Price as tested: $400,000

Engine and Power: 4.0 twin turbo V8. 717 Horsepower

0:60: 2.8 Seconds

Top Speed: 212 mph

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Text/Photography/Video: Yousef Alvi and McLaren

This entire social upheaval we are facing today is not just a societal issue…it’s a mental issue. We are creatures of social structure. We tend to gravitate toward others, whether it be our loved ones or our friends. We need people. Being ‘socially distant’ while it is completely necessary…does wear one down. The only way to say sane is to find something that elevates you.  Something that can take your mind off of the present and into the surreal.  The surreal in automotive terms is this 2020 McLaren 720s Spider.  

Before this vehicle was dropped off to me…I was teetering on the edge.  To be completely frank…I have always suffered from anxiety.  It’s built into my DNA, my personality and my psyche.  Thankfully, some days are better than others but that day. The day changed everything. Waking up before the sun rose, taking this exceptional machine to the mountains was like the fog of doubt, anxiousness, and fear were pierced with the howling of this machine.  

Up in mountains, stringing together corners and being lost in the sensations of it all was revelatory. I became one with the machine and the machine became one with me. It was one of the best experiences of my entire life.  I wish, I pray, I hope that one day you can experience it for yourself. It wasn’t just a mountain drive…it was an excursion of soul and spirit to automotive nirvana.  

How you say? The steering is an extension of your hands…you feel everything going on with the car through the steering.  The grip, the braking, the acceleration.  You feel.  In a month of being isolated and feeling numb…you finally FEEL.  The McLaren is an extension of your senses.  

I know I’m supposed to remain objective…but fuck it I’m not.  Yes there are faults with this car.  The brakes don’t offer any feedback and bite at the floorboard, there was a weird rattle with the roof up at highway speeds and the seat controls were designed in Soviet Russia. 

I don’t care.  That’s nitpicky and pedantic bullshit.  That car, that road, that morning…was something I needed.  Something I hope you can achieve one day soon.  

Be strong, be resilient, we got this.  And if you’re fortunate enough one day…the McLaren will always have you.