McLaren 750S Review: One Week & 1,400 Miles

McLaren 750S Review: One Week & 1,400 Miles

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SSO

Original Poster:

1,421 posts

193 months

Tuesday 21st May
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Just completed the write up on our recent week long road trip in France in a 750S. Car was epic. Splits the gap between the 720S & 765LT perfectly

Rocketreid

639 posts

74 months

Tuesday 21st May
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How so?

Performance maybe, but the 765LT is poles apart from a 720s in many other ways

SSO

Original Poster:

1,421 posts

193 months

Wednesday 22nd May
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Rocketreid said:
How so?

Performance maybe, but the 765LT is poles apart from a 720s in many other ways
I found the 720S a bit too soft and the gearing too long. 750S addresses both.

andymc

7,373 posts

209 months

Wednesday 22nd May
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can you link to it please?

BobM

889 posts

257 months

Thursday 23rd May
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The car blogs have moved from karenable.com to https://ssoreport.com/

MMarkM

1,594 posts

173 months

Thursday 23rd May
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It didn't happen if there are not any photos smile Come on share!

RDMotorsport

16 posts

17 months

Thursday 23rd May
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If that doesn't sell a few cars, I don't know what might!

Another nice article and great to hear the 750S is as good as 'they' say!

SSO

Original Poster:

1,421 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd May
quotequote all
MMarkM said:
It didn't happen if there are not any photos smile Come on share!

Rocketreid

639 posts

74 months

Thursday 23rd May
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SSO said:
I found the 720S a bit too soft and the gearing too long. 750S addresses both.
Yes no doubt the 720s was Road biased but the softness you mention only really becomes apparent on track

The 750s is also very soft in comparison to a 765LT, although as you state the gearing is shorter and more akin to the LT’s

Going from a 720s to a 750s is certainly an improvement with your eyes closed, but not greatly noticeable imo.

The much bigger difference is on to a 765LT which is a completely different animal if you prefer the rawness

Edited by Rocketreid on Thursday 23 May 17:37

Ken_Code

1,299 posts

4 months

Thursday 23rd May
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Good write-up thanks.

Why did your wife need to get out for the tolls; is the car too low for her to reach?

When driving on the continent without a token for the tolls I take a little grabber now that folds up and that can be used to put a credit card in or take a ticket.

It’s been hugely useful for some car parks where there’s no room to get out for a ticket from my side and no way to get a ticket unless you’ve pulled up at the barrier.

SSO

Original Poster:

1,421 posts

193 months

Thursday 23rd May
quotequote all
Ken_Code said:
Good write-up thanks.

Why did your wife need to get out for the tolls; is the car too low for her to reach?

When driving on the continent without a token for the tolls I take a little grabber now that folds up and that can be used to put a credit card in or take a ticket.

It’s been hugely useful for some car parks where there’s no room to get out for a ticket from my side and no way to get a ticket unless you’ve pulled up at the barrier.
On the tolls, combination of too low and the sill is a bit wide. She got pretty quick at it by the end of the trip.

Spindoctor

787 posts

202 months

Thursday 23rd May
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Not a fan of the Toll tag? Or just like watching her getting in and out of the car?

supersport

4,107 posts

229 months

Thursday 23rd May
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SSO said:
MMarkM said:
It didn't happen if there are not any photos smile Come on share!
Looks stunning. I look forward to reading the write up.

Currently on my first road trip with my 720 and bloody love it.

SSO

Original Poster:

1,421 posts

193 months

Saturday 25th May
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supersport said:
SSO said:
MMarkM said:
It didn't happen if there are not any photos smile Come on share!
Looks stunning. I look forward to reading the write up.

Currently on my first road trip with my 720 and bloody love it.
Just posted up part 2 of the road trip.

br d

8,410 posts

228 months

Saturday 25th May
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Great write up, thanks.

The only thing I'm going to disagree on is the coupe being a better GT car.
Yeah you get the extra bit of space but for me that is heavily outweighed by the view and the sense of freedom of a Spider.
If you are anywhere nicely scenic - Spain, the Alps or the Pyrénées for instance - you are going to miss out on a lot.

I remember the frustration of driving through Switzerland in a 720 coupe and craning my neck to try to see the water flowing from the mountain tops. That feeling of racing through a vertiginous forest or mountain pass and just looking up and taking in the whole panarama is priceless.
Driving over to Martigny with the sun beaming down and the sense of expanse and freedom negates any considerations for extra luggage room.

As good as the vision from the seat of a McLaren is - and it really is exceptional - I find the coupes have always had this slightly dungeony feel when you're on a summer road trip.

Just a personal opinion of course.

Edited by br d on Saturday 25th May 14:55

interstellar

3,425 posts

148 months

Saturday 25th May
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br d said:
Great write up, thanks.

The only thing I'm going to disagree on is the coupe being a better GT car.
Yeah you get the extra bit of space but for me that is heavily outweighed by the view and the sense of freedom of a Spider.
If you are anywhere nicely scenic - Spain, the Alps or the Pyrénées for instance - you are going to miss out on a lot.

I remember the frustration of driving through Switzerland in a 720 coupe and craning my neck to try to see the water flowing from the mountain tops. That feeling of racing through a vertiginous forest or mountain pass and just looking up and taking in the whole panarama is priceless.
Driving over to Martigny with the sun beaming down and the sense of expanse and freedom negates any considerations for extra luggage room.

As good as the vision from the seat of a McLaren is - and it really is exceptional - I find the coupes have always had this slightly dungeony feel when you're on a summer road trip.

Just a personal opinion of course.

Edited by br d on Saturday 25th May 14:55
Brad, when is your next road trip. Your write ups usually are entertaining

SSO

Original Poster:

1,421 posts

193 months

Wednesday 29th May
quotequote all
br d said:
Great write up, thanks.

The only thing I'm going to disagree on is the coupe being a better GT car.
Yeah you get the extra bit of space but for me that is heavily outweighed by the view and the sense of freedom of a Spider.
If you are anywhere nicely scenic - Spain, the Alps or the Pyrénées for instance - you are going to miss out on a lot.

I remember the frustration of driving through Switzerland in a 720 coupe and craning my neck to try to see the water flowing from the mountain tops. That feeling of racing through a vertiginous forest or mountain pass and just looking up and taking in the whole panarama is priceless.
Driving over to Martigny with the sun beaming down and the sense of expanse and freedom negates any considerations for extra luggage room.

As good as the vision from the seat of a McLaren is - and it really is exceptional - I find the coupes have always had this slightly dungeony feel when you're on a summer road trip.

Just a personal opinion of course.

Edited by br d on Saturday 25th May 14:55
Much appreciated.

On the Coupe vs. Spider, personally agree and prefer Spiders for the reasons you mention. However on this trip we really needed the extra luggage space the coupe offered.

In terms of the slightly dungeony feel on the Coupes, the optional glass panels in the roof make a huge difference. Had them on our 720S Coupe and it has a major improvement.

br d

8,410 posts

228 months

Thursday 30th May
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SSO said:
Much appreciated.

On the Coupe vs. Spider, personally agree and prefer Spiders for the reasons you mention. However on this trip we really needed the extra luggage space the coupe offered.

In terms of the slightly dungeony feel on the Coupes, the optional glass panels in the roof make a huge difference. Had them on our 720S Coupe and it has a major improvement.
Was that called the Gorilla Glass or something similar? My coupe had that and it did help but I still felt shut in when in the mountains, Spiders do spoil you in that respect.
The extra space is behind the seats on the coupe yes? I can't remember.
I've had 4 Mac Spiders and I've also never used the Tonneau (sp?) area for storage, that always felt slightly scary to me! I'm as thick as a plank and I always felt I would immediately forget and try to use the roof to the accompaniment of a sickening crunch!

You mentioned the engine braking, how did you find the active aero? Seems a bit harder to get the airbrake to do it's party trick in the 750. My 720 coupe never seemed to move while the Spider was up and down like a yo yo wich was great fun!The 750S seems somewhere in the middle.
I did ask them once if they could tweak the software a bit to make it more lively but it wasn't well recieved! I appreciate it's there to slow you down from speed but it would be nice if you didn't have to drive quite so turbo nutter to get it moving.

br d

8,410 posts

228 months

Thursday 30th May
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interstellar said:
Brad, when is your next road trip. Your write ups usually are entertaining
Hi interstella, didn't see this sorry, thanks for asking.

I have a trip fully booked, starting on the 20th of June, lots of Alps and all the usual stuff. It should be be a good one in the new 750S which I haven't really stretched yet so I'm looking forward to getting out there.

I have recently had some tricky surgery and I'm under all kinds of Doctor's orders to stay still and behave myself which I'm finding difficult to obey due to sheer boredom of not working and just sitting about the house.
I'm told if I'm very careful I may just be healed by the date of the trip. If that goes tits up then I'm going to be left with an eyewatering set of bills because in my infinite wisdom I didn't take cancellation policies on most of the hotels!

To be honest though I'm not decided on blogging this one if I go, I don't know if they aren't wearing a bit thin now. I always get positive feedback and hugely appreciate everyone's comments but I'm aware it's just basically an idiot abroad drinking too much and oversharing.
If the trip is on I'll give it more consideration near the time.


interstellar

3,425 posts

148 months

Thursday 30th May
quotequote all
br d said:
interstellar said:
Brad, when is your next road trip. Your write ups usually are entertaining
Hi interstella, didn't see this sorry, thanks for asking.

I have a trip fully booked, starting on the 20th of June, lots of Alps and all the usual stuff. It should be be a good one in the new 750S which I haven't really stretched yet so I'm looking forward to getting out there.

I have recently had some tricky surgery and I'm under all kinds of Doctor's orders to stay still and behave myself which I'm finding difficult to obey due to sheer boredom of not working and just sitting about the house.
I'm told if I'm very careful I may just be healed by the date of the trip. If that goes tits up then I'm going to be left with an eyewatering set of bills because in my infinite wisdom I didn't take cancellation policies on most of the hotels!

To be honest though I'm not decided on blogging this one if I go, I don't know if they aren't wearing a bit thin now. I always get positive feedback and hugely appreciate everyone's comments but I'm aware it's just basically an idiot abroad drinking too much and oversharing.
If the trip is on I'll give it more consideration near the time.
No problem Brad, I hope you get better soon. Don’t underestimate the interest of someone hooning around Europe in a 750 S . Most dream of doing that so plenty of interest but I appreciate it takes time and effort to do.

Enjoy your trip if you go and get well soon.