McLaren 720S Quietly Bows Out, Demand for Successor Already Sky-High
Production of the McLaren 720S is coming to a close and no more build slots are being allocated, as the British automaker confirmed to Autocar this week.
Introduced in 2017 as a 2018 model, McLaren’s flagship road car is available in coupe and convertible (Spyder) body styles, each one featuring a turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine that produces 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft. of torque, which is enough to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds. The related 765LT is a lighter and more explosive variant.
- Also: 2023 McLaren Artura: Big Fish
- Also: First of 10 McLaren 720S Canada 10th Anniversary MSO 1/10 Models is Delivered
Canadian distributor Pfaff Automotive last year commissioned 10 unique examples of the 720S, all prepared by McLaren Special Operations (MSO), to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the brand in Canada. These models even sport a maple leaf on the hood and under the rear wing.
McLaren has not yet provided specific details about a successor, but a U.S. spokesman told Automotive News that development is well underway. It will be an evolution of the 720S rather than a whole new car.
That same McLaren rep added that demand is already quite strong, so much so that units are sold out “deep into 2024.” And yet nobody has even seen what this replacement will look like or what powertrain it will use.
It’s possible the V8 engine will return, but considering all the cash McLaren has poured into the development of a hybrid system for its new Artura, some form of electrification is likely. You can bet output will trump the 710 horsepower of the outgoing 720S, too.
McLaren’s road car lineup otherwise consists of the aforementioned Artura and the entry-level GT. What about an SUV to compete with the likes of the Ferrari Purosangue and Lamborghini Urus? New CEO Michael Leiters last year admitted that the company is actively exploring the idea of launching an SUV and what kind of design might work. However, don’t expect to see one before mid-decade.
