McLaren Automotive has been teasing us with this one for some time. Finally, the McLaren Speedtail hypercar has been unveiled.  Late last week the British firm announced all info about the McLaren Speedtail, including the fact that every example of the new hypercar has been pre-sold.

Chiron-hunter

The McLaren Speedtail is the firm’s first hypercar GT. Competing in this rarefied arena means that the Speedtail is a true rival to the Bugatti Chiron. You can read our Chiron driving review by clicking here. Unlike any other current super- or hypercar, the Speedtail has a three-seat configuration, with the driver seated centrally.

Ensuring that values will remain high, only 106 examples of the Speedtail will be made, each costing an eye-watering £1,75 million. Incidentally, that limited production run is exactly the same as the McLaren’s legendary F1, which some say created the hypercar genre.

Power and speed

Powering the McLaren Speedtail is a petrol-electric hybrid developing a combined 773 kW. Housed in a teardrop-shaped body, that measures 5 137 mm long and 1 120 mm high, the Speedtail is capable of doing 403 km/h. Special attention has been paid to aerodynamics.

Highlights include the deletion of the side mirrors, replaced by rear-facing cameras that display info on two screens inside the cockpit; a pair of active rear ailerons, static wheel covers on the front wheels; tolerances of only 1 mm between the surfaces, and a rear diffuser that works in conjunction with a flat underfloor.

It’s not just a top speed specialist either. Thanks to the lightweight carbon-fibre body and monocoque structure, the Speedtail can accelerate from 0-300 km/h in just 12,8 seconds; a full four seconds quicker than the McLaren P1.

In his own words

“McLaren has never built a vehicle like the Speedtail before. As our first ‘Hyper-GT’, the Speedtail is the ultimate McLaren road car; a fusion of art and science that combines an astonishing maximum speed with an iconic central-driving position and a truly pioneering approach to bespoke personalisation. A ground-breaking hybrid powertrain sits within a lightweight carbon fibre body reminiscent of sleek ‘streamliners’ that once set world speed records, while the luxurious three-seat cockpit offers a sublime combination of an incredible driving experience, unmatched individualism and innovative materials never seen before in a road-going vehicle,” Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer, McLaren Automotive.

The McLaren Speedtail is the very first of 18 new cars or derivatives to be announced under the company’s Track25 business plan. It seems the next will be a bespoke model for a very well-heeled customer. Click here to learn more about the BC-03.

Learn more about the intricacies of the new model by clicking here.