Following a small flurry of rumors, McLaren has confirmed that it has officially axed the current-generation 720S supercar as the British supercar maker seeks to add more hybrids and EVs to its lineup of world-class performance machines.
720S Leaves Big Shoes To Fill
The 720S’s departure leaves some huge shoes to fill, especially in the performance department. We even had a chance to briefly experience the 720S during a weekend office visit. The 720S was always considered the most potent “mainstream” McLaren in the company’s supercar lineup and was only occasionally eclipsed by some of the wild limited production models the company has created. McLaren’s official statement on the matter wasn’t too extensive and was only limited to a brief sentence or two.
“We are not taking further customer-specified builds for the 720S, but cars are available through our retailer network.”
While this statement confirms the end of the 720S as we know it, buyers looking to add one to their garage will have to put in the leg work to find one. A 720S is a rarity in dealer inventories (our local McLaren showroom had none), with the next nearest showroom in Chicago only having one in their stock. More importantly, the demise of the 720S means that the Artura is the lone member of the brand’s Supercar lineup. The Artura makes 671 hp, and while that’s just short of the 710 hp in the 720S, the Artura is a greener offering thanks to its hybrid powertrain.
Will A New Model Replace It?
McLaren reps offered no comment when pressed on whether a new model is coming to replace the 720S, but chances are good that the company will have something up its sleeve. They would unarguably want something to help the Artura shoulder the load while also eliminating a critical hole in a segment that has recently been shaken up by a surge of green-focused models, some of them from EV startup companies.
Only time will tell if a potential successor is coming, but McLaren has proven in the past that the wait is worth it regarding their new offerings.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.