mclaren 720s

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McLaren Daniel Ricciardo Edition 720S

I guess McLaren Automotive Limited has been looking at other supercar builders, as there is yet another ‘special edition’ based on the McLaren 720S, some manufacturers really milk a certain platform to the max when it comes to releasing one-off, few-off, or limited editions, just to have more return on investment on the initial design, or just because the successor isn’t quite ready yet, whichever is the case here, there is a new McLaren Daniel Ricciardo Edition 720S, and only three will be built.

Let’s first take a look at the McLaren 720S, unveiled at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show as the successor to the McLaren 650S, the second model in the McLaren Super Series, with the M840 T engine, a 4-Liter twin-turbo V8 unit delivering 720 PS (or 710 hp) at 7,500 rpm, hence the 720S designation, and torque comes to 770 Nm at 5,500 rpm, acceleration to 100 km/h from standstill only takes 2.9 seconds while 200 km/h is reached within 7.8 seconds, the top speed is 341 km/h or 212 mph.

It took a little over a year for McLaren to introduce the 702S Spider as their new convertible flagship model in December 2018, unlike the coupe’s twin-hinged butterfly-style opening doors, the Spider comes with dihedral opening doors, with an increase in weight of just 45 kg over her closed counterpart, the 720S Spider was just marginally slower but did come with new 10-spoke wheels and additional color options, do note that with the top down the top speed is reduced by 16 km/h.

The McLaren 720S Spa 68 Collection, only three were built

March 2020 marked the release of the McLaren 765LT, the ‘Long Tail’ track-focused version of the 720S with increased power output and modified bodywork, but we should stick to the McLaren 720S in this article, so let’s take a look at the McLaren 720S Spa 68 Collection, a bespoke MSO order by McLaren Brussels to commemorate 50 years since Bruce McLaren secured the first Grand Prix victory for McLaren, featuring a Bespoke Anniversary Orange paint job to match the car that won the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

The McLaren 720S Le Mans Edition, one of 50 made, this one is finished in Le Mans Orange

Up next, the McLaren 720S Le Mans Edition, celebrating 25 years since the iconic McLaren F1 GTR‘s first win at the Le Mans 24 Hours, the 720S Le Mans will have only 50 cars produced worldwide, only available in two colors, Le Mans Orange, or Sarthe Grey, while these also came with a functional roof scoop inspired by the McLaren F1 GTR, bespoke 5-spoke LM wheels, and full carbon-fiber racing seats.

The McLaren 720S in bespoke MSO Gulf Oil livery

McLaren MSO department did bring out another special version, the 720S Gulf Oil livery, to celebrate their new partnership in 2020 when McLaren went on to using Gulf oils exclusively for their new cars as their lubricant supplier, a very limited number of customers could have their supercar hand-painted in the famous Gulf Oil livery, including the 720S model, a perfect match to the trademark Gulf shades of light blue and bright orange.

Now McLaren comes up with another very limited production version of their 720S, the Daniel Ricciardo Edition 720S from MSO, again a special commission model, just like the Spa 68 one above, but this time a request from McLaren Melbourne and Sydney, as a celebration model for Daniel Ricciardo, the race-winning McLaren Formula 1 driver.

“We’re delighted to see the first of this exclusive series arrive in Australia, as at home on the tarmac around Albert Park as its namesake Daniel Ricciardo. Complete with the Australian flag adorning the front haunches, this special edition model is the perfect celebration of our Perth-born racer – we’re excited to see it out on Australian roads.” George Biggs, Commercial Executive Director, McLaren Automotive.

There will only be three units of the McLaren Daniel Ricciardo Edition 720S made, and they are only available in Australia, hence come in RHD configuration only, each of them will be finished in Papaya spark and Burton blue, the exact colors we’ve seen on the McLaren Formula 1 2021 MCL35M race car, and each of these orange 720S will come with the number ‘3’ on the side, a nod to Ricciardo’s racing number.

“One of the great privileges of driving for McLaren is getting behind the wheel of many of the marque’s exhilarating supercars and while each offers something unique, the 720S is the absolute benchmark.” Daniel Ricciardo, Formula 1 driver, McLaren Racing, who has his signature featured on the carbon-fiber sills of each of the three Daniel Ricciardo Edition 720S.

December 4, 2021 / Comments Off

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Gulf Livery is Back: MSO Reveals Special Gulf McLaren 720S

McLaren Special Operations (MSO) have recreated a bespoke 720S in the legendary Gulf oil-livery and iconic racing colors to celebrate two brands and personalization possibilities.

The project is part of the renewed relationship which was made public last summer between McLaren and Gulf as partners and as an official strategy in demonstrating the customization possibilities available for McLaren supercars.

The 720S is powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing a maximum output of 720PS and 770Nm of torque. The acceleration from 0-100km/h is achieved in 2.9 seconds and the top speed is limited to 341km\h whereas the dry weight of the vehicle is 1,283kg.

Gulf has become the preferred lubricant supplier for McLaren automotive since the partnership, all McLaren vehicles are now to be fueled with Gulf oil and fuel optimized for the high performance engines.

A limited number of customers will have the opportunity to have their McLaren vehicles hand painted exclusively by MSO in Gulf livery. The 720S is the high point project between MSO and Gulf to ensure a range of metallic and solid paints and finishes capture both identities.

To create the perfect finish for the vehicle, McLaren automotive partnered up with AkzoNobel’s pallet to create premium automotive paint hues. The definitive version alone took 20 days to finish.

In addition to the Racing Blue and Orange colors used on the Exterior body, the vehicle also features Gulf solid Orange on the brake calipers and matching blue and orange stitching in the bespoke interior. The interior also features gulf logos embroidered on the headrests and painted on the sills and a McLaren steering wheel with a centre band in Gulf solid Orange and Blue to match the exterior carbon fibre spokes.

MSO Gulf McLaren 720S

May 19, 2021 / Comments Off

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McLaren’s MSO created a 720S in the Gulf Oil livery

We’ve already published an article on McLaren Automotive’s MSO department, the McLaren Special Operations that offers bespoke builds to fortunate customers, but now we can admire something truly special from the artisans at MSO, a hand-painted livery on a McLaren 720S that took 20 days from start to finish … the result is a celebration between two iconic brands and the personalization possibilities from MSO: a bespoke 720S in the iconic Gulf Oil International racing colors.

McLaren and Gulf Oil go back a long time, their first partnership dates between 1968 and 1973 when we saw the Gulf livery on McLaren cars in both the F1 and the Can-Am races, a return of the two icons came in the Nineties when we saw the legendary McLaren F1 GTR race cars in the traditional light blue and orange color combination on the track, driving to victory at the 1996 BPR Global Endurance Series and in the GT1 Class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1997.

In 2020 a new partnership was reached when McLaren went on to using Gulf oils exclusively for their new cars as their lubricant supplier, to celebrate this, McLaren MSO offers the opportunity to a very limited number of customers to have their supercar hand-painted in the famous Gulf Oil livery, the car presented here, a 720S model is a showcase of a close collaboration between McLaren and Gulf Oil to make sure the paint (both metallic and solid) is a perfect match to the trademark Gulf shades of light blue and bright orange.

After many tests in the spray booth, AkzoNobel, a highly regarded name when it comes to top-of-the-line automotive paints, was able to put together the perfect mixture to mimic the shades required … it still takes a highly skilled painter a total of 20 days to complete this elaborate livery on a McLaren 720S.

The Gulf Oil blue and orange not only adorn the body of the McLaren 720S, but the orange is also used on the brake calipers, that same shade is taken into the interior where we find matching orange seat belts while the rest of the interior gets both light blue and orange stitching, a stunning looking Gulf logo is embroidered on both headrests, while another Gulf logo gets painted on the side sills, so it’s clearly visible when you open the doors on this bespoke MSO build.

Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive stated: “This project is a showcase of MSO’s capabilities and echoes the recent full restoration of the McLaren F1 GTR 25R, a car raced in the 1990s. The 720S in such an evocative livery and interior finish, created in close association with Gulf, which perfectly shows the potential for our customers to work with MSO’s skilled team to personalize their McLaren.”

More photos on this amazing looking McLaren MSO 720S Gulf Oil livery:

May 18, 2021 / Comments Off

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SWAE McLaren 720S

If you’ve never heard of SWAE, don’t feel too bad, they are a new company located in the Rocky Mountains not far from Glacier National Park that just released images of their first tuning package, and it’s for the McLaren 720S, which isn’t too bad straight from the factory, but SWAE takes it to the next level, both in looks and in performance.

First, you notice there is something different about this SWAE McLaren 720, and it’s a widebody kit you are admiring, with a new front lip and intakes on the front fenders, the rear fenders are widened too, and a massive rear wing is added too. While most parts seem to be made from carbon fiber, SWAE took the 3D printing route for the struts on the rear wing, made from titanium.

Bespoke, 10-spoke SWAE wheels complete the look of this $500,000 McLaren 720S, and the best is yet to come … engine tuning that delivers over 900 hp to the rear wheels from the twin-turbocharged 4-Liter V8, keep in mind this could mean the SWAE tuned V8 comes with over 1,000 hp at the crank.

SWAE says this McLaren 720S is just a ‘proof-of-concept’ at the moment, showcasing what they can do when combining carbon fiber and 3D-printing technology to create a bespoke car for the discerning customer, chasing dreams at all costs.

“SWAE operates in a space beyond luxury- enhancing each caliber of craftsmanship to create a sum greater than its parts,” said Rosie Wolkind, SWAE director of operations.

This new SWAE McLaren 720S Widebody was recently unveiled in Miami, but it isn’t clear if this specific car is for sale, or was built on commission for an existing customer, or if it’s just a demonstrator for SWAE … only time will tell.

March 2, 2021 / Comments Off

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Watch Chris Harris in the electric VW ID.R waste a McLaren 720S

The Volkswagen ID.R doesn’t have much in common with a McLaren 720S, other than the fact that they are both performance-crazed cars. One gets its power from batteries, the other from gas. One uses electric motors, the other a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. One is a halo prototype vehicle, the other is a road-legal supercar available for purchase. So when Chris Harris and “Top Gear“ decided to “race” the two against each other, it was more of a demonstration of the VW’s unreal capabilities than any sort of real competitive faceoff.

In episode five of Top Gear‘s 28th season, which just aired February 23, the trio of Harris, Freddie Flintoff and Paddy McGuinness welcomed Youtuber KSI on the show and ventured out on a luxury sports car road trip with an Aston Martin, Porsche, and Ferrari. Separately, Harris took to the track to test out Volkswagen’s golden egg of the moment, the ID.R.

As VW fully launches into its electric-vehicle push, the ID.R is meant to exhibit what battery-electric technology is capable of. With two electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear axle, the 2,425-pound ID.R has four-wheel drive and makes a claimed 670 horsepower. As Harris notes in the video, the ID.R. was not built for a specific regulation-bogged racing organization or competition, and thus, it’s only held back by the rules of Mother Nature and Father Physics. Since the car’s debut, it has been annihilating records around the world, including at Pike’s Peak, Goodwood, the Nürburgring, and Heaven’s Gate.

Chris Harris didn’t set any records in the ID.R., but he certainly showed how outrageous this machine is. The 710-horsepower 720S can go from zero mph to 62 mph in less than three seconds, and the ID.R has a sizable lead within that same time. Again, this wasn’t an instance of test-and-conclude, it was a show of perspective. The ID.R is a race car, so even though the 720S is one of the best supercars in the world, it never stood a chance. See for yourself above.

Related Video:

February 24, 2020 / Comments Off

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Special Report: The McLaren 720S Spider is Britain’s Finest Export

Be warned, this tale features the B word, Brex*t. The title has been coined to address the colossal saga that is the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union and must be one of the most used words in international news in the past three years. There have been amendments, referendums, prorogations, high court rulings and even Queen’s Speeches. I shall not dwell, you’re not here for politics, but for automobiles.

Ever switch on the 10 o’clock news and see politicians being ferried from conference to conference in rather dull executive limousines? The best you can hope for is a Mercedes-Benz S Class, black on black, of course. This got me thinking, it was the night before the final European Union Summit that would be deliberating the latest iteration of the Brexit deal, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s first attempt. Tomorrow, news agencies from across the world would crowd and jostle outside Le Berlaymont to catch a word from the 27 EU leaders that would be reviewing the latest version of proposed deal.

What if BoJo didn’t arrive in a mundane, vanilla S Class or Jaguar XJ, but instead stunned the crowds by representing British business, an example of the very businesses that will be impacted so significantly by the outcome of this tumultuous series of events? I felt Boris needed a helping hand, I took matters into my own palms. The next morning I left home at 0630 on a mission to not only improve Boris’s image, but to showcase one of the finest exports that Britain produces. It is an example of why the UK is one of the worlds leading automotive manufacturing countries, and why trade deals with the UK should never be doubted, but encouraged.

720S Spider London – Zaid H

The ambassador of choice was perfect. Bentley and Rolls-Royce are British brands, but are both now parts of Audi and BMW, respectively. Jaguar is Indian and Lotus Chinese. Caterham and Morgan are British, but neither are known internationally as representing the best of British, more cottage industry forerunners. There is only one brand suited to this endeavour – McLaren.

I recently was on the continent in a McLaren GT, a car that left me somewhat conflicted and confused. Having previously driven to Paris and back to London in a single day in a 720S, I was in no doubt that it doubled as both a track monster and a capable GT car. To reaffirm my thoughts, I had a 720S Spider for the ride to Brussels to see if the additional 49 kilograms for the roof mechanism would alter the driving characteristics and if the GT would make more sense for such a journey.

One thing that does not change, roof or no roof, is the fuel economy. It is abysmal, even when trundling towards the Channel Tunnel with the cruise control set to a smudge above the speed limit. Seeing anything above 23 miles per gallon was a rare treat. Boris’s refusal to take no deal off the table had sent the pound into a tizzy and fuel prices were through the roof, premium unleaded was emptying my wallet faster than the my ex girlfriend – just as thirsty too. Best not to worry about saving fuel and instead blow it to thy kingdom come with a smile on your face and bangs and cracks coming from the twin exhaust pipes.

A grey drive to Folkestone, quick Starbucks and a deep breathe in to squeeze onto the train later, it was time to cruise across the Continent. Well, part of it at least. It is always surprising how quickly the French autoroute gives way to terrible Belgian tarmac. With the active panel engaged and the handling and drivetrain toggles in comfort, the 720S cruises quietly and somewhat comfortably. The hydraulic suspension is fabulous and plaint. It is upset by bigger holes and cracks in the road, but it is a tradeoff worth making for the terrific handling through the bends on more engaging roads. One element that, still, cannot be faulted is the steering. It remains hydraulically assisted and a pleasure to work with.

The mighty torque is impressive too. The gearshifts are as great as you would expect from a McLaren dual clutch, but when touring you need not be pulling the left carbon paddle for downshifts as you can ride the torque in the upper gears. This is, of course, when the revs are above 2,500rpm, there is a world of lag below this threshold. As the kilometres trickled by, the weather worsened and the chances of experiencing the 720S Spider with the roof down diminished. A special mention, once again, to the awesome rear window that can be lowered or raised regardless of the roof being up or down. It is a great way to enjoy both fresh air and that hard edged engine tone, even when it is raining.

This car featured a clever and very expensive option, an electrochromic glass roof panel. This meant that the panoramic glass was able to go from fully clear to dark in a couple of seconds. It is cool and strangely satisfying to press the button and watch the glass ceiling change from ‘shade mode’ to ‘full sunlight’.

720S Spider Brussels – Zaid H

Other interior highlights included the luxurious Cognac leather in this ‘Luxury’ spec 720S. The 720Ss I had previously driven were all configured in ‘Performance’ trim meaning there was far more Alcantara and less leather to be found. The quality of the leather is great, as is the colour, my opinion of course. The infotainment is a generation behind the updated McLaren GT system, but I was not a huge fan of the update and the older system felt no less capable as it also lacks Apple CarPlay and Android Auto systems.

As Brussels neared, the rain relented and there was time to relish precious minutes with the roof down. Heated seats work brilliantly to negate wind chill and the car looks utterly spectacular in shop front reflections. Say what you like about the eye-socket headlamp design, few will argue that the 720S does not look like a missile from its side profile. The well behaved demeanour from the motorway cruise continues in the congestion of Brussels. The Start-Stop system decided to go on strike, other than that the 720S Spider was flawless around town. Visibility was good, the ride supple and the turning circle…acceptable. Things are a little scarier when squeezing through narrow gaps or high kerbed car parks, more a case of driver fear and being unfamiliar with the supercars dimensions.

As the infamous Berlaymont building neared, Theresa May had been collected, riding shotgun and Boris Johnson jumped in behind the wheel. The time had come to change the bumbling Prime Ministers image once and for all. Passers by gasped and laughed in equal measure. Camera phones flashed and selfies were taken. It seemed that it was mission accomplished, a hypothesis that was all but confirmed later that day when Boris Johnson announced that Jean Claude Juncker had accepted his governments proposed deal. I’m not saying that it had anything to do with the McLaren or my mission…but maybe, just maybe, it did.

In another bizarre ‘coincidence’, McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt confirmed that McLaren Automotive will keep production entirely UK based despite Brexit in an interview to CNBC on the same day. He continued saying that the firm is ‘born and bred’ in the UK. The brand is one that is proudly British and one that should be celebrated. The McLaren F1 is, arguably, the greatest car ever and when the 12C rolled off the production line in 2011 a new era was born. McLaren seemingly came out of the blue and shattered any complacency that the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini had, pushing performance to new levels.

Almost 9 years on, McLaren continues to push it rivals to the extent that it is difficult to compare its offerings to that of the aforementioned rivals. The 720S is pitched against cars like the Porsche GT2 RS, Ferrari 488 Pista and Lamborghini Huracan Performante – hardcore special edition models that are stripped out track animals. The 720S obliterated the trio in a number of tests and it is the ‘standard’ car complete with creature comforts and touring credentials that make it just as usable as the McLaren GT. The LT model is expected to demolish its European rivals. McLaren Automotive represents the best, not only of British, but supercars produced anywhere in the world. Brexit or not, deal or no deal, McLaren will continue to be a flag bearer of British innovation and technology for years to come.

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November 5, 2019 / Comments Off

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McLaren Is Working on a 720S Longtail

The March Forward With New Models Continues

In about decade, McLaren has put out eight cars. The next could be a 720S Longtail. McLaren has no plans of slowing down, and the longtail version of the 720S makes quite a lot of sense. According to PistonHeads, one of the two cars coming to the company’s lineup next year will be a 720S Longtail. The other is the already reported McLaren roadster or speedster.

While the speedster or whatever, McLaren ends up calling its roofless car will be impressive, the longtail version of the 720S will arguably be the more important car because it’s more of an all-around, use-it-everyday car. The vehicle will likely get more power than the regular 720S and be improved in many of the ways that people would like to see the car improved.

This Longtail move will also probably earn the supercar a new name. In the case of the 600LT, that car got its start as the 570S. Motor Authority suspects the name will by 750LT, but there’s no indication beyond the naming schemes of the previous Longtail cars that this will be the case.

There are no concrete details on what McLaren will do with the model, but we suspect it will have revised styling but still fit in with the McLaren lineup easily. This should be a wonderful Longtail model, and we’re excited to see what comes of it.

August 7, 2019 / Comments Off

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Neither Hobbs nor Shaw believe in physics in trailer No. 3

With all due respect to “John Wick,” “Hobbs & Shaw” might be the biggest action movie ever created. So big, in fact, that it has apparently transcended Earth’s pesky laws of physics. The combined gravitational power of The Rock, Jason Statham and Idris Elba have thrown the planet off its axis and completely redefined what humans, cars, motorcycles, trucks, planes, and helicopters are capable of. Don’t believe it? Just watch trailer No. 3 for the first spinoff of the “Fast & Furious” franchise.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson took to Instagram to announce the final official trailer before “Hobbs & Shaw” debuts Aug. 2. As expected, numero tres is more of what we saw in trailer one and trailer two. Luke Hobbs, played by The Rock, and Deckard Shaw, played by Statham, put their differences aside to work together fighting the self-proclaimed Black Superman aka Brixton aka Elba. A new character, Shaw’s sister Hattie, joins the war as well. Throughout the entire 2:25 clip, there are about 8 seconds that don’t include an explosion, gunfire, a stunt, a shirtless flex, or a combination of the four.

In addition to the usual gobs of supercars (sup, McLaren), the “Fast” franchise producers continue to lean heavily on its own custom vehicle creations. There are beefy military vehicles, autonomous motorcycles, juiced-up flatbed trucks, and tow trucks pulling helicopters.

Check out the full preview above, and get ready for the official start of summer on Aug. 2.

June 30, 2019 / Comments Off

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Watch this McLaren 720S Run an 8 Second Quarter Mile

The Driver’s Guts are Still Stuck to His Spine

When the McLaren 720S comes from the factory it has a very strong 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. That engine creates 710 hp. That makes it good for a quarter-mile time under 10 seconds if all conditions are perfect. Apparently, with some fine-tuning, that’s not all the car is capable of.

In the video below, there’s a McLaren 720S that’s been tuned to 943 hp. The owner of the car fitted some aftermarket turbochargers and a new exhaust, according to Carscoops. He also fitted some super sticky Toyo R888 tires. The result? A quarter mile time in the 8-second range.

Of course, the team for the car had to get everything right. The tires needed to be properly warmed up, the track conditions had to be good, and the car had to be running at its peak. The day started with runs in the 9s and then after several more runs, the car manages to sneak one into the 8-second range. The best was an 8.993-second quarter mile at 159.55 mph.

That’s the fastest any street-legal McLaren car can do. The car also did 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds, which is simply mind-bogglingly fast for a street car. You can watch the whole video of the whole adventure from the time the guys leave for the track to the time they complete the run. Skip ahead to about the 21-minute mark to see just the 8-second run.

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April 4, 2019 / Comments Off

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The Verdict Is In On The McLaren 720S Spider

A Common Consensus on the Convertible

The Spider version of the 720S features most of what the regular coupe does and adds to that a convertible roof and some minor special features of its own. What’s surprising about the model is that McLaren was able to add the convertible roof without hurting the car’s performance or adding a bunch of extra weight.

The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 makes 710 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque. The convertible is able of doing 0-60 mph in just 2.9 seconds and has a top speed of 212 mph with the top up and 202 with the top down. It’s performance numbers are right on par with the coupe version of the car.

McLaren invited a long list of journalists out the Arizona desert to test the new 720S Spider. The consensus among the reviews was more or less the same across the board. The 720S Spider is a deeply impressive car.

We thought it best to pull together some of the info gleaned from driving the vehicle to give you an honest look at what the test driver’s thought of the car.

AutoWeek

I’ll always pick a coupe over a convertible, but modern-day tradeoffs are shrinking by the second. The weight penalty here is just about 100 pounds or about 3 percent. There’s no difference in stiffness and visibility is better, especially toward the sky.

Read the full review.

Autocar

In practically every department, the 720S Spider has lost nothing over, and is the dynamic equal of, the coupé from which it’s derived, and it has gained extra desirability in the process. McLaren is on the very top of its game at the moment.

Read the full review.

GQ Magazine

Overall, the £237,000 Spider is the most desirable car to emerge from the marque’s Super Series so far and is this summer’s walnut-skinned multimillionaire must-have.

Read the full review.

Autoblog

In the end, I walked away thinking that the 600LT Spider may offer the most fun you can have on a race track behind the wheel of a McLaren. But the 720S Spider is the best all-around McLaren that money can buy.

Read the full review.

Bloomberg

McLaren engineers have conjured something special: sensual freedom worth more than just the sum of its parts.

Read the full review.

It’s clear that almost all of the people who drove the McLaren 720S Spider found it to be a fantastic car. With that said, it’s not perfect. It still has almost all of the same issues as the coupe version of the car. With that said, those issues are few, and the company managed to add a convertible top without adding to the list of downsides for the model. That’s an impressive feat, and we see no reason why, other than the price of $315,000, why you shouldn’t buy one.

February 27, 2019 / Comments Off

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McLaren 720S Spider First Drive Review | Absolutely corrupted by power

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” What English writer and historian John Dalberg-Acton said is true. I have absolutely been corrupted, completely and irrevocably, by the McLaren 720S Spider. And it’s all because of the power.

I drove the brand-new supercar on a route that took me from the urban sprawl of Phoenix to the more peaceful surroundings of Payson across some open stretches of highway in Arizona. I learned a lot along the way. But the one fact that overwhelms everything else is that the 4.0-liter turbocharged V8 engine installed in the McLaren 720S Spider feels almost otherworldly powerful.

With a dry weight of 2,937 pounds, the Spider weighs just 108 pounds more than the 720S hardtop. That’s going to have a very small impact on performance, but you won’t feel any difference from behind the wheel — 710 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque have a way of masking a few extra pounds.

Foot to the floor, there’s a brief moment right off idle where turbo lag almost makes the 720S Spider’s engine feel like it may be a disappointment. Almost. And then all hell breaks loose. McLaren says the 720S Spider will accelerate from 0-60 in 2.8 seconds on its way to a 10.4-second quarter mile (just 0.1 seconds slower than the coupe) and 212-mph top speed. Drop the top and terminal velocity falls to a positively pedestrian 202.

McLaren 720S Spider

While we’re on the topic of stopwatch measurements, it takes just 11 seconds to raise or retract the electrically operated folding roof. The rear window glass also raises to minimize wind turbulence in the cabin or lowers to let in the elements and the wail of the engine’s exhaust note. I kept everything lowered as much as possible to fully experience the open-air nature of the Spider, but when a sudden rainstorm rolled in, the fact that the top can be folded up or down at speeds of up to 31 mph came in handy.

With the top in place, I was able to enjoy another cool new feature that isn’t shared with the rest of McLaren’s lineup of Spiders. An electrochromic glass panel can turn mostly transparent or deeply tinted at the touch of a button. The roof, which is paired with a translucent set of flying buttresses just aft of the passenger compartment, offers a feeling of airiness and visibility that is unrivaled among the Spider’s competitive set.

Not too long ago, terrible visibility, impossible ergonomics and disastrous drivability outside of full-throttle blasts went hand-in-hand with the slinky, low-slung life of supercar ownership. That’s no longer the case, and a lot of the credit goes to McLaren. The hardtop 720S has been praised on the pages of Autoblog for its approachable nature, and the Spider deserves those same accolades. The interior looks and feels luxurious, there’s plenty of room inside for two passengers, and, with the exception of absolutely maddening electric seat adjustment controls, everything is laid out logically and easy to use. At 15 miles per gallon city, 22 highway and 18 combined, it’s even (considering its stratospheric power output) relatively efficient.

McLaren 720S Spider

There are three driver-selectable modes for both the powertrain and the car’s suspension. Out on the highway, Comfort feels just right. It makes for a ride that’s firm and well controlled, but never jarring. The electro-hydraulic power steering is quick but never darty. It all adds up to a car that feels like it could soak up hundreds of miles in proper grand-touring style.

Sport mode, as its name implies, firms everything up. The ride gets a bit busier, the throttle mapping changes and the turbochargers seem to respond more quickly when called into action. I didn’t take the 720S Spider to the track, which is where the appropriately named Track mode is designed to excel. But even if I never used that setting on public roads, I’d at least want to use it to show off to my friends how the instrument cluster spins around to present a trimmed-down set of gauges to the driver.

I actually happened to drive the 720S Spider back-to-back with another McLaren, the equally new 600LT Spider, and an interesting thought occurred to me as I exchanged keys. These two vehicles share a whole heck of a lot in common. In fact, all the cars in McLaren’s lineup share a single line of DNA. But the actual experience of driving these two Spiders is overwhelmingly different.

McLaren 720S Spider

They are both hardtop convertibles derived from already launched fixed-top models, they both boast twin-turbocharged V8 engines mounted right behind the passenger compartment, and both drive their rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Put simply, they are both eminently desirable supercars. But the 600LT Spider (above left) is clearly engineered for blitzing race tracks, and is therefore compromised on the road. The 720S Spider (above right) is primarily designed to be enjoyed on the open road. And since that’s where nearly all supercars will actually rack up the vast majority of their miles, it’s a better car because of it.

In the end, I walked away thinking that the 600LT Spider may offer the most fun you can have on a race track behind the wheel of a McLaren. But the 720S Spider is the best all-around McLaren that money can buy. There are very few downsides, other than the fact that, at $315,000, I can’t afford one. It’s comfortable, versatile, beautiful, and above all else, stupidly fast.

If this is what corruption feels like, I’m absolutely on board.

February 26, 2019 / Comments Off

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McLaren 720S Spa 68 Collection Celebrates Bruce McLaren’s Legacy

Only Three Cars Will be Made

To commemorate 50 years since Bruce McLaren secured the first Grand Prix victory for McLaren, the company will build a limited edition 720S Spa 68 Collection model. McLaren Brussels commissioned only three of the cars, and no more will be built.

Built by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), the cars get several special touches that identify them as part of the Spa Collection. All three of the cars will feature a Bespoke Anniversary Orange paint job to match the car that won the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

The seats have the racetrack outline embroidered on the headrests. The racetrack outline is also featured in front of the rear wheel arch. Carbon fiber sill covers feature the words “1st McLaren F1 victory Belgian Grand Prix 9th June 1968 – Bruce McLaren” on them. The ignition key also pays homage with bespoke keys painted in the same color as the rest of the car and “Spa 68” text.

Additionally, the car features MSO five-spoke lightweight wheels painted satin black. This contrasts from the bright orange paint job. Inside, there’s McLaren Orange contrast stitching to give the car plenty of visual flare inside the cabin. From a performance standpoint, McLaren did not alter the cars.

Bruce McLaren’s win in 1968 was the start of McLaren’s motorsport history as a true contender. The win in 1968 was actually Bruce McLaren’s fourth Formula 1 victory, but it was the first in his own car with his fledgling team. That win set McLaren on the right track. Since then, the team would go on to win eight World Constructors’ Championships and 12 World Drivers’ Championships.

The Spa 68 Collection cars were available from McLaren Brussels. However, at the time of McLaren’s press release, two of them already had buyers. The third is likely to follow suit if it has not already.

January 4, 2019 / Comments Off

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McLaren 720S Spider debuts with new roof, colors, glass flying buttresses

McLaren Automotive’s special gift to attendees at the company’s Winter Ball was the reveal of the 720S Spider. Coming about 18 months after the launch of the 720S Coupe, McLaren has made a few specific changes compared to the hardtop, like frameless doors and new rear spoiler programming, along with wide improvements over the last Super Series roadster, the 650S Spider.

The carbon Monocage II tub in the fixed-roof 720S becomes the Monocage II-S in the Spider. Even though the tub discards the overhead spine, new carbon supports at the tub’s rear return the lost rigidity. The 650S used steel supports fitted into its Monocage; switching to carbon means saving 15 pounds in the rollover protection structure compared to the predecessor car. The Monocage II-S needs no extra strengthening elsewhere, keeping the slim A-pillars and header rail of the 720S.

A new hardtop mechanism operates the standard all-carbon-fiber roof. Electrically instead of hydraulically actuated, the mechanism is another source of weight loss and performance gain. The motors raise and lower the roof in 11 seconds, at speeds up to 31 miles per hour. The operation happens six seconds faster than on the 650S Spider, at a top speed 13 mph higher.

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The rear end’s carbon fiber deck has been redesigned to stow the roof, leaving a two-square-foot cubby underneath for luggage when the roof is up. To maximize visibility to the rear-three-quarter, McLaren made the buttresses extending from the roll hoops to the fenders out of glazed glass. Customers wanting more visibility skyward can order an electrochromic glass roof that tints or goes all clear with a button push. Kitted out so, the glass top tints automatically when the car’s turned off, then returns to its last setting upon restart.

The M840T 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 possesses familiar gumption here, being 710 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. McLaren redrew the underfloor aero and tuned the rear spoiler to manage the Spider’s unique airflow. Because the 720S Spider puts on just 108 pounds more than the coupe, performance varies by only a tenth of a second in some cases. The 0-60 dash transpires in 2.8 seconds, the top speed clocks in at 212 mph, both the same as the coupe. Gunning on to 124 mph takes 7.9 seconds, the quarter-mile needs 10.4 seconds, both times a tenth more than the coupe. Lowering the roof panel shaves ten mph from terminal velocity.

The carmaker crows that the 720S Spider’s 2,937-pound dry weight makes the vehicle 194 pounds lighter than the “dry weight of its closest competitor,” with a certain Maranello offering filling in that blank.

Available in standard, Performance, and Luxury trims, Belize Blue and Aztec Gold join the color range, as does the Heritage hue Supernova Silver, which first appeared on the MP4-12C. The 20-inch, 10-spoke lightweight wheels also debut.

The configuration and order pages are open now, deliveries start in March 2019. If you want to join the 720S Spider’s topless party, you’ll need $315,000 to get in the door, about $26,000 more than the coupe.

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December 9, 2018 / Comments Off

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Novitec N-Largo McLaren 720s boasts big presence to match big power

If a carbon tax referred to a penalty based on how much carbon fiber were used to build a car, specialty tuner Novitec Group would be looking at a hefty bill for its most recent creation. The Novitec N-Largo adds not just a styling kit, not just a performance upgrade, not just a suspension adjustment, but all three to the already massively talented 720s supercar.

Based in Germany, Novitec has made a name for itself tuning elite performance and luxury cars, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royces, Maseratis, Teslas, and McLarens. In the past, Novitec has offered its takes on McLaren’s 540C, the 570S, the 570GT, and even a different example of the 720s. But this new build has a much more assertive personality than the previously subtle makeover.

Limited to just 15 examples, the N-Largo gives the 720s a look similar to that of the McLaren Senna. Using molded carbon fiber, the N-Largo ditches the soft and suave curves of the stock car for a more aggressive demeanor. The car can been lowered 1.3 inches with sport springs, and it sits on staggered Vossen MC2 forged center-lock wheels, 20-inch in the front and 21-inch in the rear, wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero rubber.

Novitec notes that the new bumpers completely replace the original McLaren parts and bolt to the secure original connection points. The styling kit was not devoid of practical thought, either, as the kit maintains the aerodynamic and cooling bits that help make the 720s such a deadly performance vehicle. The N-Largo also adds a new rear airfoil attachment that is claimed to increase downforce.

Most importantly, Novitec crafted three different levels of performance tunes for the 720s. According to Vossen, an auxiliary control unit plugs in and adapts to the electronic engine controls on the car. In the most powerful stage 2 configuration, which includes a performance exhaust, the N-Largo shows up to the tune of 794 horsepower and 648 lb-ft of torque, 84 more horses and 80 more lb-ft than the standard 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque from the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8. According to Novitec and Vossen, this gives the N-Largo a 0-62 time of 2.7 seconds, a 0-124 run in 7.5 seconds, and a top speed of about 215 mph.

There’s no word on pricing or availability, but we can tell you this: Novitec is already working on an interpretation of the McLaren 600LT. We have a feeling it might be even more braggadocious than the 720s.

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November 28, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren upgrades 720S arsenal with a Track Pack Specification

Two years ago, McLaren Automotive permitted owners to sharpen the 570S coupe with a new Track Pack, which brought the added benefit of lopping 55 pounds off the already svelte two-door. The carmaker says 10 percent of buyers choose it. Earlier this year, the Track Pack migrated to the droptop 570S, eliminating 73 pounds of performance-blunting mass. With the 720S GT3 customer race car testing throughout Europe as you read this, McLaren has announced a Track Pack Specification for the 720S road car.

McLaren made the announcement in the UK, but the circuit bundle is certain to make its way here, following the previous two. When it does, you can also expect it to cost roughly the same as a decently powered track car. That’s because to get to the Track Pack, you first need to option the Performance Pack, which appends hood and rear fender intakes, carbon fiber exterior mirror caps, and ambient lighting in the engine bay.

Outside, the Track Pack combines the so-called “MSO Defined Gloss Finish Visual Carbon Fiber Active Rear Spoiler” with a sports exhaust and “super-lightweight” forged 10-spoke wheels. Inside, a pretzeled titanium bar spanning the cabin secures six-point harnesses for the driver and passenger lightweight carbon fiber racing seats. The driver grips an Alcantara-rimmed steering wheel, and the bespoke division puts its 18th-century-novel naming scheme to work again with the “MSO Defined Satin Visual Carbon Fiber Extended Gearshift Paddles.”

No changes are made to the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. Nevertheless, when it’s time to win the track-day trophy, the properly equipped 720S driver can make best use of that engine with the McLaren Track Telemetry (MTT) system, which marries data-logging software to three video cameras around the car.

When it’s all assembled, adding equals subtracting: the £28,360 price (about $37,000) is less than the price of optioning Track Pack components individually, and returns a 47-kilo (53-pound) drop in curb weight. (And pushes total cost to about $293,000.) For our purposes, the 570S Track Pack added $20,615 in cost in 2016. Escalate that with a respectable premium for the march of time and the fact of the superior 720S. Or rather, have your private banker do the escalations, eh?

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October 5, 2018 / Comments Off

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McLaren 720S Spider patent drawings prove droptop is in the works

McLaren announced recently that it would be launching many new models and variants through 2025. And some European patent drawings seem to reveal one of those models. They show a McLaren 720S without a roof, indicating that it will be a 720S Spider convertible.

That’s very literally what these drawings are, since it only shows what section of the coupe’s roof will be removed, and it doesn’t show any of the structure or folding roof that will take its place. The result is a little strange to look at, with proportions that, if we didn’t know there was an engine in the way, would almost suggest a rear seat. With the McLaren 570S Spider as a guide, though, we expect that there will be some long, curved cowls behind each of the seats to help retain the coupe’s profile, even when the roof is down. We also expect that it will use a folding metal roof like that of the 570S.

We also suspect that the 720S Spider will follow the 570S Spider’s lead in offering open-air driving without sacrificing performance. The 570S impressively had the same top speed (top up), the same fuel economy and roughly the same acceleration to 60 mph as its coupe twin, even with a 101-pound weight penalty. The 720S will probably be similar with a minor weight penalty, greater price, and almost identical performance.

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October 1, 2018 / Comments Off

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2018 McLaren 720S Drivers’ Notes | Menacing middle child

It’s been seven years since McLaren launched the MP4-12C (later simplified to just 12C), the vehicle that kicked off the British brand’s three-tiered assault on the supercar market. The Sports Series is currently made up of the 540, 570, and 600 lineups. The 720S is the only member of the Super Series, one rung higher up the ladder from Sport and one below the Ultimate level of the McLaren Senna.

The McLaren 720S is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that spins out 710 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That’s sufficient to push the sinewy supercar from 0-60 in 2.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 212 miles per hour.

We tested two different 720S models. The silver car pictured here boasts a number of options, including a Luxury package that adds exterior trim in Dark Palladium, engine bay ambient lighting, and premium leather for the heated and power-operated seats. Our test car was also fitted with a front splitter, air intakes, and door mirrors in carbon fiber, and a sports exhaust system. Total price came to $342,135.

McLaren 720S door open

Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski: The McLaren 720S is one of the most impressive vehicles available to buy today. It looks incredible, with swoopy good looks that capitalize on air intakes that cut deep into the car’s bodywork to create negative space and add drama to the supercar’s design. And it drives even better.

My test car was a shade of silver that I don’t really think does the car any favors, and doesn’t stand out like the purple-hued 720S my colleagues in Michigan drove. Still, as I shrieked down highways and byways in and around Seattle, the McLaren had no problem attracting admiring stares and inciting impromptu rolling drag race offers. These, naturally, I declined. I already knew I had the fastest car on the block.

The 720S is powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine that feels like a major advancement from the company’s older 3.8-liter unit. It revs like an F1 car, plowing through first and second gears so fast that its driver is squarely into suspended-license speeds in the blink of an eye. But despite its headline-grabbing spec sheet, the 720S can actually be quite docile out on the road.

Comfort mode softens the 720S nicely for bumpy, potholed roads. Sport mode stiffens everything up perfectly, and Track mode loosens up the electronic nannies so far that I wouldn’t use it on the street. It is Track mode, after all. Another impressive parlor trick: A push of a different dash-mounted button pops the rear spoiler up high on its hydraulic stanchions. A slam of the brakes moves that spoiler vertical and turns it into an air brake.

Shenanigans like that are meant for the race track, and really, that’s got to be the best place to experience the McLaren 720S. But even on the street, the level of accessible performance is amazing considering how easy it is to live with the the car on a daily basis. The McLaren 720S proves that even the fastest cars in the world can still be easy to drive.

McLaren 720S profile
McLaren 720S front McLaren 720S rear doors open

Associate Editor Reese Counts: I wasn’t bowled over by the 570GT we had a few weeks ago. Sure, it was fast, but it lacked flair. It was just too buttoned up for my taste. Despite the positive things I’d heard, I was afraid things were going to be much the same way in the 720S. Maybe it’s the flashy design or the extra power or the purple on purple color scheme on our tester here in Detroit, but I was smitten with Woking’s mid-engine monster.

Everything felt a little sharper than it did in both the 570S and GTs I’ve driven. At the same time, there was an bit more excitement to the driving experience. The updated 4.0-liter V8 sounds better than the 570’s 3.8-liter unit. It made me want to keep dipping into the throttle. There’s an underpass near my house where I can get the exhaust to crackle off the walls for about 1,000 feet. I must have gone back and forth five or six times, slowing down just so I could goose it. It was giggle inducing, though my wife continued to roll her eyes.

I dig the looks, too. Just look at the headlights. It’s purposeful without being overwrought and doesn’t look like anything else on the road. I’m a little less sold on the interior, but it’s still a comfortable place to be. Like other McLarens, the 720S’ ride manages to balance comfort and performance better than nearly any other performance car around.

I’m still not sure I love the McLaren more than the Ferrari 488 Spider I reviewed last year, but it’s certainly heading in the right direction.

McLaren 720S badge
McLaren 720S engine McLaren 720S wheel brake

Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: There’s a lot about the McLaren 720S that makes it a fun car to drive. The steering is damn near perfectly weighted and is full of feedback. The engine rockets the little thing away from every stoplight, the transmission is impeccably smooth and fast. I could go on. But I’d rather spend a little time talking about the other thing that makes it great: It feels like piloting a spaceship.

You get a sense of that walking up to the car. The entire car is smooth and undulating. There are hardly any extrusions poking out from the organic lines. It looks far more advanced than anything else on the road. Then the butterfly door opens to welcome you, and the interior hammers home the futuristic feeling. All around you is glass; in front, behind, to the side, in the corners, even above your head. It’s almost like a bubble, something people of the 1950s would have expected of their future flying cars. Then you look at the dashboard and the seats. It’s all still curves and flowing features. You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking the car was some strange combination of the biological and the mechanical. And in the case of the purple example we had in Michigan, it’s as close to a Covenant spacecraft from the Halo video game series as you’re going to get.

Like any proper spaceship, it also attracts oodles of attention when driven among the common cars. Everywhere I went, people were gawking, and cell phones would whip out for photos. In fact, along Woodward, a lady in some nondescript crossover I can’t remember nearly hit the car in front of her as she tried to get a photo. That snafu aside, it’s a great feeling that just seeing this car brightens other people’s days.

This really is what makes the McLaren special beyond just its impressive performance. It’s got the look and feel of something futuristic and jawdropping. It makes even just normal cruising an event for you and the people around you.

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August 29, 2018 / Comments Off

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2019 McLaren 720S GT3 race car is barely a 720S anymore

For a company with as much racing history as McLaren, it’s no surprise that it is introducing a new race car based on the 720S. What is interesting is that there’s very little in common between the 2019 McLaren 720S GT3 race car and the regular 720S. The company says that over 90 percent of the super coupe have been changed for the racer.

Among the changes are a body that is completely reshaped compared with the road car. This includes the massively enlarged front grille, wider fenders and aggressive aerodynamic parts. The engine is based on the road car’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 and retains the same displacement, but it has been rebuilt for race duty. Power numbers aren’t available. The engine is also mated to a six-speed sequential transmission, rather than the seven-speed dual-clutch unit in the road car. Other race-ready upgrades include several adjustable parts including the limited-slip differential, shocks, traction control and ABS. Those come standard, but there are some options such as a rear-view camera, parking sensors and tire pressure monitoring.

Though power hasn’t been announced, pricing has. For teams not directly backed by McLaren, the price for a 720S GT3 is $564,000. That’s roughly twice the cost of the road-going 720S, which starts at a bit over $280,000. Deliveries will begin next year in time for a number of GT3-class racing series.

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August 28, 2018 / Comments Off

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Drivers buy new $300K McLaren 720S, 2019 Chevy Corvette, and wreck ’em

Two high-powered, high-priced sports cars, wrecked in their infancies. No doubt they were fun while they lasted.

In Great Falls, Va., a tony suburb of Washington, D.C., that hugs the Potomac River, someone was out enjoying driving the McLaren 720S they had purchased only the day before on a leafy, two-lane road. Then, horror: In an instant, the car hit a tree, mangled and destroyed “because of speed,” according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

Purchased Friday. Totaled Saturday. This McLaren 720S, costing around $300,000, was destroyed today in Great Falls because of speed. The driver was taken to the hospital with thankfully only non-life threatening injuries. A reminder to slow down, or it could cost you. pic.twitter.com/XhC3LKRY1t

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) July 14, 2018

Then on salvage auction site Copart, a brand-new orange 2019 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport lies in a warehouse in Lincoln, Neb., its front left corner crushed, wheel askew. It had just 15 miles on the odometer. We know nothing of the backstory, except for the obvious front-end damage and secondary damage to the undercarriage. The rear end and 6.2-liter V8 engine, which makes 460 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, look OK. The most current bid as this was published was just north of $9,000.

It’s tempting in both cases to assign the blame to over-eager drivers who weren’t quite yet able to corral all that power. In the case of the McLaren, the supercar makes 710 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque from its quad-cam, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8. It goes from 0-62 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds and boasts a top speed of 212 mph. We’re not saying the unidentified driver was a newbie, but this car is definitely not for newbies.

Police write that the incident is “A reminder to slow down, or it could cost you.” As in, $300,000. Or at least the depreciation for driving it off the lot.

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July 17, 2018 / Comments Off

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2018 McLaren 720S – The Best of Britain

Blurred Lines

While romping around in the new McLaren 720S, things around you quickly become a blur as you accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds. Pavement markings aren’t the only lines being blurred though – thanks to the 720S, so too is the line between supercars and hypercars.

These days, the McLaren 720S is leading the charge of a growing number of cars – a raucous gang of automobiles which are causing a disturbance to the metrics in which we define what a hypercar is. Government restrictions and traffic laws put a ceiling over just how far a road-worthy car can go, and the 720S – a supercar – pushes ever closer to that limit.

2018 McLaren 720S

The great thing about the McLaren 720S is that it perfectly blends the best of both the supercar and hypercar worlds – you get all the performance (if not more) of today’s ridiculously expensive hypercars, but at a relatively low supercar-price.

Starting at $288,845 USD the 720S looks like the bargain of the century, as you quickly realize that a million-dollar budget won’t necessarily net you a more capable car. In fact, even when fully optioned out, it remains less than a third of the price of most “entry-level” hypercars.

With such pedigree, the successor to the 650S gets to rub shoulders with some very elite company. It completes the quarter-mile in 10.1 seconds (227.7 km/h) – faster than a Bugatti Veyron – and according to Motor Trend, is the fastest purely gasoline-powered car they’ve tested.

Only hybrid hypercars such as the Porsche 918 Spyder and Ferrari LaFerrari are running the stretch just fractions of a second quicker.

It is also remarkably refined and amenable, making it comfortable enough for daily use. McLaren engineered the 720S to be a supercar which begs to be driven under all circumstances and conditions while precluding any notion of being a ‘garage queen’.

The McLaren 720S could very well be the new template for the modern (and future) supercar.

Features And Highlights

Engine

The 720S employs a twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8 engine, which produces 710-horsepower @ 7,500 rpm and 568 lb-ft of torque @ 5,500 rpm.

As the numbers suggest, you do need to keep the revs above 5,000 rpm to really get the most from the engine. That is not to say that the car feels in anyway gutless in the lower range – the 720S surges forward with smooth linearity throughout the rev range, transitioning into peak power in a progressive, yet dramatic way.

Chassis

The engine is mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. This gearbox is a technological marvel – upshifts and downshifts are completed in the blink of an eye in either automatic or manual shifting mode.

McLaren engineers also delivered some programming ingenuity into the transmission’s behavior while in Track mode. Dubbed ‘Inertia Push’, the clutch slams shut for the next cog during high rpm upshifts, enabling the engine to spin slightly faster than the input shaft. According to McLaren, this “uses the inertia of the rotating engine components to deliver a torque pulse to the wheels that improves acceleration”.

The 720S’ Comfort mode allows for a car that feels just as capable of daily driving as it does for track use. Suspension dampers are hydraulically linked and each has two pressure sensors. There are twelve additional sensors which analyze data in real-time for each of the car’s driving modes to determine the best damping settings in each situation.

Carbon-ceramic brakes and Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires respectively provide the stopping power and grip required to harmonize with the overall performance of the car, while perfectly weighted and world-class steering feedback allows the driver to conduct the chassis with true precision.

Design & Interior

The 720S is inundated with functional exterior body parts which improve aerodynamics, air-flow efficiency and cooling – the aggressive front spoiler, bonnet gills and active rear wing amongst the many parts working in harmony to generate up to 50 percent more downforce, double the overall aerodynamic efficiency and 15 percent more efficient cooling over its predecessor, the 650S.

Underneath the cornucopia of its predominantly carbon fiber shell, is the ‘Monocage II’ chassis structure which incorporates an upper structure and windscreen surround, making it more rigid than the 650S. It also lowers its center of gravity by 3 percent and is the lightest of the Super Series cars, with a dry weight of 1,286 kg – over 135 kg lighter than a Ferrari 488 GTB.

Inside, the 720S is deftly ergonomic and comfortable, while the driver’s seating position and visibility are terrific. This is thanks in part due to the bubble-style cabin and A-pillars with transparent roof panels. The butterfly doors and center cutouts also make it easier for driver and passenger to enter/exit the vehicle.

The interior is adorned with high-quality Nappa leather, carbon fiber and Alcantara trim finishing. Cleverly appointed digital instruments provide key vehicle data and infotainment for the driver.

Verdict

Compared to its most obvious rivals – the Lamborghini Huracán Performante ($274,390 USD) and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS ($294,250 USD) – the McLaren 720S is priced right in the middle at $288,845 USD.

In my opinion, the 720S offers the most daily-usability and its performance, to put it lightly, is not lagging behind its competition. This makes it more approachable and all-around-capable than any other supercar in its class.

Then we also must remember how it fares against cars that should be out of its league. Million-dollar cars (in some cases, twice over) barely manage to cope with the 720S’ performance arsenal.

If not for an undying loyalty to the more historic marques, or a decades-long love affair with a certain poster car, the 720S is the pragmatist’s choice.

The McLaren 720 is the complete supercar.

Specifications And Performance Summary

Pricing And Model Info

Make	McLaren
Model	720S
Generation	2017 – Present
Car type	Coupe
Category	Series Production Car
Built At	Surrey, UK
Base Price (USD)	$288,845

Chassis And Powertrain

Curb Weight	1,434 kg (3,161 lbs)
Layout	Mid-engine
Driven wheels	Rear-wheel drive
Engine	V8, aluminum block and heads
Aspiration	Twin-turbocharged
Displacement	4.0 Litres
Transmission	7-speed DCT

Engine Output

Power	710 hp @ 7,500 rpm
Power / litre	177.5 hp / litre
Power-to-weight ratio	4.45 lb / hp
Torque	568 lb-ft @ 5,500 rpm

Performance

0-60 mph	2.5 seconds
0-100 mph	5.3 seconds
¼ mile	10.1 seconds
Top Speed	212 mph (342 km/h)m

Photo Gallery

Video Reviews

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June 5, 2018 / Comments Off

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