Recalibrating the Supercar

There’s always a whiff of hyperbole around the launch of a new car. It’s understandable, of course.

- Angus Mackenzie

Even if the engineers, designers, marketing mavens, and PR flacks knew their shiny new automobile was in some way less than perfect, they’d never admit it—especially to automotive journalists.

But the buzz among those around the 2018 McLaren 720S is different. “Phenomenal.” “Blisteringly quick.” “Extremely fast.” These are all sound bites from informal conversations with the team that developed the 720S. “Wait until you drive it,” they say. “You’ll have to recalibrate your idea of road car performance.” 

Color us intrigued. 

Some background: The clumsily named MP4-12C, McLaren’s first road car aside from the limited-production F1, has evolved into two supercar families since its 2011 launch. The Sports Series is composed of the lower powered and more affordable 540C, 570S, and 570GT models, while the Super Series is made up of the 650S and the edgier 675LT, each available in Coupe or Spider form. The 720S replaces the 650S, and it kick-starts the second-generation Super Series lineup.

Supercar Science Tech Tricks of the McLaren 720S

Compact intake system 

New twin-scroll turbochargers feature lightweight titanium and aluminum alloy turbines, which are connected to the compact plenum via a very short intake path. Adopting low-inertia turbines and minimizing the air volume between the turbo housing and the intake valve help improve throttle response, aided by the engine calibration strategy that keeps the turbochargers spinning as much as possible by using actively controlled waste gates. The compact intake system has also reduced overall engine height by 4.5 inches, lowering the center of gravity, improving rearward visibility, and increasing luggage space.