GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: McLaren teases 720S' folding dash

McLaren has teased a new folding instrument panel that the 650S-replacement will come with when it's unveiled next week at the Geneva motor show.

Releasing a video of the innovative 8.0-inch display in action, owners of its second-generation Super Series model, thought to be called the 720S, will have the option of either a full configurable display or a thin strip of information that will only display the speed, revs, and gear selection.

McLaren says it created its folding instrument panel to help reduce driver distraction in situations where concentration is key, like on track.

As well as the dash, McLaren has also revealed its replacement for the 650S is set to raise the benchmark for performance.

Powered by a new twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 the 720S is thought to come with as much as 720hp (530kW) – hence the possibility it will be named the ‘720S’.

Against the clock the new coupe will hit 200km/h from standstill in just 7.8 seconds and reach the traditional quarter-mile (402 metres) in 10.3sec.

To help reign in the all that performance, the new Super Series will also come with some of the most powerful brakes money can buy.

Thanks to standard carbon-ceramic discs, the British supercar maker says the forthcoming 720S will brake from 200km/h in just 4.6 seconds and just 117 metres.

To put that into context, that’s six metres shorter than the 650S and almost on par with its million-dollar P1 hypercar.

It helps, of course, that at 1283kg the P14 is 18kg lighter than the 650S, but the British firm says the majority of the improvements come from its lighter stiffer brake callipers, carbon ceramic-discs and increased tyre performance.

Speaking of which, McLaren says it’s worked closely with Pirelli to create a bespoke P Zero Corsa tyre that brings a six per cent improvement in mechanical grip compared to the old 650S.

Underneath it all, the P14 will use an active chassis system that’s claimed to give the “widest breadth of dynamic ability” of any McLaren in history.

Dubbed Proactive Chassis Control II, it has Comfort, Sport and Track settings and uses sensors all over the car, including an accelerometer in each wheel hub, to analyse the car’s behaviour and then to automatically adjust the damping, hundreds of times a second.

The new McLaren also joins the ranks of the sports cars with variable drift control. Owners will have the option of adjusting the skid control’s intensity with just a swipe across the multi-media screen.

It will be a huge step forward aerodynamically, with McLaren insisting its full-width adjustable wing and other tricks that boost downforce, reduce drag and increase engine cooling.

The car will be based around McLaren’s Monocage II carbon-fibre chassis tub, with a T-bar shaped roof and dihedral doors that curl over to become an integral part of the roof shape and allow better ingress and egress.

The entire car, as well as its name and vital statistics, will be revealed at the Geneva show on March 7.

If you can’t wait until then, the 720S was leaked at the end of January at a special VIP event.