Meet the new Speedtail – an aptly-named addition to McLaren’s Ultimate Series. This limited-edition car, of which only 106 examples will be built, represents McLaren’s unyielding pursuit of top-speed.
As of today, only three cars fall under McLaren’s Ultimate Series designation: the P1, the Senna, and now, the Speedtail. The Speedtail is also the first of 18 new models that McLaren intends to unveil between now and 2025.
Whereas other McLaren’s blend handling, acceleration, top speed, and driving dynamics in a harmonious package, the Speedtail has a more singular focus. And that focus is speed. Ludicrous amounts of it.
The Numbers
What we know so far:
- Power: 1,035 horsepower from a yet-undisclosed hybrid powertrain
- Top Speed: 250mph (or more)
- Acceleration: 0-186mph (300 kph) in just 12.8 seconds.
- Weight: Approximately 830 kg
- Price: $2.2 million price tag
- 106 examples that are 100% sold
The Speedtail is a Blend of Sweeping Lines, Aggressive Bodywork, & Incredible Opulence
Exterior
Looks are subjective and because of that I rarely oogle or outright proclaim how good looking a thing is (especially a car). We all have our tastes.
But an exception must be made for this McLaren. It is simply gorgeous and awe-inspiring on its own right; even if I didn’t already know that it was a machine capable of reaching speeds that no sane person would dare take it, on looks alone that message would be received loud and clear.
It’s one of the few cars today that elicits an inherently emotional response. One replete with all the superlatives you can think of, and perhaps those wouldn’t be enough to do the Speedtail justice.
Its silhouette sweeps from the front of the car to the extended rear – a teardrop shape that is the key to its exceptional aerodynamics – with side accents that add an organic edge to its smooth profile. The front rims are enclosed – for maximum top-speed – while the rears remain exposed. The entire care oozes elegance, class, and barely-contained power that the lucky driver will be able to unleash.
The Speedtail features hidden door handles and dual rear ailerons that blend seamlessly into the bodywork. Panel gap tolerances of 1mm remove any visual break, resulting in a single smooth line that follows the car from head to tail.
This type of precision is possible thanks to new technology that incorporates flexible carbon fiber- the bodywork will move and bend with the car as it accelerates.
Because of this, there is no turbulent air. No drag. No loss of speed. No break for the eye to get distracted by.
That unleashing of power, by the way, will take place in ultimate luxury. Let’s look inside.
Interior
The cabin is perhaps the best example of luxurious minimalism taken to the nth degree. The center-aligned driver’s seat – reminiscent of the venerable F1 – gives the driver a commanding view of the road ahead. Slightly flanking the driver on either side are two passenger seats. The world’s fastest GT car is once again a three-seater.
McLaren has managed to pay homage to its past while demonstrating how the future should look and feel. Three big screens make up the majority of the dash, and bleeding-edge technology is seamlessly incorporated throughout the car. Even the windshield, which features an electrochromic top section that can dim on command, is an example of the technological ability of the Speedtail.
Long Live the Hyper GT
McLaren has labeled the Speedtail a Hyper GT, which seems fitting given the excess of the car and its abilities. This is a car that’ll take you to 250mph, and then to the Opera, on the same set of tires (to paraphrase McLaren spokesperson Wayne Bruce).
More than that, the Speedtail is a car that reminds us that the automotive world serves to inspire and excite us as much as it does to move us from one place to the next. Though, in the case of the Speedtail, it very much moves us.
Video Overview
Care of Carfection.
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