2020 Mclaren 720s

Unlike every other Mclaren in production, the 720s is powered by a 4-liter twin-turbo V8. However, this engine is tuned to achieve its maximum potential. It is capable of delivering 700 horses- enough to make it fast, very fast. Blisteringly fast to be precise. 

Cheap and affordable words don’t exist while you plan to buy a Mclaren. With a price tag of around $300,000, the 720s is a dream come true for most of us. One guarantee which comes with every Mclaren is that you would never be disappointed. Yes, it does require a lot of thinking before making a decision to buy one. The marque has placed the 720s against the likes of the Ferrari 812 Superfast, the Aston Martin DBS Superleggera and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ among other

The Mclaren 720s is available in only one trim. However, Mclaren provides it with different packages and options. The 720s is offered with “Base”, “Luxury” and “Performance” packages. The vehicle technically remains the same throughout these. The interior changes with the choice of materials used on the insides. 

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As the Mclaren 720s is offered is only one trim. There are different options and packages available which can be opted for depending on the customer’s needs and requirements. If one likes performance, Mclaren offers the performance package. There’s a Luxury package on offer for people who prefer comfort that makes the interior just that more comfortable.

The Mclaren 720s is amongst the most extreme and powerful vehicles on sale. It is powered by a 4-liter V8 assisted by a twin-turbo setup. The turbo can spool up very quickly which results in instant boost. Impressive figures are due to the engine being assisted by a couple of “twin-scroll” turbochargers. 

Transmission duties are handled by a 7-speed automatic transmission mated to this V8. This engine is capable of producing 710 horses at 7250 RPM and 568 lb-ft of torque at 5500 RPM. Designed to handle stress, this engine feels comfortable throughout the rev range, making sure

There is no turbo lag at any given rpm level. 

Yes, the Lambo and the Ferrari have the biggest engine in comparison with displacement. Powering them is a naturally aspirated 6.5L V12 motor. Then comes the Aston Martin which is powered by a 5.2-liter V12. Yes, the Mclaren is the one packing the smallest engine which is a V8 unit. However, the Mclaren can manage to give the other vehicles in this bunch a run for their money. 

Acceleration

Talking about performance without acceleration? Cant! It is one of the key aspects to look for in a performance vehicle. The Mclaren manages to overshadow the competition with its 4 liters of brilliant British power. It is capable of doing the 0-60 run in 2.7 seconds while the quarter-mile time comes in 10.1 seconds. Mclaren knows how to let the numbers do the talking. 

All the vehicles in the competition are fast enough to hurt you with whiplash. With a difference of milliseconds in most of the acceleration tests. Talking about on sheet numbers, the 812 does the 0-60 sprint at par with the 720s- 2.7 seconds. While in quarter-mile, Mclaren takes the lead with just a millisecond difference. Although, in the 0-60 sprint, the Lamborghini Aventador SUV takes first place. 

Ride and Handling

The major focus while developing the 720s was on handing which is inspired by their Formula 1 team. While the twin-scroll turbochargers sitting on carbon mono cage inspired by the P1, make sure that the 720 never feels out of boost. It comes equipped with Mclaren’s “Proactive Chassis Control II” capable of providing smooth ride quality on all kinds of road surfaces. It makes the 720s capable of tackling city and race tracks very well, with on-fly shiftable suspension settings making the car super stable at higher speeds. 

The McLaren 720s also offers three drive modes named as Comfort, Sport, and Track. As the name sounds like. They are designed for a specific condition of the road surface to provide best performance from the 720s. While the track mode is set to provide the maximum number of performance out of your Mclaren.

Braking

Going fast is of no use if you can't stop in time. The Mclaren 720s comes fitted with one of the best sets of brakes ever fitted into a production car. With braking performance equivalent to that of the P1, the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, and the Porsche 918 Spyder. Adding to that, an impressive air brake is also helping you slow down faster whenever required. 

The 720s comes equipped with 15.3 and 15-inch rotors made out of high-performance carbon-fiber in the front and rear respectively. These rotors are designed to dissipate heat better than traditional steel rotors. 

Slamming the brakes hard can give you the feeling that your eyes might be popping out of your skull. The story remains the same for both Mclaren 720s and the SVJ as well. Both these cars take almost the same distance in stopping completely from 60mph. While other competitors like the Ferrari 812 take 101.7ft to come to a standstill. No official figures of the DBS keeps it out of the braking test. 

You might not consider this segment of article while buying a supercar capable of doing 200mph speeds. The Mclaren 720s outshines in this category too. Providing fuel economy figures much better than the rest. Though these figures are not for 0-60 speed pulls, they are numbers which you get if you drive like a civilised person on the street along with other not so superfast cars. Economy figures of 15 under city conditions and 22 at highway speeds are what you should be expecting. This leads to a combined fuel economy of 18.1 miles to the gallon from a 710hp V8 engine. 

The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is capable of providing the most frugal fuel efficiency numbers. It returns a gas mileage of 21/27/22.9 for city/highway/combined respectively. While, the naturally aspirated 812 and SVJ have lower gas mileage of 13 and 13.14 miles to the gallon (combined) respectively. Providing perfect example how forced induction helps in improving fuel economy. Having said that, these numbers are for speed limit driving and if you have any plans of flooring the pedal, these numbers are expected to drop drastically.

A supercar should not only go fast, but also has to ensure both the driver and the passenger are well seated and comfortable when doing so. The 720s is stuffed with high-quality materials all around the interior. Featuring materials such as wood, leather, and Alcantra covering most of the panels, the 720S is good enough as it is. If you still need a more carbon fibre look on the insides, you can also opt for the carbon fiber optional package.

Adding to comfort, the adaptive suspension does what they are designed for, comfort and increased handling when needed. Stiffness changes with driving modes as on pre set limit tested by Mclaren to provide best performance suited for that specific mode. Talking about seats, they are bolstered in well and provide a surprisingly comfortable position with plenty of room considering the mid-engine layout. 

As the exact interior dimensions of these vehicles are not available. However, while comparing on facts, the Ferrari 812 Superfast stands out to be more comfortable and spacious inside. Having said that, the Aston Martin also offers a good level of comfort as well and offers all the required features and tech. The SVJ is focused more toward the track and it shows on the insides too. Which translates to a compromise on the comfort factor that might make you think twice before taking it on a long trip.

Interior Features

• Dual-zone climate control & air conditioning 
• Heating element on rear window 
• Manual adjust sports seats (power height adjust on driver’s side (embossed speed mark on headrest) 
• Manual adjust steering column (reach and rake) 
• Front luggage compartment accessible under hood 
• Machined from solid interior switches 
• Electrochromic dimming rear view interior mirror

Infotainment System

This is one part where almost all the supercars lack, same is the case with McLaren which does not offer much for this part of the car. All you get is an 8-inch central touchscreen for all trims. Although the system is crisp and swift to operate, it will disappoint you when the sun is shining brightly. Only Apple CarPlay is supported and no Android Auto. There is a bespoke knob in the console that is used to select any of the three driving modes: Comfort, Sport or Track.

The 720s comes fitted with a 4-speaker audio system which suits you if you think the 4.0L V8 is the best soundtrack. This portion is also putin keeping weight saving in mind as it is the lightest ever audio system on any McLaren. Yes! for the music enthusiasts, there is also an upgrade in the form of a Bowers & Wilkins audio system offered by Mclaren. This is a 1,280-Watt 12-speaker sound system that uses active noise cancellation and supports Dolby surround sound to provide good quality tunes inside the cabin. 

• MIS (McLaren Infotainment System) 7” high resolution touch screen monitor 
• On-board memory 
• McLaren 4-speaker audio system 
• Audio media player 
• AM/FM & DAB radio 
• Bluetooth telephony 
• USB connectivity x2
• AUX in 
• Voice control for infotainment

Cargo Capacity

Hauling cargo is not something supercars are designed for in the first place. Still, the 720S is better than most of its rivals in this regard. As this is a mid-engine layout car, it features not one but two cargo areas. One in the front as a proper trunk and the other one behind the seats in the form of a deck. With a total hauling capacity of 5.3 cubic feet in the front and 7.4 cubic-feet at the back. 

The exact cargo volume of these supercars is not available except for the Mclaren 720s. So no exact comparison is possible. However, the 812 is considered the best for practicality in the business. All due to its front-engine configuration which makes the 812 offers a pretty big rear boot. The SVJ stands out to be the most impractical in terms of cargo volume out of this bunch. With limited front boot that can hold just a couple of small bags at the most. The Aventador SVJ isn’t something you would go on to buy if you’re in the market for a practical vehicle.

The Mclaren 720s comes outfitted with looks like none other. Without any doubt, it will give you styling hints out of a Star Trek movie. In terms of exact dimensions, the 720s comes in at 178.9 inches in length and 76 inches of width. As far as height is concerned, the 2020 Mclaren 720s stands low with being just 47.08 inches at its highest point. The 4.21 inches of ground clearance makes it little difficult to tackle bad roads and speed bumps but it is something you’ll have to live with. 

Exterior dimensions play a major role in more than one factor of a supercar. Mclaren also managed to keep the overall weight of the car very low. It weighs the lightest out of the competition. The 720s weighs as low as 3128 pounds. The Aston Martin DBS Superleggera is the heaviest in the group at 3732 lbs. Weight plays a major role in handling the car too. Using carbon fibre wherever possible also helped Mclaren in keeping the weight down. Featuring the shortest wheelbase out of them all makes it one of the best handling vehicles.

Exterior Features

• Twin-hinged Dihedral Doors
• Soft-close doors Glass C-pillars 
• Fixed rear glass – rear luggage area accessible by folding seats
• Active rear spoiler with air brake and automatic Drag Reduction System (DRS) 
• Electrically folding heated door mirrors (with dip in reverse functionality) 
• Electronic external door release buttons (both sides)
• Dark Palladium front splitter 
• Front air intakes 
• Rear aerobridge 
• Rear bumper lower 
• Diffuser 
• Gloss Black upper canopy 
• Satin Graphite exterior window surrounds 
• Body colour door mirror casings and door mirror arms 
• Sandblasted silver exhaust finisher

The Mclaren 720 S Coupe comes outfitted with top-notch safety features to ensure passenger safety. Mclaren added numerous features to drop the chances of getting into a mishap on the road such as 4-wheel anti-lock braking system, stability control and parking sensors at both rear and front. Further additions such as front, knee and side curtain airbags to minimise injuries.

• Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Roll Stability Control (RSC)
• ABS And Driveline Traction Control
• Tire Specific Low Tire Pressure Warning
• Front And Rear Parking Sensors
• Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc: Pretensioners
• Back-Up Camera
• Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Door-Mounted Side Airbags

NHTSA and IIHS have not rated Mclaren 720s

Mclaren 720s Vs Ferrari 812 Superfast

Both the Mclaren 720s and the Ferrari 812 Superfast features similar in terms of Performance. But, when compared to the interior, that is where the biggest difference is. Ferrari is focused more towards comfort as compared to Mclaren. The 720s is perfect for a weekend toy to trash around the track. But, for something to cross country rides, the 812 should be your pick

Mclaren 720s Vs Lamborghini Aventador SVJ

Focused more towards speed and performance, both the Mclaren 720s and the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ are extreme machines. In terms of styling as well, both of these vehicles pack futuristic looks. Main difference is the price where the Mclaren wins the race. With steep price difference between the two, the 720s would be the one to go for.

Mclaren 720s Vs Aston Martin DBS Superleggera

Comparing both the British brands here the Mclaren 720s against the DBS Superleggera is actually a very interesting competition. The Mclaren is focused more towards looking like a mean machine and on the other hand the DBS is more sophisticated and royal. But, as an overall package, the 720s takes the upper hand.

Mclaren is always focused on creating track monsters for the streets, they did it again in the 720s. A monster with the potential to launch in a way which can give you whiplash injuries if you are not restrained properly and grab you around corners like nothing else can. Forget about drive modes, it even features drift control mode which makes sliding the tail out a child’s play. Above all, it still has the potential to behave like a civilised car the moment you turn the knob to comfort mode. All in all, the 2020 Mclaren 720s is the most value for money supercar you can buy today.