The McLaren 750S is part of a legendary lineage, and car enthusiasts should be so lucky one day to drive such a phenomenally-looking exotic ride. However, Chevy's Corvette E-Ray is nothing short of terrifying when it comes to looks and power. While the iconic McLaren might have the edge on paper, the enormous price difference is a huge deciding factor, no matter who wins this 1/4-mile drag race.
Let's start with the gorgeous blue gem, the 2024 McLaren 750S. This beauty comes packing a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 powerhouse capable of producing 740 hp or 750 ps with 590 lb-ft or 800 Nm of torque.
It weighs 3,186 lbs. or 1,445 kilograms, has a rear-wheel drive system and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. It has a top speed of 206 mph or 332 kph and can go from 0 to 62 mph or 100 kph in just 2.8 seconds.
The McLaren 750S was made in 2023 to replace the iconic 720S, and while it might share a lot of aesthetic similarities with its "ancestor," upon a closer inspection, we'll discover it's 30% different. One of the more practical design changes involves the active carbon-fiber wing that enhances the downforce, while also making it look "way cooler, bro." Bells and whistles included, the model from the race cost $449,790, but the starting price has been spotted at around $308,000.
Its competitor, the 2023 Corvette E-Ray, is Chevrolet's most technologically advanced version of this nameplate. The E-Ray also boasts the first AWD system in the model's history. It's proudly equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission system that shoots it forward up to 183 mph or 294.5 kph. It can also hit 62 mph (100 kph) in 2.6 seconds or 2.5 seconds from 0 to 60 mph (0-97 kph).
Photo: Edmunds Cars
This performance is all due to its 495-horsepower 6.2-liter LT2 small-block V8 engine powering the rear axle and the 160-hp electric motor sending power to the front wheels. The total power output of the E-Ray is 655 hp (664 ps) with 595 lb-ft (807 Nm) of torque.
Being partially electric, its 1.9 kWh battery pack can take it in "Stealth Mode" at speeds up to 45 mph or 72 kph. Nice for not disturbing the neighbors before putting that V8 to work down the block. The coupe version starts at around $106k, while the convertible's MSRP is $113,595. The model from this race was $148,000 and change.
Today's event isn't your ordinary 1/4-mile drag race. It's an Edmunds U-drag race, which means the cars will race down the quarter-mile, make a U-turn, and then sprint back to the finish line. Also, to keep things fair, halfway through, they switch drivers.
During both races, the Corvette E-Ray shattered the McLaren off the line, but the extra ponies from the 720S were more than enough to blast Chevy's supercar out of the water each time.
Photo: Edmunds Cars
The E-Ray won the 0 to 60 challenge, getting there in 2.8 seconds, while the McLaren did it in 2.9 seconds. The Corvette wins by 0.1 seconds. The 750S was quicker down the quarter mile, with 9.9 seconds at 146.4 mph (235.6 kph), while the Vette did it in 10.5 seconds at 130.6 miles per hour or 210.1 kilometers per hour. The former was faster by 0.6 seconds. If anyone's curious, the McLaren pulled 1.51 G during the U-turn and the Corvette 1.41 G.
As for the entire race, meaning "there and back again," the McLaren finished in 29.6 seconds at 154.2 mph (248.1 kph), while the Chevy supercar crossed the line in 31.7 seconds at 136.6 mph or 219.8 kph. That makes the McLaren 2.1 seconds faster in a U-drag race. It tied with the all-time champion, the 2022 McLaren 765LT, that finished the race in exactly 29.6 seconds. The Corvette is now number five on the Edmunds U-drag leaderboards.
Given that the price difference between the two is at least a cool $300k, it's clear that no matter how late the E-Ray would have been to the finish line, it still wins the day just because you could almost get four of them for the same price as one McLaren 750S.
Codrin just loves American classics, from the 1940s and ‘50s, all the way to the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s. In his perfect world, we'll still see Hudsons and Road Runners roaming the streets for years to come (even in EV form, if that's what it takes to keep the aesthetic alive). Full profile
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