McLaren 720S Spider

If we try out small city cars or other practical MPVs for you, whether we write news or cover events, it is also and above all to sometimes try out some exceptional cars. After several months of discussions, it was on a Thursday evening at 6 p.m. that I learned of the availability of a McLaren 720S Spider the next day, for 4 days. O joy! An instant glance at the weather. O despair! You can imagine my big disappointment when I saw rain all over France, apart from the South of course… Come on, let's see how it behaves anyway!

 

The Mclaren 720S I know it, or should I say we all know it. Since its release in 2017, we have necessarily already seen it on TV, on social networks or with our own eyes. It is however quite rare to come across one, even for me who travels a lot of automotive events; and once under the eyes, one can only seek to admire it. This is first of all what I did, especially with this Solis shade of the most beautiful effect; a magnificent painting that absorbs the light of its environment, changing according to the road trip or the day. Afterwards, we are above all amazed by its impressive aerodynamic lines. We notice each large hearing, where an arm could easily pass, but also the spoiler which only asks to deploy or the large 20-inch rims at the rear (19'' at the front). The two raised exhausts are also a sign that, under the hood, it's no joke. Then comes the moment of opening. So there I can tell you, like a kid at Christmas, I was very happy to open the scissor doors for the first time, and especially to realize that I was going to do this all weekend. For the little anecdote, with my passenger, we had fun from time to time to open them simultaneously. I can assure you that it causes a small success, and then, we can tell it a little in McLaren, right?! with my passenger, we had fun from time to time to open them simultaneously. I can assure you that it causes a small success, and then, we can tell it a little in McLaren, right?! with my passenger, we had fun from time to time to open them simultaneously. I can assure you that it causes a small success, and then, we can tell it a little in McLaren, right?!

On board, it's the same slap. While the Luxury finish of my test model lacks Alcantara to make me fully happy, all this carbon that presents itself to my eyes, the simplicity of the central console or the pretty bucket seats make me really want to start. I then grab the door, which turns out to be disconcertingly light, and let it close gently. No need to slam it, it finishes on its own, like for your kitchen cupboards. Then of course, I hasten to press the Start button. The roar resounded throughout the parking lot and gave me chills, making me take the measure of what awaited me. I then take the time to discover the 100% digital instrument cluster, the few possible settings and finally press the right pedal. The tension is growing…

The first few meters out of the McLaren Paris dealership are, in all honesty, far from being a piece of cake for me. Maneuvering such a beast, which we do not know, is not easy. Luckily, as in any modern vehicle, there are parking radars, but also a 360° camera. And finally everything goes smoothly. In addition, the lift, which allows you to slightly lift the nose of the machine, removes some cold sweats when it comes to going down the sidewalk. Or cross some speed bumps elsewhere. Fortunately, there is all this technological paraphernalia, because it imposes this English. Its generous shapes, which are intimidating in the city, especially when glancing in the mirrors, require a little time to adapt. To give you an idea, with its 4.54 m long and 1.93 m wide, it has dimensions similar to a Discovery Sport, but at ground level of course (1.19m high). After all the urban adventures I've been through, I'm particularly eager to get to the heart of the matter.

From then on, here I am in the direction of the Morvan to find some winding, hilly and relatively deserted roads. The hundreds of liaison kilometers are done almost like a good sedan. If it is able to titillate the 100 km / h in first, in an orgasmic din, it will be just as comfortable in seventh at 50 km / h. Its flexibility at low revs and its not too brittle suspensions are good positive points to make it an ideal Daily. Admittedly, we are sitting so close to the ground that inevitably the rolling noises on the highway are not the most discreet, but a little music played on the Bowers & Wilkins and it is forgotten. In addition, the deactivation of the cylinders even allows a rather reasonable consumption of 12l/100, allowing to travel up to 600 km.

Short. Once the refueling is done, I can't wait to taste the joys of the V8. Because yes, it is obviously the 4L V8 biturbo that hides behind the passengers. The latter develops 720 horsepower at 7500 rpm, which we do not hesitate to reach regularly. Here we go, take each report to touch the breaker, feel the turbos gorge themselves with air and press the huge carbon pallet, it's the catapult !! The 0 to 100 km / h slammed in less than 3 seconds sticks to the seat and even takes our breath away, so violent are the gear changes. The first series of curves then comes quickly to me, it's time to hit the brakes. The pedal, hard and not easy to grasp at first, is in agreement with the terrible bite that there is at the 4 corners. The ventilated carbon ceramic brake discs make you feel safe. The active rear wing, which we see rising vertically in each of our rear-view mirrors, makes you want to brake almost as much as you want to grab a few Gs when accelerating. All while continuing to chain the virolos at a pace far too fast. In this regard, I often write in my essays how I am constantly amazed by the precision in the steering of modern cars, but here, with this McLaren 720S Spider, we are on another planet. It's simple, it feels like the car is wired to the brain. It's amazing how we feel everything in our body, it's borderline even more frightening. Indeed, we feel exactly the slightest pebble, the slightest puddle and you instantly understand that it is starting to slip. All this cavalry, sent directly to the rear wheels alone, promises a few frenzied dance steps. You have surely understood that consumption is now starting to soar a little more (more than 30 l/100).

Gradually over the weekend confidence climbs, the road dries up, I feel the need to test a little Launch Control. I'll take you with me: Engage the dedicated mode while firmly pressing the brake pedal with your left foot and let the magic happen. "Full throttle pending" appears on the screen, it's time to press your right foot on the accelerator. "Boost Boost", "Boost Ready", release the brake, and howlzzz like you're in the Blue Fire (Europapark). There, we sink into the tub, the skull hits the headrest, the breathing stops and, conversely, the landscape scrolls by at a speed far too high for our eyes. Speaking of speed precisely, if I unfortunately could not taste the approved 341 km / h, it can reach in a snap of the fingers excessively high figures for our small roads. It's trying! But we have to come to our senses to understand the next bend. The nose gear is placed in a surgical way, and the exit is done sometimes on rails, sometimes by pivoting just enough to extract us brutally. With such a monster of power in your hands, the euphoria is at its maximum. We take pleasure in rushing her into all situations, from which she emerges brilliantly; moreover divinely encouraged by the bestial sound transmitted via the Sport exhaust. As such, I would also like to thank the person who had the excellent idea of ​​placing an electric window between the passenger compartment and the engine compartment, in order to constantly enjoy this major V8 symphony.

It is while taking a little break, both for the stomach and for the heart, that I realize how lucky I am to try such a supercar. Crossing France with this kind of racing car, and seeing so many smiles, sometimes happy sometimes stunned looks, cameras going up, thumbs up, conversations, what a pleasure to realize that the automotive passion is still there, for the greatest world! So, I wasted no time in settling into the cockpit once more, stepping over the imposing carbon shell that reminded us of just how much weight-saving specialist McLaren is. A Ferrari F8 Spider is for example at 1400 kg on the scale, against only 1332 kg for our English. However, I have not mentioned it yet, but you can find yourself with your hair in the wind in a few seconds. The structural rigidity is not even impacted, choosing between a 720S Spider or Coupé will only be a matter of taste.  

Without the roof, the impressions of sportsmanship are exacerbated and you cling firmly to the steering wheel to take advantage of its excellent temperament. Helped by an ultra-responsive seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the thrust is more than instantaneous and the lyrical flights at more than 8000 rpm are enjoyable. Let's say it. With each teasing of the palette, as some famous influencers like to say, we feel the whole couple which tumbles once again without the slightest latency and propels us ever stronger. It literally never stops. When I think back to the sensations, or should I say the pressure, of feeling the McLaren continue to spin while slamming the three, approaching 130 km/h, my heart races. I remember writing these lines the concentration it took to tame the beast. Regularly perceive his bulky butt slipping away, especially on greasy pavement, pushes us to show humility. However, even under an excess of optimism, the braking power, the total absence of roll or understeer, let us place the car to the millimeter in the curve, to leave even faster than we arrived. There she is already at unmentionable speeds; what therefore, give us the opportunity to observe once again the airbrake lift in a flash. Imagine the whistling of the wind that appears during this pretty cutscene, adding an extra note to the auditory pleasure. No, really, driving it is a real experience. But all good things must end. Shortly before nightfall, the snow will put an end to this long roller coaster weekend in the Morvan. Not without forgetting to deactivate the ESP to leave some traces of my passage.

Don't leave so quickly, I haven't yet told you about the annoying subject: the bill. In this version, the McLaren 720S Spider starts at €288,000. But obviously, it lacks some important options. We can mention, among other things, the Luxury finish at €7,610, the Elite Solis paint at €5,510, the exterior (€16,560) and interior (€5,800) carbon packs or the electrochromic glass roof at €9,520. For a final score of €371,380. Without forgetting, unfortunately, the €40,000 penalty.

Why "my greatest frustration"? This title came to me in the first hours of the test in the Morvan, between the rain which prevented me from exploiting it at best, the veiled sky spoiling my photos (thank you the snow at the end of the course!) and the little gas station in the regional park, I kept grumbling. And yet, this supercar will have given me so many emotions that I finally give it back without too much regret. I will keep this style in mind for a long time, which made my eyes widen every time I saw her. But also its formidable efficiency, its stratospheric thrust, its astonishing endurance, all accompanied by a purr that will make anyone's hair stand on end. To say that in the Super Series range, there is still the McLaren 765 LT just above...

McLaren 720S Spider technical sheet:
Power: 720 hp at 7,500 rpm
Torque: 770 Nm at 5,500 rpm
0 to 100 km/h: 2.9 seconds
0 to 200 km/h: 7.9 seconds
0 to 300 km /h: 22.4 seconds
100 to 0 km/h: 2.8 seconds (30 meters)
Maximum speed: 341 km/h (325 km/h roof open)
Weight empty: 1332 kg
Weight in running order: 1468 kg
Length: 4543 mm
Width: 1930 mm
Height: 1196 mm
Wheelbase: 2670 mm
Boot: 150 Liters
Prices: from €288,000

McLaren 720S Coupé technical data sheet:
Power: 720 hp at 7,500 rpm
Torque: 770 Nm at 5,500 rpm
0 to 100 km/h: 2.9 seconds
0 to 200 km/h: 7.8 seconds
0 to 300 km /h: 21.4 seconds
100 to 0 km/h: 2.8 seconds (30 meters)
Maximum speed: 341 km/h
Weight empty: 1283 kg
Weight in running order: 1419 kg
Length: 4543 mm
Width: 1930 mm
Height: 1196 mm
Wheelbase: 2670 mm
Boot: 150 liters at the front and 210 liters at the rear
Prices: from €261,000