It’s no secret that McLaren is preparing to push the go-faster envelope with the 720S. What we didn’t know about the all-new twin-turbo V8-powered supercar from the British automaker, however, is that the instrument cluster is as wacky as they come.
But first, play the video at the end of this story. Magnificent, isn’t it? Dubbed ‘Folding Driver Display,” the 720S’ instrument cluster is a very different approach from what all the other supercar makers have to offer. I can’t even think of anything else in the car world that provides this level of witchcraft.
Both the Full Display and Slim Display modes reveal how high McLaren’s 4.0-liter engine can rev. The redline begins at 8,000 rpm or thereabout, which is slightly lower than what the 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 of the 650S has to boast (8,500 rpm). The 675LT can climb to 9,000 rpm before the limiter kicks in.
Be that as it may, the M840T sure sounds nice based on the pedal-to-the-metal action teased by the peeps over at McLaren Automotive not that long ago. In the words of Mark Vinnels, the executive director of product development, “the Folding Driver Display is revolutionary in offering both a choice of information shown and physical position, seamlessly complementing driver preferences while at the same time furnishing a glorious piece of engineering theatre.” Mark is definitely right about the theatricality.
The Woking-based company also reveals that the 720S prides itself on aluminum switches, an airy cabin, and an 8.0-inch infotainment system. Baptized 'Central Infotainment Screen,' the system's display will be mounted vertically and will be able to run multiple applications simultaneously.
McLaren will reveal the 720S in the flesh at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show on March 7, together with all the specs and live photos one can expect from such a heavily anticipated debut. Power figures haven’t been confirmed yet, but the 720S name should be a pointer for 720 PS. This number converts to 710 horsepower, which I'm told it's a helluva lot of get-up-and-go.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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