McLaren 720S vs Mercedes-Benz GT

What's the difference?

Past McLarens have been accused of being a bit soulless, but this one is alive. The last time I felt like this in a car was a Ferrari F12, one of the scariest but most brilliant cars I've ever driven. Except the 720S isn't scary on the road, just sheer genius.

The 720S doesn't necessarily beat the competition but it opens up new ways of doing supercar things. It's a car that looks amazing, is more than fit for purpose but has a wider range of talents than the others. 

That makes it ever more compelling, both as a piece of automotive brilliance to admire, andl as something to consider when you've got half a Sydney apartment to spend on a car.

Australian roads await, but the drive through rural English country roads and villages was a great preview. All I can say is: gimme one.

The Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is a rare beast; in the sense that it’s both unattainable and that it makes you feel like a superhero behind the wheel.

There is more performance on offer than most can hope of using, but the best thing about Mercedes’ latest supercar is its approachability.

In my experience, the more expensive a car gets, the more stressful driving them becomes, but the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series does something I didn’t think was possible, and turns a near-$1 million supercar into something fun.

The 720S has received mixed reviews but nobody will say it isn't striking. I love it - every designer says their influence is a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird (designer Melville even jokes about it), but you really can see it in the 720S, especially in the cockpit design, which looks like a glass canopy from that surveillance jet.

McLaren's signature dihedral doors, which go all the way back to the 1994 McLaren F1, are substantial, with a double skin to act as a serious piece of aero kit.

Melville told me in January that he thinks the cars look shaped by nature, using the example of a stone left in a stream to erode. The 720S is full of details evoking that image, with a clean, taut surface. Where everyone complained that the 12C was "designed in a wind tunnel", the 720S looks designed by the wind. In the carbon and aluminium, it looks extraordinary.

One of the most talked about features are those headlights - almost always finished in black, they're known as "the socket". When you get close you see slim LED DRLs, small but powerful headlights, and you then discover two radiators behind them. Follow it through and the air exits through the bumper, around the wheels and then through the door. It's quite something.

Inside is the McLaren we've come to know and love, but with a clever kicker. The dash panel looks lifted from a race car - but with far nicer graphics. Switch to "active" mode, turn everything up to Track and the panel swings down and presents you with a minimised set of instruments to reduce distraction and make up for a lack of head-up display - just speed, get and, revs.

Most high-performance brands have their hardcore, track-focused models, from the Porsche 911 GT2 RS to the McLaren 765LT and the Ferrari 488 Pista.

For Mercedes-Benz, it’s the Black Series, a badge which could be found in the past on the SLK, CLK, SL-Class, C-Class, but for 2021 it’s now found on the back of the GT supercar.

To differentiate it from the rest of the ‘standard’ Mercedes-AMG GT range, a slew of racecar-like components are added, such as a fixed rear wing (with deployable insert), vented front fenders, extended front splitter and fixed-back seats.

In fact, so different is the Black Series, that the only panel that carries over from the GT is the roof, which is a carbon-fibre component to keep weight down.

Other carbon-fibre bits include the front fenders, front and rear bumpers, and rear hatch.

The most in-your-face addition might be the deeply vented bonnet, designed to evacuate hot air from the engine bay, while the hero 'Magma Beam' orange colour that juxtaposes all the exposed carbon-fibre panels is a real attention grabber.

From the outside, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is bold, brash and in-your-face, but that’s exactly what a race car should be – in my opinion, at least.

I absolutely love how the Black Series looks like a Need for Speed or Forza Horizon video game car brought to life, and will turn heads anywhere you go.

Inside, the Black Series is clad in soft-touch 'Dinamica' and orange contrast stitching across many of the touchpoints such as dashboard, steering wheel and door cards.

And with fixed-back bucket seats, a racing harness and a roll cage, you’d be forgiven for thinking the AMG GT Black Series is all about function over form, but there are small touches to make it easier to live with on the road.

The multimedia touchpad controller falls easily in hand, while the shifter is flanked by an array of light-up buttons to adjust settings like adaptive suspension, exhaust note and rear spoiler angle.

Overall, the Black Series’ cabin is well-laid out like a standard AMG GT, with some nice flourishes to stand it apart.

For a supercar, there is a surprising amount of space in the cabin. You can strap 220 litres of (hopefully) soft stuff on the rear shelf behind the seats and there's a 150-litre boot under the nose. You can store your track gear under there, including helmet, or even cram in a few soft bags for a weekend away.

Again, unusually a for a supercar, you're also  treated to a couple of storage cubbies in the centre console.

There's plenty of room in cabin for two bodies and the driver's seat offers lots of adjustment. Despite being so close to the front wheels, your feet have space even for my ridiculous duck feet to fit easily. There's even enough headroom for those over six feet, although the glass portholes in the top of dihedral doors might not be so welcome in an Australian summer.

As a two-seat coupe, the AMG GT Black Series isn’t the most practical of cars, but then again, it isn’t trying to be.

The cabin is big enough to accommodate six-foot tall (183cm) passengers like myself, though the fixed-back seats are designed to be form-fitting even for slender frames.

Storage options inside include two cupholders and a shallow underarm storage cubby, and that’s about it.

Unlike the standard GT, the Black Series’ doors forgo the small storage pocket – likely to keep weight down.

Opening the boot reveals enough space for a set of golf clubs or a few weekend bags, but not much else.

Mercedes does not list the volume available in the Black Series, but with the inclusion of a rollcage and special reinforcement components to help transfer the downforce of the rear wing to the chassis, it’s safe to assume it is less than the 176 litres offered in the AMG GT.

Wearing a price tag of $796,777, before on-road costs, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series costs more than double the $373,276 GT R coupe, and an eye-watering $343,577 more than last year’s limited-release GT R Pro.

It’s a significant amount of cash for sure (still not enough to buy a decent house in Melbourne’s inner city, though), but, as well as increased performance, you are paying for exclusivity.

The GT is only the sixth model in Mercedes’ long history to wear the Black Series badge, and production of the new model will be limited, though to what extent is currently unclear.

Only 28 units will make it Down Under though, and each is already spoken for.

Weirdly, this makes last year’s GT R Pro rarer with only 15 examples in Australia, while the SLS Black Series was also more exclusive with only seven available locally.

So, what exactly do you get for your extra spend?

Remarkably, the equipment list on the Black Series largely mirrors its GT siblings, including a flat-bottom steering wheel, staggered 19-/20-inch wheels, push-button start, 12.3-inch customisable digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control and various driving modes.

Handling multimedia duties is a 10.3-inch multimedia screen with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, digital radio and an 11-speaker sound system.

However, the Black Series adds a few more touches to the cabin to make things feel more special, such as a microfibre-clad steering wheel, fixed-back carbon-fibre seats, orange-stitch detailing, a roll cage and a four-point racing harness.

Though that doesn’t sound like it's enough to justify the huge step up from the GT R, as is the case with most special-edition models, the engine and mechanicals have been given a thorough workover to extract maximum performance from the platform (more on this below).

The 720S runs a 4.0-litre version of McLaren's familiar flat-plane crank twin-turbo V8. Power is up to 537kW (or 720PS, hence the name) and torque up almost 100Nm to 770Nm, from 678. McLaren says 41 percent of the components are new.

A seven-speed twin clutch sends power to the rear wheels and the 1283kg dry (down 106kg from the 650S) monster hits 100km/h in 2.9 seconds, surely a cautious claim. The more alarming 0-200km/h clam is a terrifying 7.8 seconds, half a second quicker than its closest rival, the 488 GTB. That is seriously, insanely quick, while top speed is equally bonkers at 341km/h.

Instead of a complicated and heavy active differential, the 720S uses the rear brakes and various other methods to get the same effect. It's one of several ideas pinched from F1, some of them now banned.

Powering the GT Black Series is AMG’s ubiquitous 4.0-litre twin-turbo-petrol V8 engine, with a few modifications.

For starters, a flat-plane crank is used for the V8 for improved throttle response, less weight and different firing order that makes it more free revving than the standard engine.

In fact, so different is the engine that Mercedes-AMG has given the Black Series’ powerplant its own internal code, with only three technicians in Affalterbach qualified to put it together.

The result is peak power of 537kW available from 6700-6900rpm, while maximum torque reaches 800Nm, on tap from 2000-6000rpm.

For those keeping track, that’s 107kW/100Nm more than the GT R.

Sending drive exclusively to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the AMG GT Black Series will accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 3.2 seconds and top out at 325km/h.

McLaren claims the European combined cycle could return 10.7L/100km, but we have no way of knowing if that is accurate because we weren't mucking about on the day we had the car.

Officially, the GT Black Series will consume 13.2 litres per 100km, making it thirstier than the GT R that returns 11.4L/100km.

The GT Black Series will require 98RON petrol and this, coupled with the high consumption average, will mean a big bill at the bowser.

However, as such a focused performance machine, fuel economy in the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is less of an important point than something like a charismatic and dynamic engine.

One of the biggest changes from 650 to 720 is the new Monocage II carbon fibre tub. The drop in overall weight is partly because the cage now includes the windscreen hoop, which previously was metal. Kerb weight with all fluids and a 90 percent full fuel tank (don't ask why 90 percent, I don't know either) it weighs 1419kg, giving it the same power-to-weight ratio as a Bugatti Veyron. Yikes.

The 720S is an astonishing car. We always say you can pootle in a modern supercar, but the 720S is so user-friendly, maneouvreable and so easy to see out of - there are no significant blind spots with an almost entirely glass roof - you can tackle city and country in comfort mode and actually be comfortable. Comparatively, a Huracan goes all blergh in Strada mode and the 488 GTB never stops begging you to kick it in the guts. The McLaren is easy, liveable and smooth. 

I was driving a left-hand drive car in the UK, which should have been a complete nightmare, but it was fine - the vision is excellent, particularly over the shoulder. 

But when you do decide to kick the 720S into action, it's wild. The acceleration is brutal, the handling impeccable and the ride, oh, the ride. No supercar can handle bumps, irregularities and flat out poor surfaces like the McLaren. The 540C's ride is incredible as it is, but the 720 is just wow.

Because it's quite light, the nose goes where you point it, the huge brakes have less to stop, the towering power less to push. The steering in the 720S is well-weighted but has tons of feel - you know what's going on underneath the double-wishbone sprung front wheels and you can adjust what you're up to accordingly. The stability system is excellent, too. Never overbearing or abrupt, where talent ends and the help begins is delightfully blurry.

The new engine is a bit more tuneful than past McLarens - there's even a loud-start party trick - but it's not loud and overbearing. You'll hear turbos whisting, sighing and pshawing, a deep bassy exhaust note and some awesome intake roar. But there's not much off-throttle character. It does at least do away with the histrionics of the Italians.

The only serious drama is the amount of noise bouncing around the cabin over about 100km/h. There's a lot more glass than sound-soaking Alcantara, which explains some of the extra tyre racket over a 650S. You can't have everything, I guess.

We’ve driven some very fast cars before, so make no mistake when we say the AMG GT Black Series is seriously quick.

The right pedal might as well be warp drive on the, Starship Enterprise, because as soon as you floor the throttle, you’re pinned to the back of the race seat and the only reprise comes from lifting off.

Aside from the immense speed, what is – surprisingly – noticeable is the noise, or lack of it.

The flat-plane crank V8’s different firing order means it doesn’t have the same burbly notes as the standard AMG GT, it’s a racier tone. That’s not a bad thing, mind you, just a different note.

And while the flat-plane crank V8 changes the exhaust note, it also makes the engine freer revving and lively.

With 537kW/800Nm on tap, you sort of have to trust the suspension and aerodynamics will do their thing to keep the AMG GT Black Series on the track, and it’s here where I think Mercedes-AMG has pulled off some sort of magic.

The combination of adaptive dampers, active aero, beefed-up anti-roll bars and a unique Michelin Pilotsport Cup 2 R tyre (featuring a silhouette of the Black Series laser etched into the sidewall) results in a terrifyingly capable vehicle at Phillip Island.

I am the first to admit that I am no Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel, I often get on the throttle too early, I can never nail a double-apex corner and my heel-toe-technique could use more work, but behind the wheel of the GT Black Series, I felt like Ayrton Senna’s spirit had taken the wheel on my behalf.

Cornering in the Black Series felt like nothing else, and regardless of what the speedo was saying, the nose of the ferocious GT flagship would just point wherever I wanted it to go.

Luckily the braking system is also up to task – thanks to carbon ceramic units fitted as standard, as well as unique pads and discs.

The brakes bite almost immediately, giving you the confidence to hit the stop pedal at the last moment before tipping into a corner.

I think the biggest compliment I can pay to the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is that it increases that narrow band of fun you can have in a supercar.

Sure, a driver with more skill could pilot the AMG GT Black Series with more grace, and finesse it around the corners a little quicker, but the approachability of the performance on offer is amazing.

Nothing feels intimidating, nothing feels unapproachable. The GT Black Series is so communicative that it gives drivers the confidence to feel like a hero around a race track.

If there is any criticism of the car, it’s that its limits are so high they are hard to explore, even on a circuit like Phillip Island, but maybe that takes more skill than I have, or more than just a handful of laps behind the wheel.

Of particular note, too, is that the engine of the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is found in the front.

There’s a reason why some exotic supercars will opt for the mid- or rear-engine layout, but Mercedes has managed to craft a front-engine, rear-drive machine that will keep up with the best the world has to offer.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series is yet to be assessed by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, and does not wear an official crash-test rating.

Standard safety features do include automatic wipers, automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, driver attention alert, traffic sign recognition and tyre pressure monitoring.

Though the AMG GT Black Series lacks the usual assortment of safety features that you might find on a more mainstream car, like autonomous emergency braking (AEB), it does offer up more track-orientated safety components.

For starters, the seats feature a four-point harness, securing you snuggly into the fixed-back seats. This means you won’t move an inch, even when cornering at ridiculous speeds.

There is also a roll cage to keep the cabin secure in the event of a serious crash. And five airbags are fitted.

The 720S comes with McLaren's three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist. McLaren will want to see you every 12 months or 20,000km, which is quite unusual at this level.

Like all new Mercedes models sold in 2021, the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series comes with a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with roadside assist over that period.

Mercedes’ warranty easily outclasses other premium marques like BMW, Porsche and Audi, who each offer a three-year/unlimited kilometre coverage, and Lexus (four year/100,000km), while matching Jaguar and newcomer Genesis.

Scheduled servicing intervals are every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever occurs first.

Servicing costs for the Black Series were unavailable to us at the time of publishing, but maintenance of the GT coupe will ring the till up at $4750 over three years.