Getting the opportunity to drive the McLaren 720s is already pretty exciting, but the prospect of driving one at Millbrook Proving Ground is exhilarating. Millbrook is the UKs vehicle testing facility, where cars are pushed to the limit before being released to the public. There’s the mile-long straight which is exactly that, a road that is one mile long. There’s a high-speed bowl, a city route, a skid-pad, and best of all, a hill route (or alpine route), which mimics the nation’s best B-roads and sews them all together into one lovely ribbon of driving enjoyment.
As nice as Millbrook is, you really need a great car to enjoy it. Enter the McLaren 720s, a 710 bhp monster which weighs under 1,500 kg. This high-horsepower/low-weight formula means that the 720s can reach 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, and a top speed of 212 mph. Behind the cabin sits the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine which is connected to 7-speed SSG gearbox. All of this sits within the Carbon Fibre Monocage, that improves on the chassis of the McLaren 650s by including Carbon Fibre in the roof structure, saving up to 18 kg. The 720s that I would be driving was finished in McLaren orange special paint, with Scoria grey and orange interior. Lovely.
Before I saw the car, I saw the weather. In the days leading up to the drive it had snowed rather heavily, and despite the snow melting somewhat quickly, there was still some snow at the Millbrook facility, the roads were damp, and the temperature was cold. Nevertheless, the car looked incredible, beautifully sculpted through aerodynamics and incredible engineering design. When looking at the 720s you get the impression that McLaren aren’t messing around, the car commands serious attention, like a toned athlete ready to show off its abilities.
The Body
The body of the 720s is designed to be as aerodynamic as possible. The headlights at the front are designed to funnel cool air into the aerodynamic system. The double-skinned doors are constructed in such a way that air is channelled into the engine at the back, this also hides the usually unattractive door handles. Maybe that’s why the McLaren 720s is so beautiful, maybe it’s because there’s no unsightly vents or door handles on the sides.
I could just look at the 720s all day long, but at some point, I had to get in and drive it. The car started with a lovely V8 roar. I put the car into drive and set of slowly, with respect. Throughout this experience I was given some help, or moral support, in the form of a McLaren professional driver who talked me through the whole car and how to utilise some of the features properly, including the driving modes and suspension settings etc.
The Suspension
The suspension was the most surprising, where you would normally expect a supercar to be so firm that your spine no longer wants to be friends with you anymore. Not only was the suspension remarkably comfortable, but it was also able to switch between modes impressively quickly. Part of the reason for this is due to the proactive chassis control that can predict the road surface and what the driver intends on doing. The dampers are not only links across the front and rear axles, but also diagonally from front to back removing the need for anti-roll bars.
The first port of call was the hill route. There I was able to understand the steering and dynamics of the car. It felt good to power the car down the esses and then test the brakes which were more than capable. As I came back around for a second run at the hill route, I was not aware of what lay ahead of me. I was enjoying the car, I felt like I was in my element, but when I reached turn 10, a banked rights hand corner, the back end of the car slipped away from me. Due to the tyres not having enough temperature in them I suffered a huge sideways moment, and you must remember that the hill route at Millbrook does not have any run-offs. Luckily, I managed to apply some opposite lock and bring the car to a stop before it left the tarmac. I set off again rather embarrassed since I was of course sitting next to a McLaren professional driver, but he remained incredibly professional and was still pushing me to get more out of the car.
Once we left the hill route we headed towards the mile-long straight. After waiting for our turn, in the line of other McLarens that were ready to experience the addictive thrill of acceleration. As we set off for our first run, I was cautious on the throttle since it was still cold and incredibly damp, and of course I had already almost binned it once. One thing that I was not short on was adrenaline.
It was the second run at the mile-long straight where I really experienced the car. This time I was able to use launch control. As we set off in first gear the wheels spun, they continued to spin through the second gear, and when the car started to slither about in third gear that’s when I had to let off the throttle for a brief moment. As I continued to power through the gears the car would wheelspin with each gear change, including when I changed to fifth gear at over 100 mph. All in all, I managed to reach 150 mph on a damp, cold mile-long straight.
As I slowly brought the car back to the McLaren event, I took a minute to reflect on what I had just experienced. It was surprising, it was impressive, and at times even a little scary, but knowing that I wouldn’t be able to do this again for some time was the scariest thought. I experienced McLaren, and they welcomed me into the McLaren family, and now I am addicted to the brand.
Reviewed and Written by Naveed Hussain @naveed4speed
