It was a beautiful day in Manhattan, and I could not help but feel exhilarated as I climbed into the driver's seat of a brand-new McLaren 720S Spider. The sleek, bright orange sports car gleamed in the sunlight, and while I wouldn't really get to use the power of its 4.0L twin-turbocharged V8 on the crowded streets of New York, it for sure was going to be an experience I would not soon forget.
I was picking the car up at Classic Car Club Manhattan, the members-only club that offers its members access to a fleet of classic and exotic vehicles. The club has a fleet of over 50 vehicles, including models from brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and of course McLaren. I was in town to film a new TV show segment, for a show that didn’t get off the ground, but how could I turn down the opportunity to fly to New York, drive a supercar, and be on camera?
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As I pulled out of the parking lot and onto the bustling
streets, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement, among the sea of black
cars and taxis the bright orange McLaren stood out. zipped through the crowded
streets, dodging bike messengers and delivery trucks as I made my way uptown. I
turn on 97th Street to cut through Central Park before heading back
down 5th Avenue towards Grand Army Plaza.
The 720S is powered by a 4.0-liter V8 engine that produces
710 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque. It has a top speed of 212 mph and
can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. The car features a carbon
fiber monocoque chassis, which helps to keep its weight down to just 3,128
pounds. But none of that really matters in a city with 25-mph speed limits. Since
I can’t go fast, I can take solace in the fact that the 720S Spider is great to
look at and at least I get to hear the exhaust note reverberating off the skyscrapers
as I cruise.
As I approached Times Square, the crowds of tourists and
street performers were in full swing. I slowed down, taking in the sights and
sounds of the city as I cruised past. The McLaren drew plenty of attention, and
I couldn't help but smile as tourists tried to figure out if I was someone famous
they should try to take a picture of. As I pull up to the light at 7th
and 45th a man with a thick New York accent shouts “Look at dis guy,
driving a pussy magnet!” I just laugh to myself as the light changed and I
continued my drive through the city, taking in all the sights and sounds that
Manhattan had to offer.
The route my GPS plotted has taken me to a road that has
been closed for another film shoot, NBC is filming for a show, thankfully the
production I was going to was much smaller. Upon arriving at the location, I am
handed some lines to try to remember and ushered off to costume and makeup in a
nearby apartment the production company had rented.
We took a group photo and as the sun was starting to set, I made my way back toward Classic Car Club Manhattan to return the McLaren. What was just over 8 miles would take nearly 45 minutes, so I took a detour and drove down Broadway through Lower Manhattan, if I was going to sit in traffic, I might as well swing by and see Casey Neistat’s office before heading to the West Side Highway, it was kind of on the way. Unfortunately, I didn’t spot Casey on his boosted board, so I headed back toward Pier 76. I wish I was headed in the opposite direction, along the Southern State Parkway towards South Hampton for a long weekend at my favorite little inn, The 1708 House.
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But I am instead cruising up the West Side Highway to hand over the keys to one of the best supercars, I have ever driven, and I make that claim not just based on my slow speed maneuvering around NYC, I have had the chance to experience the 720S Spider when it was launched and again later I took the 720S on the track at the Circuit of the Americas during a Pure McLaren Experience. With its combination of good looks and stunning performance, I am sure the McLaren 720 will go down in history as one of the great supercars of all time.
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