The McLaren Speedtail is a limited-production hybrid sports car manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Succeeding the F1, the 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.
McLaren has not yet revealed the identity of the engine, but has stated that the Speedtail will use a hybrid powertrain and claims it generates 1,036 hp (773 kW; 1,050 PS). The Speedtail uses a carbon fibre monocoque, with the passenger seats integrated into the chassis, as well as dihedral doors like other McLaren models.
The company claims that the Speedtail has a top speed of 402.3 km/h (250 mph) and can accelerate from 0–299 km/h (0–186 mph) in 12.8 seconds.This makes the Speedtail McLaren’s fastest production car.
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 fenders 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.
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 as it provided 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 (TPT), consisting of countless 30 micron thick layers of carbon fibre. The company also offers bespoke bags luggage for Speedtail owners, a practice implemented when the F1 went on sale.
McLaren plans to build 106 examples of the Speedtail, all of which have already been sold, at an MSRP of around £2.1m. 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.
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