Monday, February 12, 2018
Monday, February 5, 2018
Driving The New Supercar Era
As the intro model of the second-generation Super Series – the product family at the heart of the McLaren brand – extraordinary lengths have been made to ensure the 720S represents a paradigm leap in form and function.
Lighter, faster, more dynamic and simply more capable than its McLaren 650S Coupe predecessor, the 720S is a stunning new interpretation of McLaren design language, driver luxury and performance DNA.
The signature McLaren dedication to aero dynamism is at full torque as the sleekest of ‘shrink-wrapped’ bodies, like a Brancusi sculpture in the way it slices shapes in the air, adheres itself around a luxurious, driver-obsessed cabin – replete with the finest leathers and switches crafted in aluminium – to afford unparalleled space and visibility.
One of the key points in the design is the absence of radiator intakes on the side of the car; this function is carried out by the unique ‘double-skin’ aerodynamic form of the dramatic dihedral doors which open upwards and when closed channel air to the high-temperature radiators that cool the mid-mounted engine.
All this built atop a revolutionary carbon fibre active chassis system – the Proactive Chassis Control II – that weighs in at just 1,283kg but is heavy on driver choice with Comfort, Sport, or Track modes at the touch of a button to deliver a driving experience to suit any fancy.
McLaren 720S Super SeriesMcLaren 720S Super Series
McLaren’s expertise in carbon fibre structures – every road car built by the British manufacturer since the McLaren F1 in 1993 has had a carbon fibre chassis – underpins the construction of the new 720S; the architecture of the car is based around a new carbon fibre ‘tub’ and upper structure, the McLaren Monocage II. This technology delivers extreme strength and rigidity in a lightweight framework – the ideal base for any supercar. A range of aluminium alloys are also deployed extensively in the chassis and in a number of body panels.
The trademark McLaren electro-hydraulic steering is in full array to deliver highest fidelity control. Powering it all is the new, twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine that takes you from zero to 100km/h in 2.9 seconds and to 200km/h in 7.8 seconds, with a top-end speed of 341km/h.
With all this power, safety is paramount. The new generation braking system will take you from 200km/h to a standstill in just 4.6 seconds and 117m covered.
Fuel efficiency is also to the fore with the super performance coming in at 10.7 litres/100km fuel economy in the official combined cycle and 249g/km CO2 emissions. McLaren engineers have capitalised on the inherent structural integrity of the carbon fibre Monocage II structure to deliver unusually slim windscreen pillars and glazed C-pillars that taper from the roof in a distinctive teardrop motif. The canopy-like design also provides a feeling of 360-degree vision for occupants that is unrivalled in the supercar class, allowing light to flood into the cabin and setting a new benchmark for visibility.
McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt sums up the 720S as being the personification of “extreme performance, crafted luxury and unparalleled driver involvement that is the McLaren heartland”.
McLaren 720S Super SeriesMcLaren 720S Super Series
“This is the first time we have replaced a product family and the new 720S is absolutely true to McLaren’s pioneering spirit in being a revolutionary leap forwards, both for our brand and the supercar segment.”
The Static Adaptive Headlights are yet another example of the pioneering technology on show throughout the 720S. The headlights optimise performance by changing the directional light intensity based on steering input. Of the 17 LEDs in each headlight, five provide the base static beam pattern and the remaining 12 light according to the direction the front of the car is moving in, giving the effect of the beam ‘bending’ and better illuminating that area of road.
The Static Adaptive Headlight technology gives a driver better visibility through corners to enhance performance and safety. Other road users also benefit from being seen earlier and in greater clarity. The headlight system also improves straight-ahead long range visibility by raising the beam pattern by half a degree – whether on dipped or main beam – when the new 720S reaches 110km/h increasing ‘forward punch’ and focusing a driver’s attention further on the road ahead.
McLaren Super Series Chief Designer Rob Melville calls the 720S “a new chapter in the development of McLaren’s design language”.
“It has perfect proportions that bring our key design pillar of ‘Everything for a Reason’ together in one pure, aerodynamically shrink-wrapped and sophisticated whole. McLaren is always brave in its approach and this car is the perfect expression of that innovative culture.”
McLaren 720S Super SeriesMcLaren 720S Super Series
As in real estate, location is everything in car design. The top of the 720S’s V8 engine is 120mm lower than in the first generation of McLaren Super Series models, with the reduction in plenum height enabling improved rear visibility and luggage storage space. The rear of the 720S is 145mm lower overall than the 650S, the drag-reducing, aggressive tapering of the teardrop canopy towards the rear wing enabled by a lowered radiator header tank, rearward repositioning of structural airboxes and the introduction of a double CHMSL (central high-mounted stop light).
Flowing over and into the rear fenders, the full-width wing with airbrake functionality has an optimised motion to improve the downforce efficiency and is automatically activated to either decrease drag or increase downforce, or act as an airbrake to enhance vehicle balance under heavy braking. Aerodynamic efficiency – the ratio between downforce and drag – is more than double that of the McLaren 650S and the overall result is a car that is superbly balanced and gives a driver confidence to push harder through the fastest corners found on a racetrack.
The doors feature an 80-degree angle of opening and require 155mm less space per side than is needed to fully open the doors of a McLaren 650S. This increases accessibility when parked in tight spaces, especially in close proximity to a wall, and the doors also open to only 1,953mm high, an important factor in underground parking spaces.
Has there ever been a super-car designed with such sensibility to everyday practicalities?
The Pirelli P ZEROTM Corsa tyres specified for the new McLaren 720S have been especially developed for the car in a program of close co-operation between the marque and the tyre manufacturer to cover the full range of performance and conditions. McLaren claims the tyres deliver six percent more mechanical grip than in the 650S application.
McLaren 720S Super SeriesMcLaren 720S Super Series
“The new 720S has been designed to meet and exceed the extreme performance expectations of the most demanding supercar owner, but it also has a driver environment that is incredibly light, airy and sophisticated, with peerless space, excellent all-round visibility and superb comfort,” says McLaren Super Series Chief Engineer Emilio Scervo.
The new 720S can call on more than simple interior expanse to delight owners. Even the simple act of approaching and entering the car has been fastidiously considered: unlocking the new McLaren Super Series engages a ‘Welcome Sequence’ that consists of mirrors unfolding, indicator lights sweeping and courtesy lighting coming on, as well as illumination of the engine bay, bathing the cast-aluminium air intake plenum with McLaren Speedmark logo on top of the engine in red light.
Opening the door triggers a second sequence of events that sees the Folding Driver Display deploy and the operating system come to life both on this display and the central infotainment screen. Together, these two high-definition screens comprise the McLaren Driver Interface – an advanced, integrated new way of sharing information with the driver that is designed to be immediately familiar to McLaren owners, but runs on an entirely new system architecture.
In Full Display Mode, the Folding Driver Display presents the required array of information on an upright, high-definition TFT panel, with three different layouts and colour variations depending on whether the car is being driven in Comfort, Sport, or Track modes. At either the touch of a button, or automatically if linked by choice to the active dynamics functionality, the display slides down to Slim Display Mode. In this position, only the minimum of required information is displayed in a strip, further improving forward visibility and allowing the driver to place the car even more precisely in a corner. This is an ideal condition for drivers wanting the minimum of distraction, for example when extending their 720S on a track.
The primary hub for interaction between a driver and their new McLaren 720S is the Central Infotainment Screen, an 8-inch display with rich crisp graphics that presents the vehicle’s electronic functions to suit driver preference. Audio, media, navigation and other convenience features – such as mood lighting colour – are all controlled using this screen, which has applications displayed on a vertical carousel as well as several dedicated quick-access keys, with climate control functions permanently visible across the bottom of the screen.
McLaren 720S Super SeriesMcLaren 720S Super Series
One of the driver engagement features on the 720S that is expected to generate significant owner-interest is McLaren Track Telemetry. The latest version of this real-time data capture application, which has been completely redesigned for the new 720S, now features measurement of throttle angle and lateral/longitudinal G-force in addition to timing and speed measurement. A driver can set up a track session using the central screen and then complete the laps and analyse the data, including sector times within a lap.
All the switches and controls in the new 720S cabin are precisely engineered and tactile, with form and functionality in pleasing harmony. The switches are machined from solid aluminium, in keeping with the air of sophisticated luxury evident throughout the interior, ensuring that drivers enjoy the ambience of their environment as much as they do the driving experience.
In addition to the expected suite of comfort and convenience features, the McLaren 720S is available with parking sensors, a reversing camera or ‘birdseye’ 360-degree park assist. All cameras are high-definition. The audio capabilities of the new 720S have been designed with music aficionados in mind. The Bowers & Wilkins system is available as an optional upgrade of the excellent four-speaker system that is standard-fitment. The all-new, high-power system, which has been developed specifically for the 720S, features the premium audio specialist’s trademark central tweeter for incredible sound fidelity as well as Kevlar mid-range speaker cones, and – because this is a McLaren – even carbon fibre woofer cones, which provide ultra-clean bass reproduction. The new 720S is available in three grades of specification, with Performance and Luxury trims extending above the standard level. Additional options are available individually or in a range of ‘option packs’.
To find out more see melbourne.mclaren.com or tel: 03 8420 8888.
Text ‘MCLAREN’ to +61 428 475 311 for more information