McLarens are known to be classy, elegant, and powerful. This British brand has evolved over the years to become a pioneer in manufacturing and automotive technology. With massive breakthroughs in aerodynamics and manufacturing allowing them to make lightweight supercars that can dominate any track you place them on.
The McLaren Speedtail is one of their latest creations, leaning into the brand’s modern design language. The supercar immediately stands out from the competition with its rear design but also because of its unique interior layout.
Interested in learning more about the McLaren Speedtail? Here are 10 reasons why we love the British supercar.
10 Part Of The McLaren Ultimate Series
McLaren is known for creating some truly epic supercars. While the British brand makes iconic cars every few years, the Ultimate Series is their most impressive high-performance offering. The Ultimate Series includes some of the most powerful and ground-breaking cars from McLaren, and the Speedtail is now one of them.
The McLaren Ultimate Series includes the McLaren Senna, the P1, the F1, the Elva, and now the Speedtail. Each of these supercars was groundbreaking in its own way, with the Speedtail offering a completely different experience for the driver.
9 Hybrid Powertrain
The McLaren Speedtail is a work of art in every sense of the word. The powerful new design is paired with a modern powertrain to extract as much performance as possible from the complete package. The Speedtail comes with a 4-liter V8 that is fully integrated with an electric motor.
Unlike other hybrid systems, the electric motor found in the Speedtail is built to run parallel to the powertrain. This means that the engine management system will regulate and control every component to be as powerful and efficient as possible. The combined output of the Speedtail sits at around 1,036 HP and 848 lb-ft of torque.
8 Impressive Performance
The McLaren Speedtail is one of the most powerful McLarens ever made. With a listed top speed of 250 miles per hour, the Speedtail can accelerate from 0 to 186 miles per hour in just 13 seconds. The 1036 HP powertrain makes use of its electric motor to get you off the line in an instant due to the motor’s instant torque.
This is one of the most notable benefits of hybrid and electric cars and the new McLaren Speedtail makes use of it for impressive track performance. The Speedtail can accelerate from 0 to 62 in just 3 seconds and to 124 in 6.6 seconds. This makes it one of the most powerful hybrid supercars on the market today.
7 Breathtaking Design
The design of the Speedtail is what sets it apart from the rest of the supercar market. Even though the Speedtail is a radical new design for the British automaker, it still shares a few design features with other McLaren models.
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Particularly from the front, the McLaren Speedtail looks incredibly familiar. The front lights are integrated with the front bumper and are designed using multiple LEDs. While this design is common, the rear of the supercar is completely new for the brand. The Speedtail design is carefully crafted to help guide air over the car for optimal aerodynamic performance.
6 Butterfly Doors
The McLaren Speedtail comes with signature butterfly doors. These doors are hinged to effortlessly swing up so that the driver can easily get out of the car. While these doors are outrageously attractive, they are also some of the most practical in the industry.
When thinking of butterfly doors, many jump to the BMW i8. While the i8 looks amazing, the doors were often complained about amongst owners as they found it difficult to get in and out of their cars quickly. The McLaren manages to master this door design, making the Speedtail even more elegant in the process.
5 Central Driver Layout
The McLaren Speedtail has caused heads to turn throughout the industry. While many are still shocked by the long and unique design, the interior of the Speedtail is just as interesting. This is because the Speedtail features a central seat with two passenger seats on either side of the driver.
This three-seat configuration is new for the brand but also comes with some limitations. Due to the seat being placed in the center, the car does not have side airbags for the driver. This means that the Speedtail is not roadworthy in the United States.
4 Bespoke Customization Options
The production of the McLaren Speedtail is incredibly limited. Essentially replacing the iconic McLaren F1, the Speedtail is set to fall into the hands of just a few collectors around the world. In November 2018, McLaren announced that they would only build 106 units of the Speedtail.
They also noted that all units were already sold at the jaw-dropping price of over $2 million each. While the standard model started at over $2 million, McLaren offered owners the opportunity to fully customize their Speedtail with custom colors, veneer, and interior materials.
3 Carbon Fiber Wheel Covers
The McLaren Speedtail makes use of carbon fiber throughout the car. While McLarens are known for using carbon fiber to strengthen their chassis, the Speedtail takes this even further by using carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic throughout the construction as well.
The most notable use of carbon fiber is in the wheel covers. The Speedtail comes with wheel covers over the front wheels to help reduce the turbulent air that tends to generate around the front axle. These covers help improve the aerodynamics of the car, making the most of the Speedtail’s design.
2 The Speedtail
The McLaren Speedtail features a unique design that helps guide air over the top of the car. The Speedtail’s design makes use of controllable elements that can extend at high speeds. This essentially works like an airplane to create added downforce when needed.
The carbon fiber bodywork is also designed to bend under load, allowing the tail of the car to effectively guide air. McLaren stated that this was a major breakthrough in both aerodynamic design and materials innovation as the Speedtail is the most advanced McLaren on the market today.
1 Attention To Detail
The McLaren Speedtail was not built overnight. With such limited numbers planned to ever get on the road, McLaren has kept a close eye on every unit that rolls off the factory floor. Much of the car is assembled by hand, allowing every unit to be inch perfect.
McLaren has also developed the McLaren Speedtail to be an aerodynamic masterpiece. While these innovations may seem obvious to some, aerodynamic designs are far more complex than just fitting a larger engine in the car. The attention to detail during the development of the car led to innovative additions such as the carbon-fiber wheel caps and even the adjustable ailerons on the rear of the car.