The 720S is (the only) part of the McLaren Super Series, but is it a supercar?
Believe it or not, there are just some answers you can’t find on Google. To determine whether or not the McLaren 720S is a proper supercar, DriveTribe’s Henry Catchpole had to drive it.
Everyone has their own definition of what a supercar is. Some words that are (stereo?)typically used to describe them include over the top, ridiculous, uncomfortable, and impractical. The swoopy 720S certainly looks the part with its cool upward-swinging doors, but it actually has storage space for more than a pair of sunglasses, thanks to its large front trunk and the space behind the two sculpted seats. On the Italian roads Catchpole takes the 720S over, it proves to be quite comfortable and GT-like. The sports exhaust doesn’t bark loud, leaving the cabin surprisingly quiet. Getting around the narrow streets of Italy without a worry is easy because of the great outward visibility made possible by the slim pillars.
When the going gets twistier, the 720S responds with shocking quickness. Cars with 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque tend to do that. The 720S slows down as well as it accelerates; Catchpole is satisfied by the brake feel. Pushing the car through the esses, he’s simultaneously confident and intimidated. However, Catchpole does find the exhaust note to be underwhelming and the light steering less communicative than he’d like.
So is the McLaren 720S a supercar? Is it even appropriate to ask that question of any sort of McLaren, especially one that looks and goes like the 720S? Watch to find out.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
