C8 Corvette Drag Races McLaren 720S, a Moon-Sized Gap Is Born

The mid-engined transformation of the production 'Vette, which had been on the backburner for six decades, has finally allowed the American icon to challenge high-end velocity machines on a budget, even though labeling the starting-at-$59,995 C8 Stingray as a supercar is guaranteed to spark a debate.

As for the McLaren 720S, this is more of a time machine - hop aboard, floor the thing, and you'll have a hard time believing this vehicle was launched nearly four years ago. Even with the sharper 765LT evolution of the 720S now causing a stir (here's an example delivered at the drag strip), the latter remains a model that punches into hypercar territory for supercar money (prices kick off at $300,000).

So, how do the two compare in the simplest of races, namely one that involves a straight-line battle? Well, the piece of footage at the bottom of the tale allows us to check out a real-world answer to that question.

The confrontation, which comes from the owner of the Chevy, YouTuber RearWheelDrive, sees the two mid-engined toys duking it out using both a standing and a rolling start - you can jump to the 11:38 timestamp for the sprinting action. However, you should steer clear of using such street shenanigans as example and head over to the drag strip when you're feeling competitive.

What do the numbers tell us, you ask? The American features a N/A 6.2L V8 delivering 495 ponies and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm), while the Brit's TT 3.8-liter V8 produces 710 hp and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) of twist. Besides, while both feature dual-clutch trannies, the Macca is over 450 lbs (200+ kg) lighter than the Chevy, albeit with the 720S being the only one that had a passenger during this adventure.

And no, you're not alone in your desire to see the C8 Z06 (it could land later this year) offer a more fair battle against beasts such as this McLaren.