We’ve been seeing spy shots of the replacement for the McLaren 650S for months, but now, the British manufacturer finally has pulled off the tarp.
McLaren debuted the 720S on Tuesday at the Geneva International Motor Show, according to a press release. The successor to the 650S is the first model in the second generation of the company’s Super Series.
Much like the model it replaces, the 720S gets its name from the 720 metric horsepower (710 horsepower) power output of its new 4-liter twin-turbo V-8 that also produces 568 foot-pounds of torque. McLaren’s second-generation carbon-fiber monocage contributes to the 720S’s dry weight of 2,829 pounds, which is 575 pounds lighter than the Ferrari 488.
The model’s increase in power, combined with its reduction in weight, help it accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, complete the standing quarter-mile in 10.3 seconds and continue onward to its 212 mph top speed.
“This is the first time we have replaced a product family and the new 720S is absolutely true to McLaren’s pioneering spirit in being a revolutionary leap forwards, both for our brand and the supercar segment,” McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt said in a statement.
Unlike most previous McLarens, the 720S doesn’t have headlights that resemble the manufacturer’s “Speedmark” logo. Instead, McLaren’s designers opted for a more upright design they say gives it a better light output than most supercars. It also makes it look like a ticked-off P1, which is saying something, as the P1 itself already looks pretty menacing.
The 720S is McLaren’s first Super Series model to be fitted with a full-width active rear wing that helps it stop from 125 mph in just 4.6 seconds and 384 feet. It also has “double-skin” duct on the doors, which keeps turbulent air close to the body as it moves rearward, allowing McLaren to design very subtle cooling intakes near the rear arches.
McLaren’s updated Proactive Chassis Control II supposedly improves on the 650S already un-supercar-like ride quality, and ability to grip the road. Another sign the 720S is as road-ready as it is track-ready comes in the form of a folding digital dash, which transforms into a narrow tachometer in track mode to minimize distractions.
McLaren already is accepting orders for the 720S, which starts at $254,297, and said deliveries are expected to begin in May.
Thumbnail photo via McLaren
