The McLaren Sabre is a 15-car, US-homologated MSO commission—not a regular-production McLaren. It pairs an 824-bhp twin-turbo V8 and a reported 218-mph claimed top speed with customer-specific design and a road-oriented setup related to the Senna. Historical press estimates put its price at roughly $4 million, but that is not a McLaren-published MSRP or a current market value.
What the McLaren Sabre is
McLaren Special Operations (MSO) developed the Sabre with customers, who contributed feedback during development and personalized their cars. McLaren Beverly Hills described the project as a collaboration between customers and MSO designers and engineers, with all 15 examples individually commissioned. McLaren Beverly Hills’ announcement describes the first delivery and the bespoke process.
The production run was limited to 15 cars and homologated exclusively for the US market. McLaren’s Q1 2021 investor presentation said deliveries began in Q4 2020: 12 cars had been delivered by the end of March 2021, with the remaining three then due by September 2021. McLaren’s Sabre model page provides manufacturer context; the delivery figures are from the Q1 2021 results presentation.
McLaren Sabre specifications and reported performance
| Item | Reported figure or description | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 | Reported by Car and Driver in 2020. |
| Power | 824 bhp | McLaren Beverly Hills announcement, 2020; Car and Driver reports 824 horsepower. |
| Torque | 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) | 800 Nm in the dealer announcement; 590 lb-ft in Car and Driver’s report. |
| Maximum speed | 351 km/h (claimed 218 mph) | Manufacturer-dealer announcement and Car and Driver report; not an independently verified speed record. |
| Production | 15 examples | McLaren Q1 2021 investor presentation. |
| Market homologation | US only | McLaren Q1 2021 investor presentation. |
The power, torque and speed figures were reported by McLaren Beverly Hills and Car and Driver. Treat the top speed as a claim, not a result established by an independent test.
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Design and road-test review
Car and Driver’s 2021 road test says the Sabre shares the Senna’s greenhouse—the cabin’s glasshouse and roofline—but has more than 70 percent unique parts. Its dramatic bodywork includes a dorsal fin and a large fixed rear wing. The design reflects a customer brief for a car with show-car presence that could still be driven on the road.
The road test characterizes the Sabre as more compliant than other Ultimate Series cars, with about one-third the Senna’s downforce. The rear wing is fixed rather than an air brake; an active diffuser shifts between low-drag and downforce modes. These are observations from the publication’s test, not a complete factory specification sheet.
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At Lime Rock Park, Car and Driver’s writer reported reaching 155 mph at the braking zone on the short straight and described the car as fast and demanding under heavy braking. That is a first-drive account, not an instrumented performance test. MSO global sales manager Neil Underwood described its design brief to the magazine as “a show car for the road.” Read the Car and Driver road test for the publication’s full driving impressions.
How the Sabre compares with the Senna
The Senna is the clearest reference point in the available reporting, but the cars should not be treated as direct equivalents: the Sabre is a 15-car customer-specific commission, and the cited sources do not offer a comprehensive like-for-like specification comparison.
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| Comparison | McLaren Sabre | McLaren Senna |
|---|---|---|
| Production and commissioning | 15 US-homologated cars, personalized with customer involvement. | Not stated in the cited Sabre reports. |
| Parts and design | Shares the Senna greenhouse; Car and Driver reports more than 70 percent unique parts. | Used as the design reference for the shared greenhouse; a comparable unique-parts figure is not stated. |
| Road setup and downforce | Road test describes a more compliant suspension and about one-third of the Senna’s downforce. | Reference point for the downforce comparison; comparable suspension measurements are not stated. |
| Power and maximum speed | 824 bhp reported; claimed 351 km/h (218 mph). | Not stated in the cited Sabre reports. |
The contrast is less “Senna with different bodywork” than a bespoke, road-oriented interpretation built around a related cabin shape and a distinct aero and suspension character, according to Car and Driver’s road test.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.McLaren Sabre price: what the figures mean
There is no verified manufacturer-published MSRP or established current market value in the cited sources. Car and Driver wrote on December 22, 2020, that McLaren had not disclosed the price to the publication and called a figure well over $1 million likely. A July 20, 2021 photo-gallery caption later described the 15-car run as “about $4 million each.” Those are historical press statements with different levels of certainty—not a confirmed list price, a current asking price, or proof of what any car sold for.
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The available sources do not establish recent completed sales, live inventory, a median value, or an appreciation rate. A current valuation would require checking dated specialist listings and completed auction results for an individual car; the historical estimates alone cannot establish what a Sabre is worth now.
Photos and further reading
Car and Driver’s Sabre photo gallery features photographs by DW Burnett and captions on the car’s styling, personalization, and Senna connection. The gallery’s publication does not itself grant permission to reproduce its photographs.
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