Video: McLaren's greatest game-changers from road and racing

18th August 2017

Ethan Jupp

If we were to suggest that McLaren might be the marque whose racing and road car manufacturing endeavours are the most inseparable in terms of their uncompromising dedication to changing the game, would we meet much resistance? Probably not.

McLaren changed the motoring world in 1992 when it unleashed the F1. This was a no-compromise road car that combined a revolutionary three-seat layout, devastating record-breaking speed and unprecedented levels of detail and quality in its design and engineering. Then this fundamentally road-focused super-sportscar donned some aero addenda and won Le Mans first time out.

Think this was a one off? McLaren’s first foray into series production sportscars left the industry scratching its head and picking up the tracing paper in a bid to achieve the levels of power and efficiency that their twin-turbocharged V8 unit afforded the 12C. As has been the subject of much debate among enthusiasts, the world of performance cars hasn’t been the same since… All this and more in McLaren’s comparatively limited experience on the road and they’re only at it again with the 720S. This dedication to moving the game on is an unashamed carry-over from much more familiar turf: racing. They know it, too and they're proud. As well they should be.