See The New McLaren 720S, Far Better Than The Original

Terminator 2. The Empire Strikes Back. Aliens. These may be more the exception to than the rule, but some sequels have been known to surpass the originals. And that’s what McLaren is going for with the introduction of the new 720S at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show.

McLaren Automotive hit the scene in 2011 with the launch of the MP4-12C, which in turn lead to the 650S in what has since been aligned as the company’s core Super Series. Compelling as it is, though, the 650S was more of a refresh on the 12C. What you see here is a completely new model – and McLaren’s first real effort at entirely replacing one of its celebrated supercars.

Like its predecessors and stablemates, it’s built around a carbon monocoque, with a twin-turbo V8 mounted behind two seats and driving the rear wheels. But those building blocks have all been reworked, and so has everything else around them.

For starters, the engine that displaces 3.8 liters in the 650S (and everything else Woking makes) has been enlarged to a nice round 4.0. It’s also been fitted with new twin-scroll turbochargers and lighter internal components – 41 percent of which have been replaced from the previous version.

Output has increased as a result to 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. In and of itself, that’s already enough to embarrass the new Lamborghini Huracan Performante and the Ferrari 488 GTB by both measures, and by some margin. In fact, you’d need to step up to a twelve-cylinder supercar like the new Ferrari 812 Superfast or Lamborghini Aventador S to exceed those figures.