McLaren Sabre: McLaren’s most powerful non-hybrid V8 yet – but only for the USA

The McLaren Sabre is revealed as McLaren’s most powerful non-hybrid V8 yet, with 824bhp and just 15 cars built for the US market.

McLaren have been digging down the back of the sofa for a few bob lately to address the Covid-shaped hole in their finances, so a limited run of daftly-priced cars is a good move to bring in a bit of extra revenue. So say hello to the new McLaren Sabre.

Borrowing an historic name from Reliant as McLaren moves from numbers to words for its cars, the Sabre (perhaps McLaren are lining up the Cutlass, Broadsword, Rapier and more for future models?) is the most powerful non-hybrid V8 McLaren to date with 824bhp and a top speed of 218mph, making it the fastest two-seat McLaren too (the F1 and Speedtail are three-seaters).

Just 15 Sabres are being built, each already sold to customers of McLaren Beverly Hills (where else?), by McLaren’s MSO, and with the cars only needing homologation for the US there was a bit more freedom to be a bit extreme, especially, it would appear, with the ‘Areo’.

There’s an LMP-like fin, a big rear diffuser and a three-slat wing as the standouts in what looks like the love child of a Senna and Longtail, and the development and look have all been heavily influenced by the buyers.

How much is the McLaren Sabre? McLaren aren’t saying, although it will be seven figures, but with all 15 sold why should they?