The Instrument Vehicle Flips: A Closer Look at the McLaren 720S

As I put the instrument through its paces, I was impressed by how easily it flipped to show the H-pattern. The powertrain is cleverly designed, and this feature should make it louder for those who prefer that sort of thing. However, if you're looking for the authentic sound of a Ferrari 488 GTB, you won't get it here. That distinct engine note is something truly special, and while this car delivers in many ways, it's hard to replicate that Ferrari magic.

However, that doesn't mean I was disappointed with my experience behind the wheel. The steering was terrific, providing excellent body control and handling balance on both the road and the track. The ride was also exceptional, thanks to a linked hydraulic damper system that reacted quickly to changes in the road surface. This system is more advanced than even the 650S, which is already a benchmark for comfort and stability.

One of the things I appreciated most about this car was its ability to communicate with me through subtle means. It told me what it was doing, trying to make me feel like I was an integral part of the driving experience. This was especially true when navigating twisty roads or tracks; the steering felt just right, offering the perfect balance of precision and forgiveness.

Of course, one can't help but wonder how this car would perform on a circuit. With active technology turned up, I was able to get a good feel for its capabilities on track. The bumpy surface proved no match for this car's advanced systems, which worked seamlessly to keep me connected to the road at all times. Even with ESC in sport mode, I found that the car still delivered an impressively smooth ride.

As I navigated the circuit, I was struck by how well this car handled. It didn't feel soft or overly compliant; instead, it offered a firm but gentle connection to the road. The engine sounded good, and while I was driving at high speed, I could tell that there was some Turbo lag. However, it wasn't enough to detract from my overall impression of this exceptional car.

One area where this car excelled was in its steering. This hydraulic system kicked back occasionally on the road, warning me about changes in surface texture or temperature. But when I was really pushing the limits on track, the steering became sublime – perfectly weighted and communicative, with a smoothness that was simply divine.

Finally, there was one aspect of this car's technology that set it apart from its peers: its electronic limited-slip diff, which is not present in some other models. While Ferrari also uses an electronically controlled diff, the difference here lies in how they use these systems to provide more flexibility on track. In contrast, this car features an open differential with brakes, which can be a sticking point for those accustomed to the more advanced systems used by competitors.

However, I have to say that one advantage of this system is its ability to allow the driver to "pivot" around the center of cornering. As you turn and lift off the throttle, the car begins to pivot on its vertical axis before resuming its forward motion. It's a remarkable piece of engineering that makes this car incredibly fun to drive.

In fact, I found myself getting more and more enjoyment from driving this car as I explored its capabilities further. While there is one slight downside: the variable drift control system requires some experimentation to unlock its full potential. However, with everything turned off, I believe this car delivers an experience that's hard to beat – especially in terms of handling balance and overall fun factor.

As a track tool, this McLaren 720S is incredibly effective. It doesn't have all the advanced systems used by other cars like the Ferrari 488 GTB, but it more than makes up for those with its exceptional driving dynamics and sheer performance. As an everyday supercar, however, I think it's difficult to imagine a better package – one that combines comfort, handling balance, and fun in equal measure.

In short, this is an absolutely phenomenal car. If you're considering investing in a supercar, I would have no hesitation recommending the McLaren 720S. It may not offer all the advanced systems of some rivals, but it has something truly special – a driving experience that's hard to match and will leave even the most seasoned drivers smiling.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome to this it's the new McLaren 720s think of it as a super series version 2.0 it's all new replaces the 650s now I say all new it's about 91% new but everything on the exterior is part of that newness so it's got these kind of waspy Sharky headlights I quite like them there's quite a lot of clever Arrow going on in this car so they divert into here these ones divert out in the front there are Scoops rather than being stuck on the side of the car that now channels Air at very high velocity down the inside of the car making this cabin slightly narrower than before I'll come to that in a minute towards the engine which I will also come to in a moment so new is this new carbon fiber cell it doesn't have any steel around the wind screen surrounds anymore it's all carbon fiber over the top that makes it 18 kilos lighter than the 650s is cage and it also means that the weight of the center of gravity is lower because all the steel has gone from the top so moving back there is now a 4 L twin turbocharger V8 engine do not think of it as a reboard stroked version of the 3.8 however of the 91% newness a lot of the 9% carryover is in the engine because this engine is 60% revised from the way it was before it drives through a s-speed dual clutch gearbox to the rear wheels only there is still no mechanical limited slip differential and at the back there is a full width rear wing 650s only had a center section one it is much more aerodynamically efficient I doubt about you I think the full width rear wing looks much better too now Allin this car weighs about 1420 kilos at the curb which is about the same as a Porche 911 GT3 which I think is pretty good for a twin turbocharged v8 superc car with 720 metric horsebow so what we'll do is we'll go and have a look inside and then we'll go for a drive so welcome inside it and it is unbelievably light and Airy in here there's glass everywhere all around and that actually means that there's 210 L of luggage space just behind me as well as the 150 l in the Bonnet now the reason one of the reasons that they've done that is because this cabin is slightly narrower so to give it more airiness and visibility and not feel like you're elbowing your passenger they've just put loads of light in here and reminds me a little bit of uh the original Honda NSX or a Ferrari 355 in the amount you can see out is really cool I think it is like nothing else in the class now this one's got optional racing buckets which are really good really superb get your back right in them the driving position as with all mlar is just spot on you could use either foot on the brake the steering wheel adjusts massively and you've got this new sort of swoopy instrument binle in front of me I quite like it up you can have it down sometimes and it's got a a minimal display on it I just quite like it where it is frankly and then on the rest of the cabin well the material quality just feels that bit higher and also they've revised all this stuff in the middle so the iris display runs a set of new software there goes that screen look and it's it just gives speed and rev counter and but not in easiest to read fashion so anyway new Iris system which has got the nav and all that sort of communication stuff it does it all much better just trust me it just does it all much better than before what it's still also got is this sort of active driving panel where you can change the handling modes between Comfort there's no normal anymore there's no normal Sport and track because no McLaren is normal so it's Comfort Sport and track for the same for the powertrain it's all slightly more complicated perhaps than it needs to be but it's pretty clever and we'll just I'll go into it out on the road in short this is a a really cool cabin I really like the way it is designed the sense of space the sense of ease of driving because of the visibility is bang on so here we go on the road in what is without doubt the most powerful car in its class one of the more powerful cars on sale 720 metric hor m i mean that is a sensation it's almost as it's almost 100 break more than a m F1 but I'm doing what 73 km an hour automatic is in fifth gear I've got all the stuff on this panel in its softest mode this is a really easy really easy car to drive and I know that sounds weird it's a superc car should it necessarily be an easy car to drive well when it comes to actually you know you wake up in the morning and you've got a Range Rover outside but you know you see the 720s sitting there anything you know what yeah actually I will take the McLaren today why not I'm just going to work but because you can see everything because the driving position is superb because this steering is just lovely really really nice it's about two and a half turns lock to lock and it's oh God it's just so good it's it's hydraulic assistance rather than electric assistance still and it just has got the right amount of self-centering it's got the right amount of weight it is beautiful you occasionally get a little nibble back from the road as you just turn and it hits a bump you can tell what the front wheels are up to and it just kicks back through the steering a tiny amount I do have the active panel now this is still a little bit of a fact cuz I've got to press active and that puts me telling yes all right I've got to be in a straight line for the mode to change I've got to push that to get the gearbox into manual I've got to do that if I want to firm up the dampers go through sport to track don't want to do that on the road I mean it's fine but there's really no need the instrument vehicle flips as you do it we'll put the H the power Trin mind you through that should make it louder but if you're looking for the audible quality of a 488 GTB I don't think you get that same you certainly don't get the same level of volume I'm not sure you totally get the same kind of quality either that Ferrari has just got that certain something about its engine note that this does not have so it's easy to drive is it exciting to drive yes it is and in some ways you know look cars are so fast they're so capable that you really on the road you can't really get close to their limits unless you are taking absurd Liberties so a car has to be good at sensible speeds it has to talk to you it has to tell you what it's up to and try and make you have a good time and this does that this really does do that the steering is terrific body control is Sensational the ride is really good I mean it's got this linked hydraulic damper system it's a step on from the one on the 650s there are more sensors it reacts more quickly it preempts things the idea is to keep the body flat and the wheels in contact with the ground all the time and it's really good I mean in terms of ride and handling balance this is the best car in the class in terms of steering feeli speed weight this is the best car in the class in a minute we'll go to the Circuit oh God it's really good it's really nice I'd like it to sound a bit better beyond that you know I'm struggling to think what more I could want from a road car okay so this is what it is like on a circuit I've got the active stuff turn up so I try to get ESC into sport but it needs to be a little bit warmer I think than it is before it does it but but what I can tell you this track is quite bumpy but even though I'm in the track mode it is not harsh at all all of that fluidity fluency whatever you want to call it out on the road is here on the circuit as well however that doesn't mean it feels soft I mean absolutely far from it body control feels really tight you don't really get any hints of Turbo lag or anything out here yeah wind noise building up don't you engine sounds fair smooth this has got the sports exhaust I'm in track mode so it should be louder than standard but it's still relatively subdued relatively muted byck it really gets on quickly I mean really gets on you could certainly feel the power over a 650s I think you can probably feel it over a five 675 LT it's maybe slightly less urgent at the top than a 675 so much there's so much talk and what is really really nice about it is the steering is just beautiful this hydraulic steering occasionally sort of kicks back on the road and tells you that there's some weird surface changes on a circuit it is just impeccable Immaculate it's so perfectly weighted at sort of 2 and A2 tons lock to lock great gearing great speed great feel and feedback brake pedal is absolutely solid and the brakes are Sensational just the highp speed stability and everything is absolutely set just spot on I think this is the best riding best handling car in this class one slight sticking point it's got a Ferrari 488 Ferrari's got an electronically controlled limited slip diff this has an open diff with brakes Ste so they do go about things in different ways but where we've had a criticism before of say the 650s so it doesn't quite give you those midc Corner options of a 488 well this car actually does as you turn and you lift it feels like it's pivoting right around this middle and then as you pick up the power again you can start to steer it wonderfully on the throttle it's got variable drift control you have to go into an option to get it you have to sort of find out what it does and it limits the amount of opposite lock it will give it will let a certain amount of angle on and then stock things it's good fun slightly better with everything off I think but as a track tool as a track machine that is also an everyday usable Supercar I'll tell you what this this takes a beating there are circumstances where you might think yeah probably a 488 might be slightly more enjoyable mid corner on a circuit but this is really this is really close now this is I would I would want to try them absolutely back to back to have that to have that real defensive decis cuz I think this without question is the best car Mclaren has ever made it is a really strong possibility that it is the best super car you could buy at the minute it's that good it's absolutely sensationalwelcome to this it's the new McLaren 720s think of it as a super series version 2.0 it's all new replaces the 650s now I say all new it's about 91% new but everything on the exterior is part of that newness so it's got these kind of waspy Sharky headlights I quite like them there's quite a lot of clever Arrow going on in this car so they divert into here these ones divert out in the front there are Scoops rather than being stuck on the side of the car that now channels Air at very high velocity down the inside of the car making this cabin slightly narrower than before I'll come to that in a minute towards the engine which I will also come to in a moment so new is this new carbon fiber cell it doesn't have any steel around the wind screen surrounds anymore it's all carbon fiber over the top that makes it 18 kilos lighter than the 650s is cage and it also means that the weight of the center of gravity is lower because all the steel has gone from the top so moving back there is now a 4 L twin turbocharger V8 engine do not think of it as a reboard stroked version of the 3.8 however of the 91% newness a lot of the 9% carryover is in the engine because this engine is 60% revised from the way it was before it drives through a s-speed dual clutch gearbox to the rear wheels only there is still no mechanical limited slip differential and at the back there is a full width rear wing 650s only had a center section one it is much more aerodynamically efficient I doubt about you I think the full width rear wing looks much better too now Allin this car weighs about 1420 kilos at the curb which is about the same as a Porche 911 GT3 which I think is pretty good for a twin turbocharged v8 superc car with 720 metric horsebow so what we'll do is we'll go and have a look inside and then we'll go for a drive so welcome inside it and it is unbelievably light and Airy in here there's glass everywhere all around and that actually means that there's 210 L of luggage space just behind me as well as the 150 l in the Bonnet now the reason one of the reasons that they've done that is because this cabin is slightly narrower so to give it more airiness and visibility and not feel like you're elbowing your passenger they've just put loads of light in here and reminds me a little bit of uh the original Honda NSX or a Ferrari 355 in the amount you can see out is really cool I think it is like nothing else in the class now this one's got optional racing buckets which are really good really superb get your back right in them the driving position as with all mlar is just spot on you could use either foot on the brake the steering wheel adjusts massively and you've got this new sort of swoopy instrument binle in front of me I quite like it up you can have it down sometimes and it's got a a minimal display on it I just quite like it where it is frankly and then on the rest of the cabin well the material quality just feels that bit higher and also they've revised all this stuff in the middle so the iris display runs a set of new software there goes that screen look and it's it just gives speed and rev counter and but not in easiest to read fashion so anyway new Iris system which has got the nav and all that sort of communication stuff it does it all much better just trust me it just does it all much better than before what it's still also got is this sort of active driving panel where you can change the handling modes between Comfort there's no normal anymore there's no normal Sport and track because no McLaren is normal so it's Comfort Sport and track for the same for the powertrain it's all slightly more complicated perhaps than it needs to be but it's pretty clever and we'll just I'll go into it out on the road in short this is a a really cool cabin I really like the way it is designed the sense of space the sense of ease of driving because of the visibility is bang on so here we go on the road in what is without doubt the most powerful car in its class one of the more powerful cars on sale 720 metric hor m i mean that is a sensation it's almost as it's almost 100 break more than a m F1 but I'm doing what 73 km an hour automatic is in fifth gear I've got all the stuff on this panel in its softest mode this is a really easy really easy car to drive and I know that sounds weird it's a superc car should it necessarily be an easy car to drive well when it comes to actually you know you wake up in the morning and you've got a Range Rover outside but you know you see the 720s sitting there anything you know what yeah actually I will take the McLaren today why not I'm just going to work but because you can see everything because the driving position is superb because this steering is just lovely really really nice it's about two and a half turns lock to lock and it's oh God it's just so good it's it's hydraulic assistance rather than electric assistance still and it just has got the right amount of self-centering it's got the right amount of weight it is beautiful you occasionally get a little nibble back from the road as you just turn and it hits a bump you can tell what the front wheels are up to and it just kicks back through the steering a tiny amount I do have the active panel now this is still a little bit of a fact cuz I've got to press active and that puts me telling yes all right I've got to be in a straight line for the mode to change I've got to push that to get the gearbox into manual I've got to do that if I want to firm up the dampers go through sport to track don't want to do that on the road I mean it's fine but there's really no need the instrument vehicle flips as you do it we'll put the H the power Trin mind you through that should make it louder but if you're looking for the audible quality of a 488 GTB I don't think you get that same you certainly don't get the same level of volume I'm not sure you totally get the same kind of quality either that Ferrari has just got that certain something about its engine note that this does not have so it's easy to drive is it exciting to drive yes it is and in some ways you know look cars are so fast they're so capable that you really on the road you can't really get close to their limits unless you are taking absurd Liberties so a car has to be good at sensible speeds it has to talk to you it has to tell you what it's up to and try and make you have a good time and this does that this really does do that the steering is terrific body control is Sensational the ride is really good I mean it's got this linked hydraulic damper system it's a step on from the one on the 650s there are more sensors it reacts more quickly it preempts things the idea is to keep the body flat and the wheels in contact with the ground all the time and it's really good I mean in terms of ride and handling balance this is the best car in the class in terms of steering feeli speed weight this is the best car in the class in a minute we'll go to the Circuit oh God it's really good it's really nice I'd like it to sound a bit better beyond that you know I'm struggling to think what more I could want from a road car okay so this is what it is like on a circuit I've got the active stuff turn up so I try to get ESC into sport but it needs to be a little bit warmer I think than it is before it does it but but what I can tell you this track is quite bumpy but even though I'm in the track mode it is not harsh at all all of that fluidity fluency whatever you want to call it out on the road is here on the circuit as well however that doesn't mean it feels soft I mean absolutely far from it body control feels really tight you don't really get any hints of Turbo lag or anything out here yeah wind noise building up don't you engine sounds fair smooth this has got the sports exhaust I'm in track mode so it should be louder than standard but it's still relatively subdued relatively muted byck it really gets on quickly I mean really gets on you could certainly feel the power over a 650s I think you can probably feel it over a five 675 LT it's maybe slightly less urgent at the top than a 675 so much there's so much talk and what is really really nice about it is the steering is just beautiful this hydraulic steering occasionally sort of kicks back on the road and tells you that there's some weird surface changes on a circuit it is just impeccable Immaculate it's so perfectly weighted at sort of 2 and A2 tons lock to lock great gearing great speed great feel and feedback brake pedal is absolutely solid and the brakes are Sensational just the highp speed stability and everything is absolutely set just spot on I think this is the best riding best handling car in this class one slight sticking point it's got a Ferrari 488 Ferrari's got an electronically controlled limited slip diff this has an open diff with brakes Ste so they do go about things in different ways but where we've had a criticism before of say the 650s so it doesn't quite give you those midc Corner options of a 488 well this car actually does as you turn and you lift it feels like it's pivoting right around this middle and then as you pick up the power again you can start to steer it wonderfully on the throttle it's got variable drift control you have to go into an option to get it you have to sort of find out what it does and it limits the amount of opposite lock it will give it will let a certain amount of angle on and then stock things it's good fun slightly better with everything off I think but as a track tool as a track machine that is also an everyday usable Supercar I'll tell you what this this takes a beating there are circumstances where you might think yeah probably a 488 might be slightly more enjoyable mid corner on a circuit but this is really this is really close now this is I would I would want to try them absolutely back to back to have that to have that real defensive decis cuz I think this without question is the best car Mclaren has ever made it is a really strong possibility that it is the best super car you could buy at the minute it's that good it's absolutely sensational\n"