McLaren Speedtail: a Hyperbolic Hypercar at 250mph

The McLaren Speedtail is a 1,035-horsepower, three-passenger hypercar capable of going from 0 to 186 miles per hour in 12.8 seconds and reaching a top speed of 250 mph. Yet this is only the tip of the iceberg of what McLaren calls his "ultimate road car".

After all, it's not the performance data that prevents you from seeing the Speedtail for the first time. While McLaren executives took out the first Speedtail prototype at an event in London last week, it was rather the imposing size and curvaceous shape that immediately sealed the deal. The Speedtail looks like a singular sculpted piece, a kind of ultra-modern shooting on the streamliners of silver speed records from several decades ago. The McLaren Senna is perhaps the definition of aerodynamic excellence given by a computer, but the impressive shape of the Speedtail is absolutely the result of the finesse of a human hand.

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The McLaren Speedtail is like a private jet for the road

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The Speedtail is 205 inches long – an inch longer than a Chevrolet Tahoe – and yet, at its highest point, it has almost no size. The edge of his rear deck rests just above the level of the knees.

Every gust, every cup, every air duct – all are part of the Speedtail's ability to reach that top speed of 250 mph. The same goes for aerodynamic fixed carbon fiber hoods, for front wheels and for the tiny digital back-up cameras that extend from the dihedral doors. In fact, when you activate the Velocity mode in the hope of reaching this maximum speed, active chassis control lowers the car by up to 2.5 cm for maximum aerodynamic efficiency.

Actually, I thought somehow that this car would be just kind of Long tail take the 720S – long and low, but still familiar as a McLaren. I love the drop-in form of cockpit water. I like the way the raised central stop light occupies the entire length of the spine of the car, nestled between two huge plugs that power the engine in the air. I like that the Speedtail looks like a vision of the future of the 1960s, as if the Jetson company had never been able to understand flying cars.

The whole body is made from lightweight carbon fibers, some of which are really flexible. At each end of the tail, active fins can actually bend, reducing turbulence and drag at higher speeds. According to McLaren, these fins "adapt to move the center of pressure and provide the required level of support at the precise moment when they are most needed". This is an airspace technology in an automotive application, eliminating the need for a ridiculous rear wing.

It is said that the Speedtail weighs only 3,153 pounds in its lightest configuration. The material of the body itself is what McLaren calls titanium deposition carbon fiber, in which a thin layer of titanium of a few microns is fused directly into the weaving of the fiber, thus becoming an integral part of the construction. . For the front splitter, rear diffuser and side skirts, McLaren uses a "1K" version of this carbon fiber, which makes it lighter than the material used for the rest of the body. Titanium can also be anodized in the color chosen by the customer, for an extra visual touch. You can "create images, symbols or even intertwined words," according to McLaren. Can I suggest the Roadshow logo?

Impressive aerodynamics and light weight are part of Speedtail's performance. the inner powertrain is another. McLaren does not currently disclose specific details, it only confirms that the Speedtail uses a "petrol-electric hybrid powertrain" that provides the above-mentioned 1,035 horsepower. In Velocity mode, the engine idle speed is set to fully charge the batteries, mounted low and in the center of the car frame. All in all, you look at 12.8 seconds to go from 0 to 186 mph. That's 3.7 seconds less than the already crazy McLaren P1.

McLaren says the Speedtail uses a rear-wheel drive layout, but I stealthily suspect (read: totally unconfirmed) that electric motors are mounted on each of the front wheels. Speaking of which, the Speedtail's wheels measure 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear, wrapped in Pirelli tires developed specifically for this car. Assuming the tires of the witness car that I saw are the real deal, you are considering 235 / 35ZR20 at the front and 315 / 30ZR21 fleshy at the back.

Of course, Speedtail is not just about speed. As one McLaren representative explained, the Speedtail "must take his owner and his two friends to the Park Lane Opera with the same set of tires."

Like the legendary McLaren F1, the Speedtail uses a seating configuration for three passengers with a central driving position. We have known for a long time – when the car was first confirmed in 2016, it was called code BP23: Customized project 2, 3 places.

But unlike F1, there are no central rails separating the three individual passenger compartments. The driver's seat is forward-facing, with unobstructed views of the world ahead, but also on a trio of high-resolution digital displays displaying everything from relevant vehicle information to navigation features and d & # 39; infotainment. The engine start button, the Active Dynamics panel, the switch for Velocity mode, and the buttons for closing windows and doors, are housed in panels located above the driver's head, which – There is no other way to say it – is so cool.

Two passenger seats are located behind the driver, both perfectly integrated into the Speedtail's one-piece carbon fiber tub. Each surface is finished in aniline leather or carbon fiber and, of course, the options for customizing the color are almost endless.

The windshield envelops the top of the cockpit, meeting the glass upper parts of the doors, as well as a kind of porthole above the driver's head. If large glass surfaces let in too much light, the windows, doors and rear windows use electrochromic technology that turns the glass opaque at any time. The Speedtail also has no sunshade – the top of the windshield uses the same electrochromic technology.

McLaren says that the cargo space is actually quite ample, with compartments at the front and back. Of course, buyers will probably want to opt for the manufacturer's new custom luggage package, specially designed for the Speedtail. And this before even talking to the McLaren Special Operations (MSO) team, where, according to the manufacturer, "everything is possible". Do not forget to specify your Speedtail with 18K white gold badges, as well.

Only 106 copies of the Speedtail will be produced – the same number of McLaren F1s sold worldwide – and all are already spoken. The cost of entry rises to 1.75 million pounds (about 2.2 million dollars based on current exchange rates), although McLaren fully expects owners to choose a number of options, so delivery prices are likely to be much higher.

Of the 106 cars under construction, a small portion is destined for homes in the United States, where they are not yet legal. Regardless of digital mirrors – US crash standards are not too demanding for a central driving position, so owners will likely need to register their cars according to "presentation or display" rules if wish it, I do not know, drive to target them.

Design Director Rob Melville calls the Speedtail "a future winner of the elegance contest" and a future classic. On the design alone, I would probably agree. Combine that with incredible hybrid performance and you get a car that stands out as the pinnacle of modern McLaren Automotive.

Editor's note: Roadshow accepts multi-day vehicle loans from builders to provide editorial reviews rated. All rated vehicle evaluations are completed on our property and on our terms. However, for this feature, the manufacturer has taken care of the travel expenses. This is common in the automotive industry because it is much cheaper to send journalists to cars than to send them to reporters.

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