Hennessey Readying HPE800 Twin Turbo Upgrade Kit for McLaren MP4-12C

As supercars go, the new McLaren MP4-12C is a spectacular performer, even if it isn't the most primal or angry exotic on the market. Its turbocharged 3.8L V8 and carbon fiber monocoque construction make it powerful and light, and a rather large thorn in the side of the likes of the 458 Italia and Gallardo LP570-4. However, the new McLaren doesn't serve up quite the same world-beater performance that its predecessor, the legendary F1, did.

 

Enter Hennessey Performance, stage right. The Texas tuning powerhouse that made its name endowing the Dodge Viper with even more mojo now has dozens of programs going on, including its own supercar, the Venom GT. So we were just a bit surprised to hear that Hennessey is developing a tuning package for the MP4-12C. But that's exactly what it's doing, and if the final figures hold true to the ones being bandied about now, it should take the new Mac from "Wow!" to "JESUS HENRY CHRIST, ESQ. THAT'S QUICK!!!"

 

 

 

The tuning package, dubbed HPE800 Twin Turbo, centers around a bumper crop of engine upgrades. A pair of new ball bearing turbochargers, new intercoolers, external wastegates and pop-off valves, an HPE titanium exhaust system and a reprogrammed ECU bump output from 592hp to a claimed 800hp. And to make sure that added power doesn't lunch the 7-speed twin-clutch transmission, it's been treated to stronger clutches and a higher capacity transmission cooler.

 

So the Hennessey-fied McLaren will be considerably faster (though just how much faster, Hennessey isn't letting on publicly) than the stock version, but it will also looks faster. HPE plans on fitting a CarbonAero body kit featuring a new front bumper (with a carbon fiber splitter), carbon fiber side skirts, a new rear bumper with king-sized carbon fiber diffuser, and a carbon fiber rear lip spoiler. There are also new 14-spoke wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. Interestingly, HPE won't be upgrading the suspension or brakes, as company chieftain John Hennessey reckons they can cope with the added power. Venture inside, and you'll find new leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber sprinkled all over the already sharply-dressed cabin.

 

Hennessey isn't ready to say what the HPE800 Twin Turbo package will cost, but you can bet it will be a lot. But when you've got 800 horsepower flinging you down the road and all the drivers of run-of-the-mill sports cars doing double takes when you roll up to the valet station, you aren't really thinking about how much you spent, are you?