The McLaren Speedtail is considered as the spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1. Much of the hype about the Speedtail was about its beautiful exterior design and the fact that it could go as fast as 250 mph. Nonetheless, some overlooked the hyper-GT's interior, even with it's unique driving position. How did McLaren design this supercar's interior? The carmaker tells a brief story in this three-minute YouTube video.
Speedtail As Spiritual Successor of McLaren F1
In the video, McLaren sent its Senior Designer, Alex Alexiev, to tell a story laden with automotive jargons. Nonetheless, Alexiev's recounting how they designed the interior of the Speedtail was easy to understand. He started off how the Speedtail sits at the pinnacle of McLaren engineering as part of the Ultimate Series lineup.
Such an acme car needs a unique interior layout. The Speedtail features a cabin where the driver sits in a centrally located position for a more driver-centered experience. To achieve this, designers referenced other McLaren cars, in particular the Speedtail's spiritual ancestor – the McLaren F1.
A Delicate And Intricate Design Process
Using the McLaren F1 as reference, designers looked at the things they did well in the past while searching for areas they could improve on. Like the F1, the driver sits forward of the passengers on either side. This results in a cockpit with increased leg room, hip room and shoulder room for everyone. It also means the driver has a clear and balanced perspective of the car's position.
Serving as the basis of the cabin design is the buck, a full-size model of the interior made from clay. Designers machined clay onto the buck, which was then scanned in 3D for further manipulations. The refinements were then implemented on the buck. The process cycled as designers saw fit.
According to Alexiev, this process was very effective because it provided a constant touchpoint on how the cabin would look and feel. Designers also put adults of different sizes in the buck, and then cycled on different body types – helping McLaren ensure that the Speedtail is comfortable enough for a long drive across Europe.
The Buck: Hero Image Of The Speedtail
The final buck became the ultimate representation of the hyper-GT's interior. It has become the reference, hero image of the final car that became the Speedtail.
Source: McLaren Automotive