The first ever Senna, #0001, a whisper over 1,000 miles from new, fresh major service and fully loaded with MSO parts. Does it get better than that?
LIVE AUCTION: This lot will be auctioned on Saturday 22nd February, 2025 at 2.00pm GMT at Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh Rd, Coventry, CV8 2LG
BODY COLOUR Chicane Grey / Papaya Spark
DRIVE RHD
REG NUMBER LR19 OZM
ODOMETER READING 1020 Miles
SUMMARY
The first ever Senna, #0001, a whisper over 1,000 miles from new, fresh major service and fully loaded with MSO parts. Does it get better than that?
DESCRIPTION
It’s fair to say the McLaren Senna had some big boots to fill, being the third iteration of McLaren’s 'Ultimate Series' following the legendary F1 and 'widow-maker' P1, but it’s safe to say the Senna lives up to all expectations and more.
First unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show and named after the late Ayrton Senna as an homage to his three Formula 1 World Championships with McLaren between 1988 and 1993, it was a sharp and purposeful car with one main goal - to be the fastest and most track-focused road car McLaren had ever produced. A fitting tribute to say the least.
In contrast to its precursor, the P1, the Senna forwent any hybrid system or electrical powertrain assistance, instead opting for a modified version of McLaren’s own 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8, codenamed M840TR. This engine is an engineering feat on its own, being the most powerful engine ever installed in a McLaren road car, producing 789bhp and 800Nm of torque, transmitted to the tarmac through a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and the rear wheels. It remains a hugely advanced engine, featuring dry-sump lubrication, lightweight rods and pistons, a pair of ultra-low-inertia twin-scroll turbochargers fitted with electronic wastegates for instant throttle response and a bespoke carbon-fibre intake plenum, feeding cold air through the motorsport-derived roof scoop.
Many of those 789 horses would be redundant without serious witchcraft in the chassis helping them all contribute and that’s where its active aerodynamics, unparalleled on any other production road car, come into play. The front end is dominated by a huge and functional raised splitter with large air intakes featuring active winglets to channel air under the body. Warm air from the radiators is channelled from behind, up and over the roof, deliberately missing the roof scoop before flowing over the enormous active rear wing. The wing itself is controlled by hydraulics and moves constantly to suit the driving scenario, either acting as an airbrake lifting to 90° increasing downforce and stopping power, or reducing drag as part of an active F1-derived Drag Reduction System (DRS). The rear end is further enhanced with a double diffuser and a second fixed lower wing, which are fed exhaust air from the louvred engine cover. The results of this aerodynamic concoction are remarkable. At 155mph the Senna can produce 800kg of downforce, a seemingly impossible 40% increase over the already efficient McLaren P1.
The chassis is based around McLaren’s own 'Monocage III' tub and is constructed of lightweight materials and carbon fibre throughout for a combination of maximum stiffness and lightness. Each seat weighs a remarkable 3.6kg, the front wings weigh less than 700g and the enormous rear wing is less than 5.5kg. The Senna also uses an upgraded version of McLaren’s Race Active Chassis Control II system, which features an active double wishbone and hydraulic damper setup from the P1, allowing for variable ride-height, damping and stiffness modes according to the driver’s desired setup. Retardation is achieved by Formula 1–inspired carbon brakes developed in partnership with Brembo, with discs that take seven months to make, each one with integrated cooling vanes and a thermal compound that is three times more conductive than conventional carbon-ceramic brakes. Indeed, so potent is the braking system, that the Senna currently holds the record for braking performance for production cars: 124mph to a standstill in just 100 metres, decelerating with a force of 2.1g.
Other performance statistics to which the Senna can lay claim are no less impressive: 0–62mph dispatched in 2.8 seconds, 0 – 124 mph in just 6.8 seconds and, by doing away with any hybrid or electrical units, the dry weight is just under 1,200kg, equating to a power-to-weight ratio of 668bhp per ton. It thus eclipses even the P1 statistic of 646bhp per ton, whilst simultaneously offering significantly more downforce.
The McLaren Senna offered here is truly special, even within the context of being a Senna. This is XP01, VIN #0001, making it the very first Senna ever produced. Not to be confused with the first customer car, which is finished in a blue and white colour scheme, this is a uniquely specified example which incorporates almost every conceivable item on the McLaren Special Operations (MSO) bespoke and optional equipment list.
The Senna’s internal development codename was P15, with their ‘Experimental Prototype’/development cars being allocated XP build numbers to signify they were pre-production cars. McLaren XPs are generally prototype cars used during the development phase of a particular model and are then taken back in-house by McLaren to be fully stripped and rebuilt to brand new condition. XP01 was specified and first owned by McLaren’s Executive Director of Global Sales and Marketing at the time, as confirmed by a document within the history file, also clarifying that he specified it together with MSO, prior to it being purchased by our vendor, the second owner from new.
Sennas typically came fully loaded with extras from McLaren however, for that extra cherry on the cake, you can hand the car over to MSO to take it a little further and XP01 has certainly had its fair share of MSO fairy dust sprinkled on it. As the car was commissioned internally, there isn’t a priced breakdown of the MSO parts and options chosen however the list is extensive and expensive. The full specification is included below/online. Amongst the enhancements unique to this Senna are MSO Chicane Grey paint (£9,500), rarely seen MSO Bespoke Visual Carbon Fibre Roof Canopy and Snorkel (£41,333) making all gloss black areas gloss carbon fibre including T-Bar, door uppers, roof scoop, door hinges, fuel filler cap, MSO painted Senna helmets on the rear wing end planes, Memphis Red and Vega Blue centre-lock wheel nuts and a gloss carbon roof canopy amongst a plethora of other features. The interior is awash with MSO touches with Alcantara, MSO Push-to-Drink system, Bowers & Wilkins 7-speaker audio system, bespoke ‘SS’ logos embroidered in the headrests, McLaren Orange contrast stitching and MSO steering wheel with Alcantara and orange trim.
XP01 has a full McLaren Service History with two major services undertaken by McLaren Manchester, the most recent being in June 2024, costing nearly £10,000 (including new front and rear suspension accumulators) to ensure the car remains in perfect order throughout. Interestingly, XP01’s Pre-Delivery Inspection was stamped by McLaren Central which no other Senna we’re aware of has received. Accompanying the car is the owners handbook, service and warranty guide book, bills/invoices for work undertaken, a signed document from McLaren’s Executive Director of Global Sales and Marketing verifying the car’s identity and importance as VIN #0001, a bespoke Senna car cover and a trickle charger.
Both owners to date have sparingly and carefully enjoyed the car, ensuring it is serviced and maintained despite minimal usage, covering just 1,030 miles at the time of consignment, and the car benefits from a full body Paint Protection Film, ceramic coating and a meticulous detail to ensure it's in perfect condition for the sale.
The number ‘one’ is rightfully synonymous with the three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna. He was undeniably one of the best and most iconic racing drivers ever so what better representation of the Senna than the very first example, VIN #0001? To name a car after Ayrton was setting the bar unprecedentedly high, but it's fair to say McLaren executed their tribute with flying colours. An argument could be made to say the Senna is overkill with its development and push for speed, but is that not exactly encapsulating Ayrton Senna himself? The culmination of McLaren’s pursuit of perfection makes the Senna a surgeon’s knife with the force of Thor’s hammer.
Text & Image: Iconic Auctioneers
