You are correct, I have not driven a Senna and definitely need to do so. I have a friend that has a Senna and he agrees with you about the engine being bolted to the Chassis and the vibration transferring through to your sensors. I have had a number of Turbo charged cars and still have 3 x of them now and the more I drive them the less I really enjoy them. I personally just enjoy the feel of the linear power delivery of certain cars. Especially when pushing hard through corners this is when a NA car is so much fun. For that reason a 288 GTO does not interest me, I know this may sound strange, however it is just what I prefer. Then we move over to the looks department and the TDF is gorgeous as is the Pista, F40 and 288GTO. The Senna definitely could have been prettier and if it was, I think it would sell for more…. Just a thought there. May the Horse be with you
The Senna is so ugly that it becomes good looking as the years goes by. I remember seeing the first picture of the Senna launched at Mclaren headquarter 3 years ago and I thought "Damn, did Mclaren hire Lego to design their cars now?!" Strange as time passes by, the Senna's design language starts to makes sense in my eyes. Still, it will never win any beauty contest. But then if you look at any of the Leman prototype cars that were designed in the last 10 years, none of them are pretty either. I think the last pretty LMP1 cars were designed in the late 90s (eg. Porsche GT1, Mercedes CLK GTR). I had a Pista and sold it very quickly afterwards. The engine characteristic from the Pista just wasn't fun and engaging. The same can be said about a lot of turbo charged cars over the years. But some turbo engine cars like the F40, P1 and the Senna, are really engaging to drive. Having said that, you need a CGT and 911R in your garage, but the Laferrari needs to come first
I was at the McLaren Winter Ball when the Senna launched. I was mortified by what I saw cruising around the lake towards us and eventually parking at my feet inside the MTC. It was not what I expected. My appreciation for the car and its design changed after spending time with it the following day and also having a chance to talk to Robert Melville (Design Director) over dinner. It took a while for my eyes to adapt to it but it's now one of my favourite cars in the garage visually. It's so wild and unique. My Countach is currently parked next to it and looks pedestrian by comparison.
I concur with your characterization of these cars. Certainly, the Senna is more visceral and spine-tingling than the F12tdf. The F50, especially when driven properly, still outshines both the Senna and the F12tdf in terms of rawness and general Armageddon-ness. However, I must point out that the Senna's engine is not bolted directly to the tub as it is in the F50. In the F50, the engine is indeed bolted to the carbon bulkhead. The gearbox is bolted to the engine. The suspension pick up points are on the gearbox. Some light-duty rods and trellises hold the rear bodywork and the exhaust mufflers, but there is no rear frame. For a road-going combustion-engined car, this rare and extreme setup is a big factor in making the F50's experience utterly scintillating. In the Senna, there are aluminum subframes at both front and rear. The powertrain and suspension components are mounted on these subframes. Some contributors to the Senna's rawness are the stiff engine mounts, the general lack of insulation, the double-walled rear carbon structure that sort of amplifies engine bay noises, the extreme focus on lightweightness, the calibration of the fancy hydraulic suspension system (RaceActive Chassis Control II), and the visibility from the cockpit (including through the doors). In other words, yes, the Senna is a breathtaking car to drive, but its powertrain and suspension installation is "conventional" compared to the F50.
Yup, you are absolutely spot on, I stand corrected! What I love about the Senna is the vibration you feel directly on the steering wheel as the engine revs up. Of all the cars I have driven and owned, I can count with one hand on the number of cars that does this
Couldn't agree more. It's like a full-body "massage" with the powertrain being the masseuse! The F50 does this too. In many ways, the Senna is akin to a modern take on the F40 by McLaren. There will be nothing quite like it.
CGT? I’ve always felt so connected to the carbon tub of the CGT and similarly felt the vibrations and chatter of the clutch, mesmerizing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I agree the Senna has become more purposeful and better looking as the years have rolled on. And they are very spec dependent too. For the Pista I am thinking that a full exhaust system may completely change the experience. I totally love the technical ability of the Pista, I just don’t enjoy the noise especially after the TDF. Yes a LaF is going to give me that full noise and fun of a mid engined car on roads and track. Finding one at the moment is hard…. The minute the stick market tanks and interest rates go up, they are going to drop in price. I am just trying to manage my emotions at the moment with my head. CGT + 911R does sound like a nice pairing, however so more than likely buy a 911 R or Speciale in Switzerland early next years for my Europe road trips. Why can’t the market be where it was 12 months ago!!! BTW - When are we going for a drive in the Senna? May the Horse be with you
Own CGT agree but both offer like vibrations and even more so in Senna. Had two front engine V12's and ordered 812GTS to enjoy the V12 CGT Senna few other world class drivers cars, but Senna holds and breaks track records years later. Senna CGT Halo true cars that did not represent the companies future but went back in time to produce the pure bespoke driver. Mclaren went on to donate a portion of Senna's sale to the foundation, class act.
The looks are growing on me….. I checked this one out today. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login May the Horse be with you
Wished I could afford the one in the back, but I had to settle for the one in the front. This was my car at at the factory after production was completed. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Just to add some more context. This is why I would steer clear of the Senna...... This car sold with less than 1000 miles on the clock. Check out the service history for a car that has basically just left the factory. https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2019-mclaren-senna-1
And what's the concern? Most of the items listed in that service history seem to be a result of the owner having tracked the car. Track driving was the charter of the Senna, so as long as the owner takes care of all the resultant wear and tear, all is good. As for the recall campaign, it was deemed necessary by McLaren when a Senna or two caught fire. It's not the first time this sort of thing has happened to a car, nor is McLaren the first manufacturer to have to deal with something like this. As long as it's sorted out properly, it's fine. In fact, the foam removal had a positive side effect given the Senna's character: the car became even more visceral than before.
Personally, none at all as I would never be in that position. If as a Senna owner you are saying that for you, this is an acceptable part of ownership, then it's all good. Presumably, the owner of that car was not given that it was sold on an auction site for close to the sticker.
What I'm saying, without presuming, is that if you use a car, it costs resources (time and money) to keep it healthy. If you do not use a car, it still costs resources—often even more than when you do use it—to keep it healthy. This is just how real life (and physics) works, and therefore it shouldn't be surprising or unacceptable.
Based on this information, the only item that is a warranty item is the rear wing bushing. The tires, brake pads, brake fluids, and other items are from track work and annual service. Are you inferring that if a Ferrari was tracked hard that it wouldn't need brake pads or tires? Wow, because that would be a game changer! So what am I missing here? I know personally of 3 LaFerrari that had their batteries replaced with less than 800 miles on the odometer. So I guess we should all stay away from LaFerrari then. Or F40 for that matter because it needs a fuel bladder every couple of years simply from sitting in the garage.
Nothing and to be honest I wasn't inferring anything at all. My post with that example that sold at auction was way too vague. What I should have said was that I would never buy any McLaren because of what I believe to be unacceptable unreliability and depreciation numbers, they're just not for me and I have looked and driven plenty. But of course, if I was able to own a Senna as a track toy then absolutely I would love one, after I buy a TDF.
Entitled to your thought but just not true. Own Ferrari's track race capable machines, slower than Mac but still fast until lightning Senna. One doesn't have to put down a car to make another better, very few will ever know a Senna but make statements like yours. Ugly V8 unreliable depreciate Mac could not be further from the truth, fast reliable lightweight visceral does not compete with a modern Ferrari that is truth. Long term the Senna again will be highly desirable and recall at one point they were selling at auction near 2M.
With all due respect, this imo is turning into a ridiculous and fantasist broadcast. Boundaries and braindump..... 1 - Someone asked on a Ferrari forum which would you prefer a TDF or Senna. Seriously, could you have found a more passionate supercar fanbase to ask that contentious question to? 2 - Beauty is obviously in the eye of the beholder that is abundantly clear. 3 - The Senna has been compared to an F40 a number of times....modern F40 etc. IMO, it doesn't even come close. When the F40/959 came out they were imo in terms of advancement eons above their contemporaries. The Senna is just a technical evolution of the McLaren mould and will never reach that level of desirability. Now to the 2 things I said which apparently aren't true. 1 - Depreciation. Senna sales factual examples - https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2019-mclaren-senna - Sold £550k https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2018-mclaren-senna-1 - Sold £520k https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2018-mclaren-senna - Sold £600k What I am hearing from owners is that the smart money realised this early 2021 and have started to let them go. You actually believe they are going to get to 2m? This may be part of the reason that 3 of them have been sold on CC auctions as opposed to dealers. Not one TDF has gone through that site. 2 - Reliability. I have been in and out of McLarens since the MP4. I don't think I really need to go down the route of the more reliable brand do I? I get it, a lot of people jumped on a bandwagon thinking that the Senna was going to the next P1. Market has spoken.....it's not
Also had an MP4 and no issues add Mac gave 30 hp bump for free. Owning Ferrar's and Macs lost more dollars on Ferrari's than Mac's not even close. Where you really fail to the gutter is buying into Ferrari, limited editions requires one to own 4 - 5 and always ordering new ones. Add that cost to the tdf vs what you lost on a Mclaren, it won't pencil well but you seem intent on making a stand, even if it's not true. US market is not the EU market where the Senna is 10% - 20% above msrp today. I was just offered 1.65m on my Senna and dd not sell it. Mac had some issues financially as they stabilized prices went back and in time will be the only lightweight track performance car maker Senna the peak. I own Ferrari's have two on order, SF90 812GTS 4k lb.s per while Senna if Ferrari in like name form function would be 2 3m. Today Ferrari and Porsche are building heavy GT's and for those want more out of their cars than appearance and sounds there is Senna. Why the dislike Mclaren to make Ferrari better is all to common and why I posted here. My guess is you buy with a mindset to not lose money, cars are not static displays but then some people collect unlicked stamps and it makes them happy. Buying selling are brief moments of ownership, it's about the days in-between.
I sometimes wonder how Ferrari collectors would have responded to the Senna if it had instead been made by Ferrari. Restyled headlights and twin round tail lights, Rosso Corsa paint and an upgraded Pista engine and I think many would have called it the second coming of the F40. The strange design would have been given a free pass in the name of downforce. Obviously we’ll never know but I do wish Ferrari had offered a direct Senna competitor before the dawn of the hybrid era.
people give more credibility to those that own across all Marques . Many of those exist on this car forum . your previous postings seem to state that your first super car purchase was this year and a 2014 ff with 27k miles ? And you are trying to talk louder and cherry picking over the guys posting on this thread who own Senna’s and tdf, Carrera gt’s, 918’s and p1’s? fwiw; I own a senna , p1 (and a number of other McLarens ) and had f12, pista, specials, etc (and they weren’t garage queens ) I’ve also been on track in my p1 chasing that senna that you posted at Willow springs (it was purchased at an auction that isn’t well known and bought by a re-seller and will be sold over msrp in the retail market ). Senna’s in USA are being sold over msrp in the retail market .
