McLaren Speedtail

The McLaren Speedtail is a limited production hybrid sports car manufactured by McLaren Automotive, revealed on October 26, 2018. This car is the fourth edition 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.

Specifications
The Speedtail is powered by a version of the M840T twin turbocharged V8 engine from the 720S, upgraded to produce 756 PS and 590 lbft of torque. The engine is combined with a hybrid powertrain producing an extra 312 PS to generate a total power output of 1036 hp and 848 lbft of torque. The Speedtail uses a carbon fibre monocoque, with the passenger seats integrated into the chassis, as well as dihedral doors like other McLaren models. McLaren claims that the Speedtail has a top speed of 403 km/h, can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, 0-100 mph in 5.1 seconds, and 0-186 mph in 12.8 seconds. It is often compared to the Ferrari 812 Superfast.

Technology
The Speedtail recharges its hybrid battery while driving, though a wireless charging pad is included with the car, trickle-charging it when not in use.

McLaren says that one of the main goals of the Speedtail was to minimize drag. To achieve this, the design is inspired by the shape of a teardrop and features carbon fibre static covers on the front wheels. It also features hydraulically actuated active rear aerodynamic control surfaces, which are formed in flexible carbon fibre and are an integral part of the rear clamshell. McLaren says this was chosen over a traditional rear spoiler in order to reduce drag. The Speedtail is fitted with electrochromic glass, which darkens at the push of a button, eliminating the need for sun visors. 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 reduces overall drag and optimizes performance.

Interior
The Speedtail has a 3-seat layout, similar to the preceding F1, which has the driver sitting at the centre 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 fibre’s construction.", as well as Thin-Ply Technology Carbon Fibre (TPT), 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 was also tested on tracks in Germany, Spain and Italy.

In November 2018, McLaren planned to build 106 examples of the Speedtail at an MSRP of around £2.1 million. Due in part to its use of cameras in place of side mirrors and no side-mounted airbags, the Speedtail does not meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 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 the NHTSA, to be imported into the U.S. under the “Show or Display” law, which exempts cars that are “historically or technologically significant" from FMVSS, but imposes a mileage limit of 2,500 miles in a 12-month period and registration of the vehicle with the DOT. 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 403 km/h, and able to go from a standstill to 300 km/h in less than 13 seconds. The first deliveries, 106 cars, were slated for February 2020 to Woking, England.