mclaren's $2.25M speedtail boasts streamlined form with teardrop cockpit

described as ‘a momentous unity of art, technology and velocity’ the mclaren speedtail has finally been unveiled. but don’t get too excited, all 106 of the limited edition car have been snatched up by VIP customers at £2.25 million each. why the hefty price tag? read on.

images courtesy of mclaren

where to begin with the mclaren speedtail? well it marks a few bests and firsts for the british automotive manufacturer. the three passenger hyper-GT is mclaren’s first hypercar. a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain gives 1,035-horsepower and speeds of up to 403km/h (250mph) making it the fastest mclaren ever built. and finally, not only is it the most powerful, but with its dramatically elongated, aerodynamically optimised, lightweight, – breathe – carbon fiber body, it is the most aerodynamically drag efficient mclaren too.

for extra power, the velocity mode can be engaged via a button above the drivers seat. once pressed the active chassis control lowers the car by nearly an inch, a little feat that helps achieve maximum aerodynamic efficiency. this enables the speedtail to accelerate from zero to 186mph in 12.8 seconds. not to mention the carbon fibre, front-wheel static aero-covers; retractable digital rear-view cameras in lieu of mirrors; and patented active rear ailerons that all contribute to aerodynamic excellence.

the speedtail places its driver in the center of a teardrop-shaped cabin on an F1–inspired, central driver’s seat flanked by two slightly staggered passenger seats. advanced electrochromic glass darkens top of the windscreen at the touch of a button, removing the need for sunvisors. the car also comes with a bespoke luggage set for three, matched to the interior’s carbon fiber, leather, and metalwork. a nano-metallic, ‘molten-effect’ paint has been developed by mclaren specifically for this car, the model displays both aniline leather – a leather dyed with soluble dyes to retain the hide’s natural surface – and a new lightweight leather.

the speedtail is the next chapter in mclaren’s ultimate series – which also features the mclaren senna and P1 models – and is the first of 18 new nameplates to be announced under track 25, the business plan designed to take the company through 2025.