At a private event outside of Rome, one lucky YouTube member captured McLaren’s new 720S in action. The event was most likely a ride & drive for prospective buyers, so we’re glad marcopiz96 had his camera handy. Blistering acceleration at the Vallelunga raceway is provided by a new 4.0 liter V8. Based on the 3.8 liter that has powered every late model McLaren, the bump in displacement will help to curb turbo lag thanks to increased air flow. The crankshaft has gained 3.6 mm of stroke, which turbo engines love. Stroker engines hold the pistons at top-dead-center (or TDC) for a longer duration. This allows the explosion to spread across the piston more evenly, and do more work. Small V8 engines with twin turbos are all the rage, which is why it will be fun to see the 720S battle against the latest Ferrari 488 GTB.
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Hot rodders have known the advantages of stroker cranks for decades, but the real benefits come when they are combined with the latest in turbochargers. The 650S was no slouch, offering 500 lb-ft of torque, but the 720S has 568 lb-ft to play with. The dual-scroll turbines have low inertia blades to spin up faster, but their efficiency kills most the engine’s sound. At full power, all of the exhaust is forced through the turbo which translates the loud pulses into a balanced flow. As someone who has hearing damage from a decade of open headers, the notion of a quiet 710 horsepower car is perplexing. It is inevitable that someone will ditch the mufflers once they take delivery, so stay with us to see the true potential of McLaren‘s latest supercar.
