The McLaren 720S arrived in 2017 and immediately reset the benchmark for what a mid-engined supercar could deliver at its price point. Its 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged M840T V8 producing 710bhp, the carbon fibre MonoCell II chassis, and an active aerodynamic system sophisticated enough to embarrass dedicated track cars made it one of the most complete performance packages of its generation. Years later it remains one of the most aggressively built platforms in the supercar community — and one of the most rewarding cars to modify correctly.
This guide covers the exhaust and carbon upgrades that make the biggest difference on a McLaren 720S build. Not a list of every part that fits — a focused, honest breakdown of what works, what transforms the car, and what sequence makes sense. Every product we discuss here ships from our Tampa, Florida facility with validated 720S fitment and full installation support behind it.
Why the McLaren 720S Rewards Modification
The 720S is an unusual supercar in one important respect — it is genuinely excellent from the factory, which means modifications need to be well chosen to improve on what McLaren already got right. The MonoCell II chassis is stiff, well-balanced, and aerodynamically sorted. The M840T engine is powerful, responsive, and mechanically robust. The result is a car where poorly chosen or poorly fitted parts will make things worse, not better — and where the right upgrades deliver improvements that are immediately and unambiguously felt.
Exhaust and carbon are where the 720S responds best to modification. The factory exhaust system leaves an enormous amount of the M840T's acoustic potential locked away by noise regulation compromises. The factory aero, while functional, is visually restrained in a way that the car's performance capability doesn't demand. These are the two areas where aftermarket upgrades deliver the most dramatic transformation — and where the gap between factory specification and built specification is most obvious to anyone who has driven both.
McLaren 720S Exhaust Upgrades — The M840T Deserves to Be Heard
The M840T twin-turbocharged V8 is one of the finest engines in the supercar segment — an 8,000rpm unit with the kind of linear power delivery and high-rev character that most turbocharged engines never achieve. The factory exhaust system does not do it justice. McLaren's engineers were working within noise regulations across multiple global markets, and the result is a system that suppresses the engine's acoustic character significantly — particularly at partial throttle and during urban driving where the car spends most of its time.
An aftermarket exhaust system changes this entirely. The transformation is not subtle — on the right system, the M840T's characteristic V8 burble becomes prominent at idle, the mid-range develops a depth and presence that the factory system never hints at, and the full-throttle note approaching the limiter draws attention from two streets away. If you have only driven a stock 720S, the difference is genuinely shocking the first time you hear a properly exhausted car pull away.
The choice between exhaust configurations matters. A cat-back system alone delivers the most dramatic acoustic change for the money — replacing the factory muffler and silencer with a free-flowing design that transforms the sound without touching the emissions equipment. Adding high-flow sports catalysts pushes the transformation further, enriching the mid-range note and improving throttle response feel. A full system — sports cats, downpipes, and cat-back — paired with ECU recalibration delivers the maximum result, with well-calibrated setups producing outputs approaching 800bhp from the M840T.
Titanium vs Stainless Steel — Choosing Your 720S Exhaust Material
The material choice for a 720S exhaust system matters more than it does on most other cars, because the 720S is a car where weight and acoustic character are both critical. Titanium is the correct choice for any serious 720S exhaust build — its low density saves meaningful weight at the rear of the car, its heat resistance handles the M840T's exhaust temperatures without the discolouration that lower-grade materials suffer, and the tonal character it imparts to a turbocharged V8 is distinctly more refined than stainless alternatives.
Valve-controlled exhaust systems are worth the premium for any 720S that sees regular road use. The valve system allows genuine quiet mode — not just slightly less loud, but genuinely civilised for early morning starts — alongside a fully open configuration that delivers the unrestricted acoustic experience when conditions allow. The best valve systems integrate directly with the 720S's existing Powertrain mode selector, opening automatically as the car cycles into Sport or Track without any additional switches required.
Carbon Fibre Aero for the McLaren 720S — Building on an Already Aerodynamic Car
The McLaren 720S was designed with aerodynamic performance as a genuine priority — not a styling exercise. Its active rear wing generates meaningful downforce in cornering while stalling to reduce drag on straights. Its front aero blade manages airflow actively. Its undertray generates ground effect. The factory aerodynamic system is genuinely sophisticated, which means aftermarket aero needs to be equally well-engineered to improve on it rather than simply looking aggressive without adding function.
Carbon fibre is the only appropriate material for 720S exterior upgrades. The car's MonoCell II structure, its roof, and significant portions of its body are already carbon fibre — adding aftermarket aero in fibreglass or polyurethane looks incongruous on a car whose visual language is defined by exposed and painted carbon. Dry carbon pre-preg construction delivers the best surface quality, the lowest weight, and the UV stability that long-term ownership requires. It is not the cheapest option, but on a 720S it is the only one worth considering.
Front Splitter Upgrades for the McLaren 720S
The 720S front end is defined by its low nose, its complex intake architecture, and the dramatic visual flow the dihedral doors create from front to rear. The factory front splitter is functional but visually conservative relative to what the car's performance capability suggests. An aftermarket carbon fibre front splitter changes the nose's visual character significantly — dropping the visual centre of gravity and giving the front end a purposeful, planted appearance that suits both road and track driving.
The range of front splitter designs available for the 720S spans from subtle factory-style extensions that preserve the car's original visual character, through to full multi-element GT3-inspired units that reference the 720S's motorsport programme and transform the front end into something that genuinely reads as a racing car on a number plate. Track-focused builds benefit from the higher-downforce multi-element designs. Road-focused builds are often better served by the more resolved single-element designs that complement the existing bodywork rather than fighting with it.
Rear Diffuser and Wing Upgrades
The 720S rear end presents a specific challenge for aftermarket aero — the active wing system is central to both the car's aerodynamic performance and its visual identity, and replacing it with a static wing sacrifices the system's ability to manage drag on straights. The most popular approach for road-driven 720S builds is replacement active wing covers in high-quality carbon fibre — items that retain the factory mechanism and its full range of motion while replacing the standard wing elements with carbon alternatives that add visual drama without losing the active system's functionality.
Carbon fibre rear diffuser upgrades for the 720S deliver some of the most visually impactful changes available at the rear of the car. The factory undertray's rear section is functional but understated — a carbon racing diffuser replacement adds both visual depth and increased underfloor downforce. The 720S's wide rear track, quad exhaust outlets, and low rear valance all provide an excellent foundation for an aggressive diffuser design that transforms the car's rear-three-quarter presence from composed to genuinely dramatic.
Side Skirts, Mirror Caps, and Full Carbon Finishing
A complete 720S carbon build goes beyond the headline pieces. Carbon fibre side skirt extensions visually connect the front and rear aero elements while contributing to underfloor airflow management. Carbon mirror cap replacements eliminate the one area of the car's exterior that frequently uses painted plastic on factory-specification cars — on a 720S where the surrounding bodywork is carbon fibre, painted mirror caps look like exactly what they are. Intake surrounds, door sill covers, and rear bumper inserts in carbon fibre complete the visual language and create the consistency across every surface that a properly finished build demands.
Interior carbon upgrades deserve equal attention. Steering wheel carbon trim, centre console carbon panels, and door card carbon accents bring the cockpit's visual character into line with the car's structural carbon architecture. The 720S interior is already excellent — but carbon interior detailing creates an environment that feels genuinely consistent with a car whose floor pan and roof are structural carbon fibre, in a way that the factory specification never quite achieves.
Build Your McLaren 720S with Velocity Performance Parts
Every McLaren 720S part in the Velocity Performance Parts catalogue is validated for model-specific fitment, test-fitted before it ships, and backed by our installation support team who have seen every 720S chassis configuration and every install challenge that comes with it. We do not stock parts we have not fitted. If something is in our catalogue, we can walk you through the install.
We are based in Tampa, Florida and ship nationwide with full tracking on every order. Whether your build starts with a titanium cat-back or a full exterior carbon transformation, our team is available to advise on the right sequence, the right products, and the right approach for your specific car and goals.
Browse our complete McLaren 720S performance parts collection at Velocity Performance Parts — and for the full McLaren range from MP4-12C through to the Artura, visit our McLaren collection.
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