Skip advert
Advertisement

McLaren 720S (2017 - 2023) review – design

Purposeful, but also beautifully sculpted, the 720S was a striking supercar offering

Evo rating
RRP
from £228,560
  • Excellent ride and handling, brutal performance
  • Minor cabin irritations, gruff engine note, depreciation

Time lessened the shock value of the 720S, and what remains is, to our eyes at least, one of the best-looking supercars on the roads. Distinctive, original and perfectly proportioned, it serves perfectly as both a unique design in its own right, and a centrepoint for the McLaren range as a whole, with varying degrees of extremity either side of it.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Like all current McLarens, the 720S has a slightly cab-forward stance, with the cabin tapering in both height and width towards the rear of the car. This glassy teardrop gives the cabin a uniquely airy feel, but also lends the car its distinctive proportions, while the car’s sculpted flanks give the appearance of a perfect union between form and function.

> 2023 McLaren 750S revealed as new flagship supercar

There are some details that remain a little difficult to get used to three years down the line from launch. The headlamps are recessed in a way that resembles eye sockets, an effect that works better in some colours than others (though it has to be said, the power and light pattern of the lamps themselves is fantastic).

The rear too can look a little busy, improved if the spoiler is down, though the best angle is probably in profile – it’s a car with all the style and character that the original MP4-12C arguably lacked. It’s only marginally diminished in Spider form too, whose side profile remains similar thanks to the buttressed roof arrangement

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

TVR: Why we think it’s all over
TVR Griffith
Opinion

TVR: Why we think it’s all over

There’s barely a flicker of life when it comes to TVR and the ‘new’ Griffith. We can only fear the worst
17 Jul 2025
Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!
Range Rover
News

Save £30k on a new Range Rover and buy a Renault 5 with the savings!

Discounts on new Range Rovers are so big you could buy a new Renault 5 with the money you save…
15 Jul 2025
​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars
Best hot hatchbacks 2025
Best cars

​Best hot hatchbacks 2025 – affordable new performance cars

Contracted though the hot hatch market may be, there are still some great models out there, from the electric Alpine A290 to the five-cylinder Audi RS…
14 Jul 2025