750S is ‘new supercar benchmark’
Mclaren says it’s more powerful, lighter, more usable and greater fun than the 720S
The new Mclaren 750S is the thoroughly updated and enhanced replacement for the 720S, the Woking firm’s best-seller.
Said to be 30% new under its subtly restyled skin, the 750S has been designed to provide “a new benchmark” in the supercar segment, boosting not just usability over its predecessor but also ramping up the fun factor.
As the name suggests, it brings a power bump over the 720S to 750PS (740bhp). In conjunction with a 30kg saving to cut its dry weight to 1277kg, that gives the car a “segmentleading” power-to-weight ratio of 579bhp per tonne.
Its closest rival, the Ferrari 296 GTB plug-in hybrid, has a claimed 552bhp per tonne.
The 750S is the lightest series-production Mclaren road car yet, tipping the scales at just 79kg more than the track-honed Senna hypercar, without fluids. Weight-saving measures extend to new carbonfibre-shelled alloy wheels, cutting 13.8kg, 17.5kglighter carbon-shelled race seats and even a slimmeddown instrument cluster, which contributes a 1.6kg saving.
As a result of the weight loss, power boost and a shorter final drive ratio, Mclaren claims the car is 10% faster-accelerating than the 720S across the board. The 750S screams from 0-62mph in just 2.8sec and needs only another 4.4sec to clock 124mph. Top speed, though, is down very slightly, at 206mph.
The enhancements to the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 are subtle but evidently effective. Aside from it being newly calibrated for improved power delivery, there’s a new triplelayer head gasket, new twin fuel pumps, higher-pressure turbos, lighter pistons and a standard-fit sports exhaust, which exits through the centre of the rear deck à la the P1, shaves 2.2kg and “delivers a new, distinctive crescendo”.
In addition, and in line with the focus on driver engagement and viscerality, the engine mounts have even been modified to give “an intensified sense of connection” and the whole power lump can be put on display courtesy of a new optional glass decklid.
The chassis revisions are just as extensive. Chief engineer Sandy Holford said the 750S development programme was “focused on delivering agility, feedback and connection” and ultimately combining the ‘fun factor’ of an amped-up Longtail supercar with the everyday utility of a standard Mclaren – this latter being a particular strength of the 720S.
To which end, the 750S brings a 6mm increase in front track, a faster steering rack, lighter springs that are 3% softer at the front and 4% stiffer at the rear, a new brake booster for improved pedal feel and an upgraded version of Mclaren’s Proactive Chassis Control system, which keeps roll in check and
enhances rolling refinement.
The focus on engagement extends to an overhauled cockpit aimed to minimise distraction and promote the connection between driver and road. Holford said: “Just as the vehicle dynamics team focused on letting 750S drivers really ‘feel’ the enhanced performance, our designers worked to highlight the high-tech, driver-centric nature of the cabin.”
The instrument display now moves with the steering column to optimise visibility for all drivers, for example, and the drive mode selector controls are mounted on the side of the binnacle so the driver needn’t remove their hands from the wheel to make a change. This frees up room next to the 8.0in central touchscreen for new, easieraccess buttons for the launch control and aerodynamic adjustment controls.
The 750S also promises tangible benefits from a functionality standpoint. The infotainment screen is higher-definition and more responsive to inputs, the in-car microphone is said to be better at recognising speech commands and the park assist camera gives a clearer view. Plus, Apple Carplay and a wireless charger are now standard fitments.
As with its predecessor, the 750S will be available in hard-top and Spider guises. As an evolution of the 720S rather than an entirely new model, the 750S cuts a familiar figure, but subtle visual revisions mark the new car out from its forebear.
There is a new front bumper incorporating a larger splitter for optimised aero performance, larger air intakes to boost cooling and slim new LED headlights. The most notable change is the bigger active rear wing, which has a 20%-larger surface area and is claimed to boost both downforce and stopping performance.
The 750S will command roughly a 10% uplift over the car it replaces, starting at about £250,000. Orders are being taken now, ahead of deliveries beginning in September. Build slots are all already allocated through 2023.