Compare the2022 Porsche 911VS 2020 McLaren Senna

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission and Drivetrain
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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The 911 has standard head airbag curtains which act as a forgiving barrier between the driver and front passenger's upper bodies and the window and pillars. Combined with high-strength steel door beams and lower side airbags this system increases head protection in broadside collisions. The Senna doesn't offer side airbag protection for the head.

The 911 (except GT3) has standard Warn and Brake Assist, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn’t react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether. The Senna doesn't offer collision warning or crash mitigation brakes.

The 911 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Senna doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the 911 helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Senna doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The 911’s optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Senna doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the 911’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Senna doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The 911 has standard Porsche Connect, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Senna doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the 911 and the Senna have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, available blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

Warranty

The 911 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Senna’s 3-year basic warranty expires 1 year sooner.

The 911’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Senna’s (12 vs. 10 years).

There are almost 8 times as many Porsche dealers as there are McLaren dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 911’s warranty.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the 911 GT3 4.0 DOHC 6-cylinder is faster than the McLaren Senna (automatics tested):

	911	Senna
Zero to 60 MPH	2.7 sec	2.9 sec

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the 911 lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability. The Senna doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

Both the 911 and the Senna have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stop lights and heavy traffic. All 911s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily.

Transmission and Drivetrain

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Porsche 911, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Senna.

All wheel drive, available in the 911, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The McLaren Senna is not available with all wheel drive.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the 911 Turbo S’ front brake rotors are larger than those on the Senna:

	911 Turbo S	Senna
Front Rotors	16.5 inches	15.4 inches

The 911 stops shorter than the Senna:

	911	Senna
70 to 0 MPH	133 feet	136 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the 911 Turbo S/GT3’s front tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Senna (F:255/35R20 & R:315/30R21 vs. F:245/35R19 & R:315/30R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 911 offers optional 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels. The Senna’s largest wheels are only 19-inches in the front and 20-inches in the rear.

The Porsche 911’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The McLaren Senna only has 1 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

The 911 (except Base/GT3) offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Senna doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The 911 GT3 handles at 1.15 G’s, while the Senna pulls only 1.12 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the 911 GT3’s turning circle is 8.2 feet tighter than the Senna’s (34.1 feet vs. 42.3 feet). The 911’s turning circle is 5.5 feet tighter than the Senna’s (36.8 feet vs. 42.3 feet).

Chassis

The 911 is 8.9 inches shorter than the Senna, making the 911 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the 911 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Senna doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the 911 S Coupe is quieter than the Senna:

	911	Senna
Full-Throttle	90 dB	102 dB

Passenger Space

The 911 has standard seating for 4 passengers; the Senna can only carry 2.

The 911 has .3 inches more front headroom and 2.4 inches more front shoulder room than the Senna.

Cargo Capacity

The 911 Coupe has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Senna (4.6 vs. 2.2 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

When three different drivers share the 911, the optional memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each keyless remote activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings. The Senna doesn’t offer a memory system.

The 911’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Senna’s power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them.

The 911’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Senna’s available power window controls are in the ceiling, forcing the driver's attention away from the road to locate them.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the 911 (except Cabriolet/GT3) offers an optional rear wiper. The Senna doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the 911 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Senna doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The 911’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Senna’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The 911’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Senna’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

The 911’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Senna has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The 911 has standard heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Senna.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the 911 keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Senna doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the 911’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Senna doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the 911 (except Manual) offers an optional Adaptive Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Senna doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

To help keep the driver’s hands on the wheel, the 911 has standard steering wheel controls for the radio. The Senna doesn’t offer steering wheel audio controls.

With standard voice command, the 911 offers the driver hands free control of the radio and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Senna doesn’t offer a voice control system.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the 911, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the Senna.

The 911 (except Manual/GT3)’s optional Active Parking Support can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote ParkAssist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Senna doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Porsche 911 comes in coupe and convertible bodystyles; the McLaren Senna isn’t available as a convertible.

Recommendations

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its December 2019 issue and they ranked the Porsche 911 S Coupe first. They ranked the McLaren Senna fifth.

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