At first glance you’ll notice the aggressive carbon-fibre splitter, rear diffuser and side sills, the little vents over the front wheelarches for brake cooling, the quad-exhaust at the rear and the ten-spoke lightweight wheels. But it’s more than performance tinsel. The wheels, for example, save a total of 22kg over the wheels you’ll find on a standard 720S, and wear Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R tyres. The exhaust system weighs 10.9kg less than that of the 720S as well, and creates a more intense soundtrack. All of the aerodynamic tweaks bring 25 per cent more downforce compared to the 720S, too.
Climb inside and the interior has been stripped back to the bare bones. The seats are now one-piece carbon affairs, the shells of which weigh just 3.35kg each, saving a total of 18kg. The air-conditioning system has been thrown away too (although it can be put back as a no-cost option) and the windscreen and side windows have been made of thinner glass, all contributing to a total diet of 80kg.
The suspension uses McLaren’s Proactive Chassis Control II system, whereby the wheels use fully independent hydraulic suspension and adaptive dampers to control body movement. The system has been tweaked, of course, but McLaren has included additional ‘helper’ springs to reduce weight by a further 1.5kg. The front track width has been increased by 6mm as well, while the front ride height has been dropped by 5mm. If you thought this was just a 720S with a body kit you’d be very wrong indeed.