09:37 09-07-2026
McLaren 788HS: 777 hp, huge rear wing and a farewell to the pure V8 era
McLaren MSO reveals the 788HS on July 9, 2026: 777 hp from a twin-turbo V8, dry weight around 1,250 kg, carbon body, fixed rear wing. Just 200 cars planned.
McLaren 788HS is interesting not just for its power figure but for its timing. While the supercar industry drifts toward hybrids, the British brand is preparing an almost farewell road-going project of the 7xx family: a naturally combustion V8, minimum surplus weight, carbon and a huge rear wing instead of neat aerodynamic restraint.
According to 32CARS, the 788HS reveal is scheduled for July 9, 2026 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The 788 index refers to output in metric horsepower, which translates to 777 hp on the American scale. The HS suffix stands for High Sport and points back to rare McLaren Special Operations projects: first the MP4-12C High Sport, then in 2016 the MSO HS based on the 675LT with the internal code 688HS.
The new model is expected to build on the 765LT and, most likely, become the final loud car on this platform before an electrified successor. Teasers show large carbon elements, a central quad-exit exhaust in the LT vein, a roof scoop and a fixed rear wing. That package sits closer to the track-focused High Downforce Kit than to the regular road-going 750S.
Rumor has it McLaren will build about 200 units of the 788HS in Coupe and Spider bodies — 100 cars of each. The expected starting price is roughly $600,000. Dry weight could land at around 1,250 kg: for comparison, the 750S is quoted at 1,277 kg and the 765LT at 1,229 kg.
The main story here is not the numbers but the positioning. The Ferrari 296 GTB and the Lamborghini Temerario already play the hybrid-efficiency game, while the McLaren 788HS bets on the old formula: little mass, plenty of air, plenty of V8 and a direct link to the track. This is not a universal supercar for everyday driving but a collector-grade version for those who want the last truly “analog” McLaren before a new era.
On the global collector market, cars like this rarely serve as daily transport — they live in private garages as assets. Ownership adds its own weight: carbon components, active aerodynamics, rare body parts and a limited run make any repair slow and expensive. On the used market, final pure-combustion versions tend to hold value better than regular variants.
The 788HS looks less like another special edition built for the stickers and more like McLaren’s attempt to close the chapter on style, while a naturally aspirated—sorry, twin-turbocharged—V8 still speaks louder than any marketing line.