail or F1, lest you forget those cars have three seats. Yes, it's a technicality, but the Sabre is still seriously fast.

It's also seriously exclusive. A product of the automaker's MSO group, there are just 15 planned for production. Furthermore, the car is designed exclusively for the US market with McLaren Beverly Hills stating its specific US focus for federal standards negates the car being offered globally. Sorry rest of the world, but if it's any consolation, the first customer car has already been delivered by – you guessed it – McLaren Beverly Hills.

McLaren Sabre by MSO is a customer-commissioned hypercar produced by McLaren Special Operations, the bespoke division of McLaren Automotive. There are just 15 examples, all designed for the US market and homologated to federal legislation.

Developed according to the MSO bespoke commission process, which sees designers and engineers at McLaren Special Operations working in close partnership with individual customers, each McLaren Sabre by MSO is unique.

The first McLaren Sabre by MSO is now in the hands of its owner in the United States and the remaining deliveries will take place in the coming months.

Reflecting the ultra-exclusive nature of MSO bespoke commissions, McLaren does not disclose detail of individual cars, the level of information publicly available being determined by customers.

It's unclear if all 15 are spoken for, and how much they cost. We will go out on a limb and simply say they're very expensive, and with just a handful being made, this could be the only time you see it.