Hennessey Performance (HPE) has been modifying sports cars and supercars since the early ’90s. Their aim of “making fast cars faster” has resulted in some of the quickest modified vehicles ever to hit a drag strip. But power is nothing without control and that is why the racetrack-ready McLaren Senna may be the ultimate candidate for a Hennessey power boost. Hennessey thought so too, and they have just announced the 887hp HPE900 and 986hp HPE1000 packages for the most extreme road-legal track car in McLaren’s arsenal to date.
Hennessey decided not to change a thing to the exterior or interior of the Senna. Instead, their focus was solely on the powertrain components. In standard form the Senna produces 789hp from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 powerplant, which is down on the combined outputs of the 903hp hybrid P1 but it weighs less and posts very similar acceleration times as a result. Its on-track performance, however, is in another league. The 887hp HPE900 narrows that power deficit with a recalibrated ECU, high-flow air filters and an upgraded exhaust, turbos and intercooler system.
The HPE1000 takes things to the next level. Incorporating all of the above changes it also adds a high-flow wastegate, upgraded transmission and a higher performance Motec engine management system. The resultant 986hp is 83hp clear of the P1 and a massive 199hp more than that of the standard Senna. It even outguns the track-only 814hp Senna GTR. While the 0-60mph times should be marginally quicker for both HPE packages, the biggest improvements will be realized higher up the speed range where acceleration is not hampered by traction issues. Combined with the Senna’s impressive aerodynamics these cars should be the ultimate road-legal track weapons.
Images courtesy of McLaren Automotive
