Ferrari 12Cilindri vs McLaren 720S

What's the difference?

The Ferrari 12Cilindri should not exist. Everything about it shouts of excess to the point of illegality. Surely, one would assume, emissions regulations have made a vehicle with a naturally aspirated V12 engine as socially, and indeed legally acceptable as asbestos sandwich wrapping. 

The work it must have taken to somehow squeeze this thing through the regulatory net is clearly more than any other company could be bothered with - the 12Cilindri is the only new atmo V12 a lot of money can buy. 

Ferrari made the effort because this car, with this layout, is an integral part of the brand’s heritage, dating back to 1947, the rock on which it is built. Old Enzo Ferrari himself said the V12 is the Ferrari engine “everything else is a derivation of the original”.

And, of course, they made it because there are plenty of purists out there who will pay big, big dollars to have one. We flew to an unfortunately soggy launch for the car in Luxembourg to see what a V12 that can now rev to 9500rpm would feel, and sound like.

Years ago, McLaren wasn't really making McLarens. The ill-fated SLR was still in production, but was an oddity that made little sense - it was a highly specialised Mercedes and built to sell for crazy money to mega-rich F1 fans. Production was down to a trickle,and  the iconic and legendary F1 had completed its run a decade earlier.

The "new" McLaren Automotive had a shaky start in 2011 with the unloved MP4-12C, which became the 12C and then morphed into the 650S, getting better with each reinvention. 

The P1 was the car that really grabbed the world's attention and was then-new designer Rob Melville's first project for the British sports car maker. 

Last year, McLaren sold its 10,000th car and production numbers are closing in on Lamborghini's. Sales have almost doubled in Australia and Rob Melville is still there, and is now the Design Director. The company, clearly, has done very, very well.

Now it's come time for McLaren's second generation, starting with the 720S. Replacing the 650S, it's the new Super Series McLaren (fitting in above the Sport Series 540 and 570S and below the Ultimate P1 and still-mysterious BP23), and is a car McLaren claims has no direct competitors  from its rivals at Ferrari or Lamborghini. 

It has a twin-turbo V8, a carbon fibre tub, rear-wheel drive and bristles with cleverness.