The McLaren Speedtail is a limited-production hybrid sports car manufactured by McLaren Automotive. This car is the fourth addition in the McLaren Ultimate Series, after the Senna, the P1, and the F1. The car is also part of the 18 new cars or derivatives that McLaren will launch as part of its Track22 business plan. The Speedtail was unveiled on October 26, 2018. Slated for release in February 2020, the car recharges while driving. Due in part to its use of cameras in lieu of side mirrors and no side-mounted airbags, the Speedtail is not street legal in the United States, except possibly under the “Show or Display” law.
Specifications
The Speedtail is powered by a modified M840T from the 720S and a hybrid powertrain to generate. The Speedtail uses a carbon fibremonocoque, with the passenger seats integrated into the chassis, as well as dihedral doors like other McLaren models.
Performance
The company claims that the Speedtail has a top speed of and can accelerate from in 12.8 seconds..
Technology
The car recharges while driving, though a wireless charging pad is included with the car, trickle-charging it when not in use. The Speedtail is fitted with electrochromic glass, which darkens at the push of a button, eliminating the need for sun visors and also incorporates LED lights in the interior. Similarly, the Speedtail does not feature door mirrors, instead using HD cameras mounted on the front guards that pop out when the ignition is turned on, and retract inside when the "Velocity mode" is activated, which the company states is to reduce drag. The front wheels feature carbon fibre static covers to further reduce drag. On the exterior, it features hydraulically actuated active rear ailerons which are formed in flexible carbon fibre and are an integral part of the rear clamshell.
Interior
The Speedtail has a 3-seat layout, similar to the preceding F1, which has the driver sitting at the center of the car, and slightly forward of the two passenger seats. On the original F1, this layout was used to provide better visibility than a conventional seating layout. The interior of the Speedtail features "directional leather finish" which McLaren says “makes it easy to slide into the seat but then subtly holds the occupant in place while they drive.” and is strong enough that it can be used in place of carpet on the floor of the Speedtail. It also features "Titanium Deposition Carbon Fibre", which is when "a micron-thin layer of titanium is fused directly onto the weave and becomes an integral part of the carbon fiber’s construction.", as well as Thin-Ply Technology Carbon Fibre, consisting of countless 30 micron thick layers of carbon fibre. The company also offers bespoke luggage for Speedtail owners, a practice implemented when the F1 went on sale.
Production
Testing was done in Florida at the Kennedy Space Center at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds. The shuttle landing runway was used for the tests. It also tested in tracks in Germany, Spain and Italy. In November 2018, McLaren planned to build 106 examples of the Speedtail, all of which have already been sold, at an MSRP of around £2.1 million. Due in part to its use of cameras in lieu of side mirrors and no side-mounted airbags, the Speedtail is not street legal in the United States, even though around 35% of the total cars were bought by American buyers. A spokeswoman for the company stated that the car may be legal, pending approval by NHTSA, to be imported into the U.S. under the “Show or Display” law, which exempts cars that are “historically or technologically significant" from NHTSA safety standards but requires that owners not drive the vehicle more than 2,500 miles in a 12-month period. McLaren has made it clear that they will not offer assistance with importing or registering the Speedtail in the U.S. Production of the McLaren Speedtail commenced in the United Kingdom after high-speed testing was completed by December 2019. The prototype XP2 version had "reached its terminal velocity more than 30 times," topping out at 250 mph, and able to go from a standstill to 186 mph in less than 13 seconds. The first deliveries, 106 cars, were slated for February 2020 to Woking, England.
