RE: McLaren 720S Spider meets Alpine A110 Pure

[Taylor James]

bcr5784 said:

Given the issues Porsche have had with (even mildly) high mileage Boxsters (bore scoring, IMS, tired suspension), not to mention the rectification costs (PDK!!!!), have you really any reason to believe middle-aged Porsches are really as inexpensive (let alone cheaper) to run than Renault Sport models.

I didn't mention Porsches. My concern is based on what I've seen with fast Renaults.

[Taylor James]

br d said:

Until I got the 720 I would have said exactly what you have. Off the top of my head 0 - 100 mph in my 650 was 5.7, the 720 5.2 and the 570 6.0, I think the 570 is a better driving experience so just drive the 720 at 570 pace right? But that doesn't work, not for me anyway.

The car is designed and setup to be most alive when it's being pushed. Setting aside the obvious differences in handling and gearing a 720 being held at a 570 pace does not feel anywhere near as exciting as pushing the 570 to its limit.

So it comes down to pushing the car hard and I can't do that on the road in a 720 - I'm sure there are people who can, I'm not one of them. I couldn't enjoy the rush of the 720's thrust because everything was happening too bloody fast to appreciate it.

I take on board the point about going out early and picking your roads and this is exactly what I do, and right up to the 650S I could just about get away with it but the 720 is beyond that. No matter how quiet, dry and well-sighted the road if you stamp down the pedal there is going to become here too quickly to enjoy it!

This is just my experience of course and perhaps I'm just getting old. Personally the 570 is the sweet spot for me, it's still insanely quick and capable but I can actually experience the thrill in real time. The 720's speed was just too distracting.

Edited by br d on Monday 8th April 20:14

That's interesting. I wouldn't have thought the speed difference would make such a difference to the drive. Thanks for the insight - it's not something I've been fortunate enough to test for myself.

[isaldiri]

br d said:

Until I got the 720 I would have said exactly what you have. Off the top of my head 0 - 100 mph in my 650 was 5.7, the 720 5.2 and the 570 6.0, I think the 570 is a better driving experience so just drive the 720 at 570 pace right? But that doesn't work, not for me anyway.

The car is designed and setup to be most alive when it's being pushed. Setting aside the obvious differences in handling and gearing a 720 being held at a 570 pace does not feel anywhere near as exciting as pushing the 570 to its limit.

Actually I didn't mean to drive a 720 at 570 pace. That was my point really that the 720's sensation of speed was dialled down relative to the 570 and one needed to be driving a lot faster to get the same 'buzz' so to speak so one ends up thinking the 720 is 'too quick for the road' when imo a 570/12c/650 are in their own way already too fast for the road when just bimbling along nevermind anything like near to their limits (which I certainly cannot do so on the road). Tbh I still have no idea why Mclaren did that on the 720 having moved quite firmly towards making the cars feel more alive with the 675 then 570 and the 675 did prove Mclaren could make a car both faster and more exciting to drive at 'normal' speeds.

[Onehp]

isaldiri said:

Tbh I still have no idea why Mclaren did that on the 720 having moved quite firmly towards making the cars feel more alive with the 675 then 570 and the 675 did prove Mclaren could make a car both faster and more exciting to drive at 'normal' speeds.

Hard to please everyone for McLaren, often accused for making the same car 5 times over, and now the complaint is that they are different... If you want exciting, there is the 600LT or the 720s LT square, also knowns as the Senna. The mere LT version should be due quite soon too...

[Black S2K]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Well put!

One often does not have the clear sight lines - or empty enough roads - not to have to keep slowing down.

Being a complete lunatic comes with a great deal of responsibility. Er...

[Onehp]

Black S2K said:

Well put!

One often does not have the clear sight lines - or empty enough roads - not to have to keep slowing down.

Being a complete lunatic comes with a great deal of responsibility. Er...

Sat passenger the other day, the driver not slowing down for uncoming traffic so closing speed was in the region of 150 miles per... rabbits. Told him one of my 'rules' is to always slow down to 'normal' closing speeds of approx 100 mph and that really is still utter lunacy if one thinks about it objectively. He agreed and slowed down... Then of course it's nice to have some hp to restore the previous safe speed in a nippy fashion, while no need to exaggerate that either, it can take more than say 2 seconds, a handful is plenty...

[TobyTR]

Cacatous said:

leglessAlex said:

Ferrari V12s are indeed wonderful, wonderful engines. They're one of the few companies left making howling, naturally aspirated motors aren't they?

I'm sure it is a budget issue, but then it always has been. The F1's engine, while McLaren spec, was actually built by BMW wasn't it? Anyway, I guess there's no point in talking too much about the hows and the whys as it won't happen, but damn it would be nice if it did. Even if they were to get an engine designed, no idea who on earth would be able to do it for them. AMG already supply Engines to Pagani and Aston, Ferrari would never even consider sharing an engine outside of Italy. BMW's V10 has gone and their V12 is turbocharged. Audi have the V10 which is a gorgeous engine, but they already use it in a competitor, the Huracan.

I'm sure Lexus would love to help out

Can you imagine the Lexus V10 in a McLaren 720 (mechanical issues and emissions notwithstanding)?

This, for one last supercar blowout by McLaren before everything goes soulless and electric. Hubba.

[FerrariGuy007]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I concur. The most fun I ever had on wheels was with my first manual car which is a 1992 BMW 318is. Only around 130 hp (My Honda CRV was faster). But I was able to go through all the gears which his car only has five. Even in the city, I had to go to third or fourth. Great car to learn manual for sure. This car was even slower than my previous car which was a Nissan 240sx but the slower BMW was an engineering marvel. At the time, I never driven a car with such superb handling. You steer and it just goes with almost no body roll.

I now own a Porsche C4S which has even better handling. It’s still loads of fun but I never get pass fourth gear even on the highway and I would be at around 80 mph. City driving is all entirely on the 2nd gear and this car has 6 gears. I never used the last gear and used the fifth gear once in a blue moon when I want to save gas on the highway. I pushed this car early during my ownership years nearing the rev line and really pushing it in turns until I had an accident with my other car which luckily I came out unscathed and so I no longer drive like a maniac anymore except when coming out of the toll booth where I would put the pedal to the metal.

I remembered the last time I had fun on the road which was driving a 458 rental. That must be the best car that I ever driven. It had flash like a Lambo and performance of a Porsche. This car looked good and was thrilling especially the spider version with roof down. This was before my accident and so I drove like a maniac on the city speedway late at night (3 am) at around 100 mph when the limit is 40. You can tell some parts of the road were not built for such speed as I hit the gravel a few times due to bumpiness. I got a speeding ticket at literally the end of my fun drive where the speedway ended so timing could not be more perfect but I felt it was worth the fun.

I decided to get a Lambo because the Porsche was not enough for me. It’s hard to push this car. At certain speeds, it feels like it might peer off the road. The speed and power is not meant for any city speedway. I drove as fast as 130 mph on the highway once and the car felt even more stable at this speed. Quite amazing where normal cars would shake and rattle. I never even used the launch control. Too complicated to operate and when can you actually do launch control except on a track? One night on a rainy night, I pushed this car on the speedway at around 70 mph on a turn and it spun like a top. Luckily nobody got hurt but the damages were expensive even though it was luckily contained to the front. That was the last time I drove like a maniac on any car. Today, I only enjoy the engine noise in a tunnel for this car and I really hate the attention and never really drive it anywhere where I have to park it. The battery life is extraordinary and the gas tank enormous but zero practicality.

[robgt3]

The 720S will probably depreciate more as it is driven out of the showroom than the A110 costs.