Why is the McLaren Speedtail Production-Spec prototype called "Albert"?



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The development of a new car is a long-term process that involves many mules, prototypes, crash test cars, and so on. And the McLaren Speedtail, which has three seats and a power of 1,035 horsepower, is much more complex than most cars. That's why Albert is here to make sure the Speedtail will live up to the real world.

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The McLaren Speedtail 2019 is your new 1,035 horsepower McLaren F1 from the future

The driver sits in the center. Three screens are waiting for them in the cockpit. The start procedure …

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Albert is the first full-production Speedtail prototype unveiled by McLaren today before embarking on real-world tests. And a lot rests on Albert's shoulders. Here's what Ben Gulliver, Vehicle Development Manager at McLaren, has to say:

Albert will rely on the invaluable work of the old manufacturers, allowing us to validate the characteristics of the vehicle, including chassis dynamics; braking performance; register adjustment; the tyres; NVH and aspects of ergonomics and comfort. With a huge amount already achieved, the McLaren Speedtail is poised to realize its destiny as the greatest McLaren road car of all time.

Very dramatic! But why "Albert", you ask? This is the name given to one of the Noble Motorsport Ultima GT3 chassis purchased by McLaren at the time to serve as the development car for the original McLaren F1. Ultima Sports describes this mullet (the other was "Edward") as racing a Chevrolet V8 when developing the gearbox to mimic the torque of the BMW source V12 that would eventually be used in the production car. Edward himself also used the BMW engine. They even received their own badges for the project.

So, Albert is an important name for McLaren, and something that further strengthens the Speedtail as a true successor to the legendary F1. (We still do not know where Edward is.)

As we have already noted, the Speedtail will cost $ 2.27 million, a hybrid powertrain of more than 1,000 horsepower, a flexible carbon fiber, will give only 106 examples of production that are already all exhausted and will not not really legal. America.

Still, it's a big problem and probably the most interesting and fascinating exotic car I've seen in a generation or more. Good luck, Albert! We are all counting on you.

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