It’s been more than two years since the McLaren 720S celebrated its global premiere, and still people remain fascinated at just how quick it is.
Not only has the 720S proven itself time and time again to be the quickest vehicle in its class, but it can even match the fabled McLaren P1 hybrid hypercar around a racetrack, all while offering a more docile and less-extreme driving experience. Numerous drag races involving the 720S have also shown that it gets off the line like the proverbial bat out of hell.
However, when presented with an open runway, just how fast can the 720S go? To find out, the owner of an orange example headed to a runway and pinned the throttle. Before long, the British supercar was doing 215 mph (346 km/h). That figure doesn’t come from an inaccurate speedometer, but a combination of laser traps and a Garmin GPS system which accurately measures the vehicle’s speed.
Ask McLaren how fast the 720S will go and they will tell you 212 mph (341 km/h), but evidently, that’s a conservative estimate. Unfortunately, the video below doesn’t provide us with a view of the dashboard, so we don’t know if the McLaren was approaching its redline in seventh gear or if it could have continued towards 220 mph.
Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that the 720S can hit speeds which match or even exceed those of vehicles in the class above it. For example, the 812 Superfast tops out at 211 mph (340 km/h), while the Lamborghini Aventador won’t go beyond 217 mph (349 km/h) – or at least that’s what their manufacturers claim. And while a very few owners will probably get to hit v-max, it does give them bragging rights over their friends with “lesser” supercars.