McLaren Senna LM is rolling homage to iconic F1 LM, only five will be built

It’s not often that a supercar comes along that completely flips the script of what a proper performance icon should be. But that was indeed the case when the McLaren F1 did when it made its appearance in the 1990s. Not only did it disrupt a kingdom that was ruled by Ferrari and Lamborghini, but it also helped create a new generation of automotive enthusiasts who eagerly posted a picture of an F1 on their bedroom walls and dreamed (this author included.) The F1 also spawned a fire breathing LM variant in 1995 which paid homage to the race car that won the 24 hours of Le Mans race. It has been 25 years since that monumental victory, and two U.S. based McLaren dealers (with the help of MSO) decided to team up and pay homage with a special commission of Senna models.

Like the F1 LM, five Senna’s were chosen for the bespoke conversion, with each one receiving a suite of modifications to help them transform into truly distinct and performance honed vehicles. The 4.0 liter twin-turbocharged V8 sees a slight performance increase, with the horsepower being boosted to 814 raging ponies. That’s the same amount as the Senna GTR, and the tweaked powerplant even benefits from polished ports and cylinder heads. Meanwhile OZ aluminium wheels help create a very distinctive profile while satin gold exhaust tips and a 24 karat gold heat shield further cement the ties to the F1, and round out the mechanical changes quite nicely.

Specially modified bodywork is also equipped to all five cars, with the front fascia in particular featuring several new pieces of equipment to help it slice through the air better than other Sennas. Papaya Orange paint also makes its return, and the not only does it serve as a vivid reference to the company’s Can-Am racing cars of the 1960s, but the hue even extends into the interior, with the seat backs and even the center console being bathed in the retro hue. The seats also feature unique LM branding, and the pedals themselves are made out of specially honed titanium nitride.

If your looking to buy one of these for yourself, you will have to not only go on a road trip, but also act quickly as well. As mentioned, only five of these LM models are being built, with the production run being split between McLaren New Jersey and McLaren Orlando. Pricing information was not released, but it is known that a typical Senna starts at $1,million before any options and equipment are added to it. MSO also operates like the in house customization divisions that define other supercar makers (i.e Q for Aston Martin) and as a result, bespoke additions can easily cause the price to jump by quite a bit. But considering the clientele that this car is catered towards, we suspect that the price hike will do little to discourage them from signing on the dotted line.

Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.

Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.

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