The new McLaren Speedtail has been described as the “fastest ever McLaren” but the team is unlikely to race it under the World Endurance Championship’s new hypercar-focused rules from 2020.
McLaren will build 106 examples of the 1,035bhp Speedtail which it says is capable of 403kph (250mph) and can hit 300kph (186mph) from a standing start in 12.8 seconds.However McLaren Group CEO Zak Brown said last week the team is “highly unlikely” to have a car ready for the WEC’s planned new GT-orientated rules for its 2020-21 season.
“I don’t think we would be ready for the first year of the new championship,” said Brown.
“It is under review. The rules are not finalised, we have a good sense of what they are, we’ve been very engaged. We have a working group inside McLaren that are not on our Formula 1 activities reviewing it.
“I believe the rules are going to be put in place at the end of the year, and then we’ll be in a position to take a decision if we’re going to enter and when we would enter. But highly unlikely it would be for the start of the 2020 calendar.”
The Speedtail shares the distinctive three-seat layout used by the team in its famed McLaren F1 road car. It carries a price tag of £1.75 million.
McLaren Speedtail
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LEMAYIAN (@lems)
26th October 2018, 17:13
It’s very optimised for pure straight line speed, with minimal aero detail. That behind though!
BasCB (@bascb)
26th October 2018, 20:19
I like the sleek, more minimalistic design as well – a bit of a contrast to a plethora of overdesigned current super/hypercars @lems
Quant
26th October 2018, 17:31
Reminds me of an XJ220… here’s hoping its performance is better than its appearance.
Sun Siyuan (@peking901)
27th October 2018, 12:40
Same first thought of XJ220!
Viper-au (@viper-au)
26th October 2018, 17:34
What a beautiful car.
svianna (@svianna)
26th October 2018, 20:23
I know that taste is personal, but this car is heinous, just like the defunct GM EV-1 from the 90’s. McLaren spiral fall towards the bottom continues. Now in the superuglycar department. What are they smoking over there?
BMF66
27th October 2018, 3:36
Taste is personal, and you have none.
hyoko
27th October 2018, 11:11
mmmm, kind of tail-heavy, don’t like it much.
Will spend muy spare 1.75M somewhere else
DaveW (@dmw)
26th October 2018, 17:38
It has turbofans on the front, spoked wheels on the back. Unnghhh. I have to go lie down now before I start seeing this with Silk Cut livery and have a Group C nostalgia attack.
Reggio (@reggio68)
26th October 2018, 19:40
+1
Michal J Kalinowski
26th October 2018, 17:46
UGLY.
Tenerifeman (@tenerifeman)
26th October 2018, 17:56
Striking but ugly. Some lovely features but for me they just do not blend together. I won’t be ordering one lol.
Courtney
26th October 2018, 18:04
Out of interest, do McLaren manufacture there own engines for there road cars?
PT (@pt)
28th October 2018, 3:56
Yes, they do.
zomtec (@zomtec)
26th October 2018, 18:15
Don’t fancy this one.
toiago (@toiago)
26th October 2018, 18:28
Don’t quite like the way it looks. It seems rather disproportional, but does seem functional (designed for top speed and minimal drag), which I like. I also don’t appreciate the 3-seater layout. That was something unique to the F1 and they should leave it like that, instead of replicating it.
Nooma341 (@nooma341)
26th October 2018, 19:12
The passenger seats are juuuust far enough back that they can’t change the radio station!
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
26th October 2018, 19:18
If McLaren made an XJ220, but the year was 2018 and the car all electric…
Todd (@braketurnaccelerate)
26th October 2018, 19:20
I should probably read the article instead of just looking at pictures… Based on the near-closed nose, I would’ve sworn this to be electric.
SaturnVF1 (@saturnvf1)
26th October 2018, 20:35
Surprised they chose that color if they weren’t trying to make it look like the XJ220.
Aldoid
27th October 2018, 1:06
Glad I’m not the only one who thinks so. I immediately thought XJ220.
Fer no.65 (@fer-no65)
26th October 2018, 19:36
That just plain ugly. Looks like a futuristic design for the 90s, like that EV1, but longer and made by McLaren
Neil (@neilosjames)
26th October 2018, 19:39
Looks nice from the top and from directly behind, but not feeling much love for it from other angles. Pretty ugly and ‘Speedtail’ is a really silly name.
On the bright side, at least McLaren have finally designed a car with low drag.
Kenny Schachat (@partofthepuzzle)
26th October 2018, 20:11
The car, great!
The name: what the heck are they thinking? coming up with dopey like that just leaves me wondering about the people making the big decisions at McLaren.
Jimmi Cynic (@jimmi-cynic)
26th October 2018, 20:59
Love how the LCD screen side ‘mirrors’ are obscured by the wrap-around dash. But a car with this speed and cost, the screen mirrors would more likely be used for high speed selfie setup.
Look forward to Jay’s definitive F1 comparo. Wonder if the Grand Tour have a pre-order. Hamster could test the 0-300 claim, and the flippin’ 300 to 0 time.
Spawinte (@spawinte)
26th October 2018, 21:43
This is objectively a fantastically beautiful machine. Commiserations to those lacking in the taste needed to appreciate it.
Kerry Maxwell (@kerrymaxwell)
26th October 2018, 21:58
Who’s going to be the one to tell them they have the ass on backwards?
Rhys Lloyd (@justrhysism)
27th October 2018, 2:44
The love-child of the XJ220 and the McLaren F1.
Hezekiah
27th October 2018, 9:08
This is one ugly car.
anon
27th October 2018, 12:32
Buying a McLaren would be like buying a Williams or Toro Rosso supercar.
saxon
28th October 2018, 9:21
Clearly the design never went next or near an Itallian.