McLaren’s new 720S supercar mixes beauty and the beast

The British manufacturer of supercars has unveiled the latest incarnation of its SuperSeries range, which is faster and lighter than its predecessor.

The new McLaren 720S is the second generation of the Super Series from the British supercar maker. Courtesy: McLaren Automotive

McLaren, the British maker of supercars and hypercars such as the world famous P1, entered a new era at the Geneva International Motor Show as it took the wraps of its much-anticipated McLaren 720S.

The debut of the latest McLaren flying machine marks the second-generation of the maker’s Super Series. According to the company, which has showrooms in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the 720S raises previously accepted limits of performance in the supercar sector.

“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,” said Mike Flewitt, the chief executive of McLaren Automotive.

The unveiling of McLaren’s new supercar confirms both the 720S name and 720 horsepower of the first model in the second-generation Super Series. It is lighter, faster and more dynamically capable than its McLaren 650S predecessor and the car is arguably the most distinctive McLaren yet.

The new M480T engine powering the 720S is a beast – a 4-litre powerplant that fires the car to new ultra-high speeds and replaces the 3.8-litre engine in the first-gen McLaren Sports Series.

The performance is, probably quite literally, eye-watering: standstill to 100kmph takes 2.9 seconds and just 5 seconds later the car has passed the 200kmph mark on its way to a maximum speed of 341kmph. Thankfully, braking is equally impressive, the new 720S coming to a halt from 200kmph in just 4.6 seconds, covering 117 metres.

One of the key points in the design of the new Super Series is the absence of radiator intakes on the side of the car; this function is carried out instead by the unique “double-skin” aerodynamic form of the angled doors, which channel air to the high-temperature radiators that cool the mid-mounted engine.

Unsurprisingly, to buy all that exhilaration would bring a tear to the eye of most mere mortals – the new 720S costs from £208,600 (Dh931,716).

The 720S is now available to order from McLaren retailers, with the first customers scheduled to receive their cars in May.

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