First 4 days in the 720S: From the interstate to COTA and back.


DoctorV8

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 28, 2006
1,173
Houston
Hey everyone,

I was lucky enough to take delivery of the first McLaren 720S Launch Edition in the US last Fri. After Xpel was done, I drove it to Austin with Scuderia Society to break it in, and then proceeded to burn through 4 tanks of gas at COTA in 100+ deg temps on Saturday. Hit 650 miles on the odo on the ride home.

TL; DR: I'm super impressed with both the performance on track and the livability.

The car has taken the 12C/650S to the next level in both comfort/refinement and performance. Despite a couple of new car hiccups, it performed flawlessly all weekend, and was tremendous on track. I'm starting to believe the 146 mph trap speed that Top Gear got in the 1/4 mile. Went by everything from a 12C GT3 car to a modded Huracan on the back straight with plenty of room to brake for the hairpin Turn 12. Saw 170 mph easily, a bit more on a few laps, despite the sweltering heat. Car never faltered, though the headliner piece that's part of the door came loose at over 170 with the track mandated open window policy... :)

When the tires temps broke 175 and the Pirelli Corsas got greasy, I played with the variable drift control in the telemetry app, and that was pretty entertaining as well, and quite effective. Car is quite easy to control at the limit, and the brakes and steering are phenomenal as well. Bonus for Southerners who don't like to sweat on track: the AC compressor doesn't cut out at WOT.

To have a mid engined, CF intensive car with this level of performance that still handled the wife's luggage and rode smooth enough to let her sleep on the interstate journey home is truly impressive. Other cars have similar dual purpose aspirations, but the 720 does it better than any of them.

It should tide me over nicely until my new GT slot opens up (hopefully) next year.....
 

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DoctorV8

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 28, 2006
1,173
Houston
www.kurtbradley.co/prints

Click on "Scuderia Society" for more pics of the Saros Grey 720S.
 

digman1

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Feb 8, 2007
391
Dallas Texas
Great early review ! Thanks so much, and enjoy that beast !
 

Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
Beautiful color on that car.
 

soroush

Ford Gt Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Aug 8, 2007
5,256
nice car! i want my ride
 

MTV8

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 24, 2010
1,017
Houston Texas
Great color. Congrats.
 

Ed Sims

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 7, 2006
7,850
NorCal
Amazing! Sounds like a cool car that will keep you entertained until 2019!

Ed
 

ThatPhilBrettGuy

GT Owner
May 9, 2007
391
London, UK.
IMG_3753.jpg

I've had mine for a month now. Very impressive and pleased with the positive reactions it gets everywhere. Do not, under any circumstances, play traffic light grand prix against one :wink
 

nautoncall

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 6, 2014
1,093
FikseGTS has one too. Sounds like it’s not only hypercar fast, but Mac has figured out how to give it “feel” and “soul” unlike the 650/12c. He has a bunch of videos on YouTube with it blowing away everything. He has lots of Vbox numbers too. Hope he chimes in.


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jaxgt

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Jul 12, 2006
2,794
FikseGTS has one too. Sounds like it’s not only hypercar fast, but Mac has figured out how to give it “feel” and “soul” unlike the 650/12c. He has a bunch of videos on YouTube with it blowing away everything. He has lots of Vbox numbers too. Hope he chimes in.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks great in dark colors like yours and sanjay’s
 

GTED

GT Owner
Apr 4, 2006
783
DoctorV8

You'll enjoy this 720S vid, taken from a private event at a popular track in N. Cal last week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdJpthicsdc&feature=youtu.be

Ed
 

Vince H

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 23, 2012
2,417
Southern California
Very cool. The pictures and experience sound awesome.

Vince H
 

ThatPhilBrettGuy

GT Owner
May 9, 2007
391
London, UK.
FikseGTS has one too. Sounds like it’s not only hypercar fast, but Mac has figured out how to give it “feel” and “soul” unlike the 650/12c. He has a bunch of videos on YouTube with it blowing away everything. He has lots of Vbox numbers too. Hope he chimes in.

The DragTimes chap? Yeah, I like his videos, nicely devoid of arty crap others seem to want to put in!
 

DoctorV8

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 28, 2006
1,173
Houston
DoctorV8

You'll enjoy this 720S vid, taken from a private event at a popular track in N. Cal last week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdJpthicsdc&feature=youtu.be

Ed

Saw that one....amazing how it holds its own against the 918.

I was back at COTA couple of weeks ago, and saw an indicated 181 on the back straight several times. The car is just phenomenal on track. So controllable, perfectly balanced, and I was inhaling most everything out there, even on my stock OE Pirelli Corsas!
 

FikseGTS

GT Owner
Apr 15, 2007
461
South Florida
The 720S might be the best all around supercar out there, incredible acceleration, amazing top end, compliant when in comfort and very trackable in sport, excellent visibility, plenty of storage, great exotic looks. However, it's not a track car like the new Ford GT, Perfomante and GT2RS, 675LT.... I'm sure there is a LT version in the works, should be interesting to see....

BTW, I fit 4 carry on bags in my car... :)


FikseGTS has one too. Sounds like it’s not only hypercar fast, but Mac has figured out how to give it “feel” and “soul” unlike the 650/12c. He has a bunch of videos on YouTube with it blowing away everything. He has lots of Vbox numbers too. Hope he chimes in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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nautoncall

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 6, 2014
1,093
Brooks you have by far the best videos of this car. Great work.

https://youtu.be/eawOtLnMgo8


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stuntman

GT Owner
Jan 15, 2015
216
Nice car. Congrats!
 

ChipBeck

GT Owner
Staff member
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 13, 2006
5,769
Scottsdale, Arizona
0-60 in 2.5 seconds and a 9.98 second quarter mile from a bone stock V-8 car is mind bending. Just unreal.

Chip
 

Vince H

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 23, 2012
2,417
Southern California
The performance specs on the 720S is crazy good.

Vince H
 

DoctorV8

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Feb 28, 2006
1,173
Houston
0-60 in 2.5 seconds and a 9.98 second quarter mile from a bone stock V-8 car is mind bending. Just unreal.

Chip

Sure is. And a 2:24 around COTA on the stock tires with a non pro (me) driving is nuts too. saw 181 indicated on the back straight.