New engine, new styling, new Super Series model.
After no less than 6 teasers, British supercar firm McLaren has finally pulled the wraps off of its second-generation Super Series model, the 720S. Making an official debut at the ongoing Geneva motor show, the 720S takes the reigns from the 650S supercar, and brings about improvements and revisions to make it even more competitive than ever before.
The 720S debuts McLaren’s ‘Monocage II’ chassis design, with a carbon fibre tub and upper structure promising superlative strength and rigidity, and features aluminium space frames at the front and rear to support the four-corner dual-wishbone suspension. The Monocage II’s extensive use of carbon fibre is the biggest contributor to the claimed 1283kg dry weight of the 720S, which represents an 18kg weight saving over the outgoing 650S.
McLaren insists that it’s placed function above form, with an aerodynamically-sculpted body that does its best to make prominent aero functionality (like big wings and gaping vents) redundant. The face of the car sees an air intake worked into the 720S’ ‘eyes,’ channelling air down the sides of the car in a smooth fashion. There are also active anti-lift blades up front for high-speed stability, while vents down the sides of the car help keep air turbulence at bay beneath the new Super Series model.
Despite this, the 720S doesn’t look like it was designed in a lab. Where previous McLaren efforts have been described as antiseptic, the 720S looks as sensual as it does purposeful, with form that would scare the drivers of even the newest supercars from Italy. McLaren’s signature dihedral doors are present and correct here, now opening up to 80-degrees while staying 150mm closer to the body of the car, for better ingress and egress and less botty-clenching moments in tight parking spaces.
The cabin sees an evolution of McLaren’s design ethos, with minimalism and functionality being the top priorities. A highlight of the 720S’ interior is the new McLaren ‘Driver Interface,’ which covers both the ‘Folding Driver Display’ as well as the portrait-style central infotainment screen. The driver display, as the name suggest, presents two modes based on driver preference: It can sit upright with a full-colour high-definition display to show all of the vehicle’s functionalities, or it can fold downward and present a slim high-resolution display with only essential information featured. This is to permit the functionality of a full display when you’re showing off in town, and also accommodate for more focus when you might be belting it around a track.
The central screen functions here much the same way the original central screen did, controlling most of the vehicle’s functions without having to resort to a plethora of buttons. The aluminium switchgear you do see on the central stack pertain to the ‘Proactive Chassis Control’ system, which also debuts on the 720S. PCC offers four driving modes: Comfort, Sport, and Track are all pretty self-explanitory, with each mode offering either a more relaxed or more involved driving experience depending on the situation. A fourth mode is also offered, which works sort of like a drift mode, allowing you to set just how sideways you want to get before the car’s electronic systems rein everything back in again.
The engine in the middle is also an evolution of the familiar. The 3.8-litre V8 from the outgoing 650S has been reworked and retuned, and now measures 4.0-litres in size. This new M840T engine features 41% new parts (of course McLaren would have that down to a percentile), and it puts out a considerable 530kW and 770Nm, which is enough to fire the 720S from rest to 100km/h in 2.9-seconds, and it’ll go on to hit 200km/h in 7.8-seconds. Keep pushing, and you’ll hit 300km/h in 21.4-seconds, before you hit the maximum speed at 341km/h. Stopping power hasn’t been forgotten though, as the 720S will go from 100km/h to rest in 2.8-seconds, one-hundredth of a second less than it takes to get to 100km/h in the first place.
Transmission duties are handled by a seven-speed dual-clutch SSG gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels. McLaren has already started taking orders for the 720S, which will be made available in standard, Performance, and Luxury trim levels as well as a number of personalisation options for the more discerning customer.
Be sure to check out the gallery below, and watch the 720S in action in the video above. And for more information on McLaren, check out our Showroom.
