The arrival of the "supercar" that combines "super" performance and ride comfort

I think the demand for supercars has changed a bit in recent years.
In the past, it was a powerful machine equipped with a large-displacement engine, and had a history of racing success behind it, including brilliant results in global competitions such as the F1 Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The technology developed there has been incorporated into supercars, which have "super" performance that is not possible with ordinary commercially available cars.
This resulted in a rough ride due to large vibrations and made the car difficult to handle. In the days of manual transmissions, careless operation could easily wear down the clutch plates, causing a number of problems.

However, modern supercars are different.
The ride is comfortable and there are no complicated handling issues.
The transmission is the latest dual-clutch, and the paddle shift makes it easy to change gears, and the computer automatically controls the blipping. When you're driving on a winding road with lots of corners, you'll be under the illusion that you've become a better driver.

The same goes for open-top cars.
In the past, cars with retractable roofs were avoided because they had low body rigidity, but the opposite is now true. They are more popular than coupe models and their resale value remains high. The reason behind this is technological advances.
Even with the top open, the body rigidity remains high and there is no visible warping. Similarly, the vehicle weight is within the acceptable range as the extreme weight increase due to reinforcement materials is reduced.
In other words, all negative aspects regarding driving performance have been eliminated.

In that case, the added value of having a roof that opens makes it even more attractive. The feeling of driving while feeling the wind is exceptional, and you can feel elegant. Even supercars don't always drive super fast.
If celebrities are heading to a resort, open-top vehicles are popular.

The birth of the next generation convertible sports car

Like the Ferrari we introduced last time, the McLaren 750S Spider we're introducing this time is also such a car.
It is a supercar that attracts the attention of celebrities around the world.
It had its world premiere in April 2023 along with the coupe as the successor to the 4S series. It is said that about 720% of the 720S's components have been renewed, making it a full-scale evolution.

The engine is a 4-liter V8 DOHC twin turbo, and the maximum output reaches 720ps (30S + 750ps). The number in the name is this value. The maximum torque is also 720Nm (30S + 800Nm). This number is one of the reasons why it is called a supercar.
Its main arena is the circuit, giving it a sense of the extraordinary. The same goes for its styling.
The wide and low midship layout is designed for fast driving. This unique form is a design unique to McLaren, and the high-positioned muffler also shows the attention to detail.

You might think that getting in and out of the car would be a struggle just because of its styling, but that's not the case. After getting in and out of the car a few times, you'll get the hang of it.
Also, the flip-up tee-doors are not scary once you get used to them. The dampers are just soft enough that you can pull them to the closed position with very little force. Very smoothly.
It would be cool if you could operate this door with familiarity.

The retractable hardtop is operated by a switch on the center console. It can be operated while driving at speeds of up to 50 km/h, which is convenient. Even if it suddenly rains, you don't have to search for a wide shoulder to stop the car. Rather, it is designed to minimize wind entrainment, so your hair won't get messed up.
This "super" styling and the fact that you can enjoy a comfortable open-top drive are likely the reasons why open-top supercars are becoming increasingly popular.
If you mess up the hair of the lady sitting in the passenger seat even once, you won't be allowed to ride with her again.

So, this time we'll take a look at supercar trends using the McLaren 750S Spider as an example.
This is a trend that is difficult to grasp because it is a model in a special field, but it is worth knowing about.
This is because racing cars are said to be "running laboratories" that give birth to new technologies. These technologies then spread to commercial vehicles. Surely, supercars are somewhere in between.
Moreover, McLaren has a long history and a proven track record as a racing constructor, so the technology they use and the trends they create must be genuine.

Tatsuya Kushima

Motor journalist and columnist. Currently, he is the media site editor-in-chief and media business producer for the surfing magazine "NALU." She has previously served as editor-in-chief of many men's magazines, golf magazines, car magazines, airline in-flight magazines, etc. In addition to media activities, he is a member of the Japan Car of the Year selection committee, a member of the Japan Cigar Association, a Japan Boat of the Year selection committee, and the creative director of men's golf wear ``The Duke's Golf.''