McLaren 720S Track Pack 2018 UK first drive

With a dry weight of 1283kg, the 720S is also light for something not only carrying a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 in its belly but with a footprint close to that of a 5 Series. The Track Pack takes another 24kg out of the equation with the generous use of carbonfibre and a set of ‘super-lightweight’ forged alloys shod in Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres. In fact, it must save more weight than that, because a titanium harness bar (redundant in the case of our test car) has found its way into the cabin. Golly it looks good, but poor surfaces elicit the irritating squish of metal on leather in our 1800-mile test example.

A development engineer would identify the dynamic consequences of those changes but, on the road, with its many variables, I can’t pretend to have noticed any meaningful difference. The 720S remains wickedly slick on the move. The delicate hydraulic steering is perhaps even more of a pleasure to interact with through the Track Pack’s Alcantara rim, but the star of the show is the Proactive chassis, which with its cross-linked dampers is left unaltered. In any of its three modes, the set-up serves up a hallmark blend of gentle but unbreakable control, unless you’ve found a particularly unloved B-road to splice along. Elsewhere, it is the stuff of magic carpets.

The more easily appreciable elements of the Track Pack are also satisfying. The carbonfibre racing seats, available in two sizes, will cup the buttocks, hips and ribs of both you and your passenger magnificently and are a lasting source of confidence. The sport exhaust also gives the 720S a valuable injection of passion at the top of the rev range, and the flat-finished carbonfibre dotted about the carbon suits the car’s Silicon Valley vibe. There’s plenty of carbon on the exterior, too, and in combination with the McLaren Orange paint you have to say that the 720S has never packed quite such a hard optical punch. 

McLaren has elected not to massage any more power from the engine, but with 710bhp arriving at 7500rpm and a mammoth hit of 568lb ft at 5500rpm, it’s hardly needed. You will not have any difficultly unsticking the 305-section rear tyres whatseover, and in the wet the 720S elicits an old-school fear factor that’s actually pretty refreshing so long as you’re on your mettle.