First drives 300-mile test
t is snowing in Arizona, and that
surprises. I’ve always associated
America’s sixth largest state (40
per cent bigger than Great Britain)
with sunshine, deserts, John
Wayne mesas, cacti, deep canyons
and rich red rockfaces. But we’re
here in the Tonto National Forest,
a few hours’ drive north-east of
Phoenix, and it looks and feels
like a northern European forest in
deep midwinter.
We’re in a new McLaren 720S Spider, one of the world’s
fastest supercars – plus we have the roof down – and we’re snug
and comfortable. In some ways it’s as civilised and easy to drive
as a big lazy luxury saloon. That surprises, too.
Snow blankets the ground, and the pine trees stretch far
off to the horizon. There are black bears, cougars, coyotes and
bobcats lurking out there, or so the locals tell us. ‘Though you
needn’t worry about the bears. They’re hibernating,’ says one
man, helpfully.
It’s well below freezing – no wonder, we’re well over 7000ft
high – and the 720S Spider’s clever carbonfibre roof is retract-
ed snugly under its cover just above the V8 engine. There is
nothing but grey wintry sky above. Photographer Jamie Lipman
and I have the heater turned to the max, and we’re enjoying the
car’s refinement and ride comfort. Dammit, supercars – espe-
cially seriously fast ones, such as the 720S Spider – just aren’t
supposed to be this civilised.
And this new convertible is one of the fastest supercars on the
planet. It can accelerate to 62mph from rest in just 2.9 seconds.
That’s only a tenth of a second slower than a P1 hypercar or a
triple-the-money Senna. It can do 202mph al fresco – and 212
with roof raised. Its 0-124mph time of 7.9sec is just a second
slower than the P1’s or Senna’s (and a smidgeon quicker than the
more track-focused and harder-edged Ferrari 488 Pista Spider).
Braking capability is also P1-like. Unlike nearly all other drop-
tops, this car plays at the pinnacle of the premier performance
league. It’s a roadster that’s more about racing than romance.
We begin our journey outside Scottsdale, just east of Phoenix,
near a place called Carefree. This is the Arizona I know: arid,
rocky terrain, clear blue sky overhead. Saguaro cacti stud the
landscape, prickly-skinned giants, their thick arms raised.
Later as we head north-east we see the ubiquitous guns-and-
ammo shops; no licence or permit necessary, no background
checks, handgun or assault weapon, yes sir, just step this way.
The friendly McLaren man warns us not to upset local drivers:
‘They may be armed.’The 720S Spider comes as standard with carbon-ceramic
brakes and variable drift control, though we’ll be unlikely to
use either today on Arizona’s state trooper-patrolled roads. ‘Get
caught at 100mph [less than half this car’s potential] and you’ll
spend the night in jail,’ adds the nice McLaren man, further to
dampen the fun. Ours is a Luxury spec model, which bumps
the £237,000 starting price to £246,990, adding nappa leather
upholstery and electric seats, plus trim changes and brightwork.
Add a few juicy options – including Aztec Gold paint (£4330)- and our car’s price swells to £316,540. This includes carbon
trim trinkets, track telemetry and a glazed electrochromic roof
(£7500), which switches between tint and transparent at the
press of a button. McLaren has learnt many lessons from Ferrari
in its short life as a supercar maker, none more useful to the
bottom line than extravagantly priced options. You could buy a
new 911 Carrera S and 488 Spider for that price... ⊲
It’s well below freezing, we’re over
7000ft, and the 720S Spider’s carbon
roof is stowed snugly above its V8
Exposure to
elements equals
connection to carI
98 miles
No time for this sort of entertainment,
as we pass through Payson, Arizona,
heading north-east further into the
Tonto National Forest. Yet by then –
100 miles or so into our trip – the Spider
has proved its capability roof-down.Pick-up: 0 miles
Dihedral doors give good access
and look great. They’re also
unusual – and welcome – on a
droptop. Hinging has been changed
compared with 720S Coupe.36 CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK | APRIL 2019