Much like other contemporary supercars, such as the Ferrari 812 Superfast, the McLaren 720S gives a nod to its impressive performance with its name. The “720” signifies the vehicle’s output in metric horsepower, which translates to 710 horsepower in Imperial terms. This means that the 720S, equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, significantly surpasses its closest rivals, the Ferrari 488 with 661 horsepower and the Lamborghini Huracan, which boasts between 572 to 631 horsepower.
Interestingly, it seems that McLaren may be underplaying the true horsepower of the 720S.
How do we know this? Recently, Boost Addict conducted a test on the 720S using a DynoJet dynamometer, revealing that the car was capable of producing up to 699 horsepower at the rear wheels. The testing involved three runs, yielding peak power outputs of 694, 696, and 699 horsepower.
Why is this significant? Typically, modern vehicles lose about 10 to 15 percent of their horsepower from the crankshaft to the wheels, due to factors like friction and heat in the drivetrain. If McLaren has managed to keep this loss closer to the lower end of that range, a vehicle with a 710-horsepower rating would be expected to deliver around 640 horsepower at the rear wheels. However, a dyno reading of approximately 700 wheel horsepower indicates that the engine might actually be generating closer to 780 horsepower, since greater power usually results in higher drivetrain loss.
The 720S isn’t alone in McLaren’s history of dyno results that suggest greater power output than advertised. As noted by Fabspeed, the seemingly 562-horsepower McLaren 570S tested at around 532 horsepower at the rear wheels. It raises the question of whether McLaren has effectively minimized drivetrain losses or whether these cars are indeed producing significantly more power than the manufacturer claims.
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