It was a bit of a surprise in Geneva, even though we knew there was something going on in Woking. The 720S was unveiled by McLaren. A supercar that replaces the 650S, and which intends to make it clear that this transition is synonymous with change, with an engine with a slightly larger displacement, but 70 hp more, and a new design.
More and more… in only 6 years
Except for the legendary McLaren F1, sold in the 1990s, and the equally famous SLR, designed with Mercedes and sold in the German network, McLaren’s real birth as a car manufacturer dates to 2011, when the MP4-12C was introduced. What a long way we’ve come since then, with the radical P1, then the 650S, 675LT, 570S or 540C.
The 720S is not an evolution of the 650S, but a new car. McLaren is not resting on its laurels and has been firing on all cylinders since its return to road model manufacturing in 2011. A return that goes rather well since the Woking firm sold 3286 vehicles in 2016, which is far from being ridiculous for a manufacturer whose vehicles sell for at least 160,000 €.
With 720 hp, the 720S has nothing to be ashamed of against the Ferrari and Lamborghini. And don’t rely on these front lights, which seem oversized: they are not photogenic and incorporate the fire and air intakes. When you see the car “in real life”, this aesthetic and technical choice is less disturbing