8 minute read
McLaren
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“J ust let it run up to around 130mph”, says my instructor. We are at the Millbrook test track in Bedfordshire, a place I have visited many times before over the past 30 years in a wide variety of cars, vans and trucks. We are sitting on the mile straights, where I have also been many times. Usually, the person beside me has had a stop watch, or more sophisticated timing gear and we have been going through the ritual of recording 0-60mph times. For that we would record a number of runs in both directions - to compensate for any effects of the weather - and then calculate an average time. This is a bit similar, but also a bit different. The man on my left has no stop watch or timing gear and I can’t easily see all around the car behind me, because the interior mirror and door mirrors have been arranged so he can see behind. He’s also a racing driver, which is why he’s sitting there - we are in a highperformance car.
We are checking out the car’s launch control. It’s a simple technique. The transmission is automatic, so I can change gear if I want using the paddles behind the steering wheel or leave the ‘box to sort itself out.
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Words: John Kendall Photographs: McLaren
Then all you need to do is push a button on the centre console to select launch control, place your left foot on the large brake pedal, floor the throttle with the other foot then release the brake. It’s a progressive process because we are now in the grip of some very sophisticated traction control systems, which intervene rapidly to try and keep the car in a straight line.
I have done something similar in a racing truck at Brands Hatch some years ago, except that I was firmly strapped into the passenger seat, wearing a crash helmet. It was probably the most powerful vehicle I have ever travelled in with over 1,000hp on tap. This time I’m not wearing a crash helmet and I’m not speed limited to 100mph. There isn’t a distant sound of squealing tyres either, but the acceleration is pretty similar, in other words, quick, very quick. I’ve got to be careful because the track is a bit greasy. There was some light rain earlier and the track is still damp in places and I’m trying
to transmit 720hp to the ground through two wheels. Even with all that sophisticated electronic control the car starts to snake and I back off and apply corrective steering rapidly, to my instructor’s relief, and mine.
The car in question is a McLaren 720S, an exquisite piece of British engineering, which as you will probably be aware is produced by a company which made its name in designing, building and racing single-seater racing cars. McLaren is named after New Zealander Bruce McLaren, the founder of the McLaren racing team who lost his life during practice in a car designed for the North American Can-Am racing series, at Goodwood in June 1970.
The first McLaren road car, the McLaren F1 was launched in 1993. Features included a central driving position and it was constructed around a carbon-fibre chassis, a feature of all McLaren road cars since.
For the car I am driving, the basic structure is McLaren’s carbon fibre Monocage II-S, with aluminium front and rear crash structures. It’s strictly a two-seater. There is room for some luggage. Apparently, you can accommodate a set of golf clubs in the compartment behind the engine bay, behind the seats. There’s additional space forward of the passenger compartment too, certainly enough space for luggage for a few days away with the partner of your choice. Back at the track, 130mph comes around quite quickly. That’s not particularly surprising – it will reach 60mph in 2.8 seconds from rest and 0 – 124mph (200km/h) takes just 7.9 seconds. If I could see in the mirrors, I’m sure everything would be shrinking pretty rapidly. I suspect it’s
a bit rubbish at 44-tonnes GCW, so stick with DAF for that.
I’ve done enough test track work to know that figures only give a partial story. Luckily for me, the schedule includes a few laps of Millbrook’s entertaining Alpine Circuit. As the name suggests, it includes hills of various gradients up and down with some nicely crafted bends and a short sharp hill where a second or so of flight is possible, if the marshals aren’t looking.
It’s not much of a surprise to find that the car’s handling and road holding limits are far greater than mine. After the first lap of the Alpine circuit, I push the car a little harder, generating
A profile to remember - the elegance of a McLaren
The sight of a McLaren you’re most likely to see - disappearing rapidly
higher g-forces, but there is no sign of the McLaren’s Pirelli P-Zero tyres – 245/35 R 19s on the front and 305/30 R 20s on the back getting anywhere near their limits. The chassis’ limits are helped by the suspension set up with double wishbones, adaptive dampers and McLaren’s Proactive Chassis Control II included in the equipment.
Millbrook’s high-speed bowl is designed for high-speed laps, allowing cars to self-steer at particular speeds in the outer lanes and we take in a few laps at three figure speeds. The McLaren is quite at home at Millbrook. It’s not really designed as a road car, so if you are planning to attend track days, or use it for circuit racing, you might want to take a look. The impressive performance is generated by McLaren’s M840T twin turbocharged 3,994cc V8 petrol engine. The 720hp is generated at 7,500rpm accompanied by 770Nm of torque between 5,500 and 6,500rpm. I would work on the RollsRoyce principle that if you need to ask the price, you can’t afford it, but if you are tempted, then you’ll be looking at a starting price of £245,700. It’s a lot of money, but considering it’s a low volume, high performance car using race proven design and construction techniques and a range of sophisticated chassis systems, it is not unreasonable.
On the other hand, no-one needs 720hp for the road in a car weighing 1,468kg -providing a power to weight ratio of 490hp per tonne. McLaren does produce cars designed for road use and if you like the two-seater, mid-engine layout of the 720S, but want something better suited to the road network, the GT could be the car for you.
The GT uses McLaren’s M840TE 3,994cc twin-turbocharged V8 engine, basically the same block as that in the 720S, but tuned to generate 620hp at 7,500rpm with 630Nm of torque between 5,500rpm and 6,500rpm. That’s still a large amount of power for road use, but putting it through the same sequence of tests at Millbrook shows it to be bettersuited to everyday driving. Performance is still phenomenal, with 0-60mph taking just 3.1 seconds and 0-124mph coming up in 9.0 seconds. Construction is very similar to the
It may be a lightweight high performance car, but comfort and luxury are part of the deal GT or 720S? Take your pick
Designed, engineered and built in the UK
720S, but there are some differences in addition to the power output. The suspension system comes with Comfort, Sport and Track modes providing a more compliant ride for long distances. Whereas carbon ceramic brake discs are used for the 720S, standard material for the GT is cast iron with carbon ceramic discs as an option. Larger diameter wheels – 20-inch at the front and 21inch at the rear - help to provide more road-friendly gearing, giving combined fuel consumption of 23.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 270g/km.
100hp usually makes a difference – in this case 100hp less makes the car more driver friendly, particularly for road use. There’s no snaking on launch at the mile straights for our 0-130-ish routine. I could imagine driving long distance in the GT, although I couldn’t imagine leaving it in a car park. I have driven earlier, lesser powered McLarens on the road in the past and they are surprisingly straightforward to drive, even in traffic.
The GT, as you might expect is a little more wallet friendly with a starting price of £163,000. Standard equipment includes a nappa leather interior and seats, seven spoke cast alloy wheels with Pirelli P-Zero tyres, McLaren’s infotainment system including a 7-inch high-resolution display with a 12.3-inch screen for the instrument cluster, as well as satellite navigation, voice control for the infotainment system, DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and iPhone/Pod integration. Driver assistance technologies include Dynamic Electronic Stability Control, traction control, hill hold assist, brake wipe technology and brake pre-fill technology. When the driver lifts off the throttle, the brake system pressure is automatically raised to bring the brake pad almost into contact with the brake disc, shortening braking distances. There are a host of option packs and equipment too.
Would I buy one if I had the money? The 720S is not for me, but I could make garage space for the GT because it is more versatile, even practical. The design is distinctive, you rarely see one and it is highly desirable. I would probably choose a different colour from the bright orange of my test car though.
