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This is the first of McLaren’s new generation of cars — and what a way to begin it is

There’s plenty else to talk about in this road test, so we won’t dwell on the interior for too long.

Suffice to say that it’s a marked improvement over that of the 650S, from the moment you get in it until the moment you start to use it.

Luggage compartment requires no additional safety release catch to open it. Just push the button and open it pops

First and foremost, then, it’s easier to get in and out of than any other McLaren, 570S included.

Partly it’s the lower sill of the Monocage II and partly it’s doors that open wide, but mostly it’s that they cut into the roof, letting you step over rather than limbo across the sill.

Once you’re inside, things are good. The driving position is dead straight, brake pedal central, as we’ve come to expect, and the optional, fixed-back sports seats of our test car are comfortable even over distance, as long as you push your lower back firmly into the backrest.

If that leaves you too upright, consider a standard seat. If you do, there’s no worry that the steering wheel – nearly round and perfectly sized – won’t reach you, because of its extraordinary reach and rake adjustment.

The 720S gets new, all-digital dials on a fold-out display that’s a bit gimmicky and is arguably the 720S’s weakest point.

It combines with an infotainment system that’s light years ahead of McLaren’s old IRIS system but is less intuitive than it could be – although it’s much better than a Ferrari or Lamborghini set-up – and the ‘active’ panel on the dashboard remains far too complicated for its own good.

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Then there’s tyre pressure warning beeps that don’t have a Track mode where you can just disable them (if the pressure is too low following a rest between stints), ESC that’s reluctant to turn off and even a nose lift that needs careful pre-planning. These kinds of ergonomics are the biggest bugbear of the 720S.

McLaren has ditched its old in-house IRIS system in favour of an ostensibly similar one that has been developed in conjunction with an experienced supplier. And it’s better, no question.

There’s still a large central dial that pulls you back to the home screen, and minor menu buttons, but you can scroll through the 720S’s different functions by swiping up and down as if scrolling through a Rolodex.

It’s still less intuitive than the system on, say, an Audi or a BMW, but it’s effective and still good against class rivals.

The car hooks up to Apple CarPlay and the like easily, and the driver-centred display is of satisfactory resolution. But sometimes the McLaren still tries to nanny you too much. There are times when you won’t be able to switch the ESC out because it’s not in the mood.

Still, there’s a clever track telemetry system that can show lap performance on the central display, or download it if you want to analyse it better later.