Stop right there. Do not press go on your new McLaren 720S order. Take the pen away from the dotted line, until you’ve digested this. If your 710bhp twin-turbo British supercar is going to be earning its keep doing track days, you’ll want to know McLaren’s latest optional extra inside-out.
It’s the Track Pack, which heaps together all the options that McLaren thinks makes the 720S better on a circuit, and charges less money overall than if you selected them individually. Yes, most of that means more carbon fibre than you can shake a fireproof balaclava at. But there’s also a “bespoke Track setting among its drive modes”, hinting McLaren has tweaked suspension and powertrain response for even sillier lap times.
Thing is, folks in the paddock can’t see modes. You can’t pose in coding. So that’s where the carbon comes in. Immediately, you’ll notice the (deep breath here) McLaren Special Operations Defined Gloss Finish Visual Carbon Fibre Active Rear Spoiler. Carried over from the ‘standard’ 720S Performance line are carbon-woven air intakes and door mirror cases.
Inside, there’s still more carbon than a coal mine, including (even deeper breath) the McLaren Special Operations Defined Satin Visual Carbon Fibre Extended Gearshift Paddles. The steering wheel they live behind is trimmed in suede, as are the bucket seats, and you’re restrained into them by six-point harnesses anchored by a titanium roll bar. There’s on-board telemetry and cameras too, because if you set a new Ring PB and don’t Instagram it, did it really happen?
Factor in the forged ten-spoke wheels and the total weight saving carved out by the Track Pack amounts to 24kg. Sure, most owners could save themselves the £28,360 McLaren is asking for it (taking the price to £224,700 in total) and simply lay off the XXL wristwatches for a similar effect. But if you’re a carbon-addict and haven’t found the stupefying, P1-beating speed of the 720S quite vivid enough, this ought to make the box-ticking process a lot simpler. Which, of course, is completed with the McLaren Special Operations Defined Satin Visual Carbon Fibre Ball Point Pen. Which costs extra.
