After teasing it for a while now, McLaren has finally taken the wraps off the first model in the second-generation Super Series line-up at the Geneva Motor Show. Called the 720S, the new supercar replaces the 650S, and is apparently lighter, faster and even more dynamically capable than its predecessor. Built on a carbon fibre chassis around a Monocage II central structure, it weighs in at a relatively light 1,283kg dry. Add to this lightweight foundation a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine that produces 720 horsepower and 770Nm, you get a power to weight ratio of 561 horses per tonne and incredible performance figures of 0-100kph in 2.9 seconds, 0-200kph in 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 341kph.
“Super Series is the core of the McLaren business and personifies the blend of extreme performance, crafted luxury and unparalleled driver involvement that is the McLaren heartland,” says Mike Flewitt, chief executive officer, McLaren Automotive. “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,” he adds.
The design is familiar but bolder than those seen in current McLarens. On notable change on the outside is the absence of radiator intakes on the side of the car, with this function now performed by the ‘double-skin’ aerodynamic form of the dihedral doors, which channel air to the high-temperature radiators that cool the mid-mounted engine, which has 41 per cent new parts compared to the current 3.8-litre engine. McLaren claims the new Proactive Chassis Control, new suspension and power-assisted, electro-hydraulic steering, will all combine to “deliver huge reserves of grip, balance and performance and an unmatched breadth of dynamic capabilities.”
The 720S is now available to order from McLaren retailers, with the first deliveries expected to start in May. Three grades of specification are offered, with a range of option packs and prices starting at £208,600 (Dh931,000).
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