Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

102 | AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE

M

cLaren’s 720S coupe range
opens at $489,900. Luxury
specifi cation is $515,080, as is
the Performance variant. The
Spider is $556,000.
It’s a relatively practical mid-
engined supercar. The luggage
compartment between its front
wheels has a capacity of 110L and
there’s also space for stuff on
the shelf behind its pair of seats.
The slimmed-down A-pillars of
its all-new carbon-fi bre body
structure mean the view ahead is
good and its low-mounted engine
clears the way for a reasonable
look at what’s behind.
Not that there’s likely to be
anything to see back there if you
drive the 720S on a wide-open
throttle.
According to McLaren, the
twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8
in the 1.4-tonne 720S churns
out 530kW (or 720hp, the
number that gives the car its
name). This is the same as the
nearest equivalent in Ferrari’s
range, the new F8 Tributo,
which runs a 3.9-litre twin-
turbo V8. Like the McLaren,
the Ferrari has a seven-speed

double-clutch transmission and

drives only its rear wheels.

The McLaren, again according

to its maker, is also fractionally

quicker. It takes only 2.8 seconds

to rocket from 0-100km/h,

compared to the Italian machine’s

claimed 2.9 seconds. As we went

to press, F8 Tributo prices hadn’t

yet been announced, but expect

around $500,000.

Why would anyone choose

to buy the 720S instead of a

488 GTB? After all, Ferrari is a

legendary name that inspires

awe and envy, while McLaren

is an outfi t many will not know,

with a road car heritage that

goes back only to 1992 and the

amazing F1 supercar.

Part of the answer is the fact

that McLaren, as a brand, is more

exclusive than Ferrari. Measured

either by the annual production of

its factory outside London or by

Australian sales, it’s only half the

size of the legendary Italian brand

from Maranello. McLarens are

rarer and this can be a factor for

status-conscious supercar buyers.

McLaren also has a motor

sport pedigree, like Ferrari.

The company was founded by a

great driver from New Zealand,

Bruce McLaren, to design and

construct race cars. McLaren

was killed in a testing accident in

1970, but cars bearing his name

were dominant in Formula One

through much of the 1980s.

Maybe the all-round user-

friendliness of the 720S is a factor.

The ride comfort of the McLaren

on normal roads is remarkable,

with the suspension able to be

adjusted to Comfort, Normal or

Track modes. And even though it’s

easy to drive, the complex, wind-

tunnel-honed exterior of the 720S

doesn’t lack visual drama.

But, most important of all,

the McLaren also delivers on

a racetrack, the only place it’s

prudent to use all this car has

to give.

It weighs only 1283kg. The

acceleration is awesome, in the

true sense of this overused word.

And it never seems to run out.

Each tap of the paddle shifter to

go up a gear brings a shove-in-

the-back surge that loses little

intensity as speed rises. The

brakes are immensely and reliably

powerful, the electro-hydraulic

steering delightfully direct and full

of feel. Its cornering speeds almost

defy belief. This is a car that makes

speed seem easy and natural.

In short, the McLaren 720S is

a very fi ne supercar. It may even

be the best there is in its class —

reason enough to consider it.

By John Carey

MCLAREN 720S FROM $489,900

Safety

Not rated

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money



Overall

STARS

THINGS WE LIKE

 Exclusivity

 Twin-turbo V8’s performance

 Racetrack-ready handling, brakes,

steering

 Public road ride comfort

 Reasonably practical and easy to

drive

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Really thrilling... and really

expensive

It’s not a Ferrari

SPEX

Made in England

4.0L twin-turbopetrol V8/seven-

speed dual-clutch automatic/rear-

wheel drive

527kW of power at 7250rpm/770NM

of torque at 5500rpm

0-100km/h in 2.9 seconds

7.9L/100km highway; 15.8L/100km

city; 98 octane premium; CO2

emissions are 249g/km

Warranty: Three years/unlimited

kilometre

Standard: Four airbags, stability

control, 19-inch front/20-inch

rear alloys, parking sensors,

rear camera, carbon ceramic

brakes, digital instruments, LED

headlights, Bluetooth, navigation,

dual- zone air, leather upholstery

Redbook future values: 3yr: 59%;

5yr: 44%

compare with ...

Audi R8, Ferrari F8 Tributo,

Lamborghini Huracan