The McLaren Speedstail – This Is the Fastest Car That McLaren Has Ever Built

It is absurd. It is insane. And it is the McLaren Speedtail. The model came as the fourth iteration in the McLaren Ultimate Series, after the Senna, the P1, and the F1. And it is the most aerodynamic and fastest car that McLaren has ever built.

A worthy successor to the McLaren F1 from the 1990s, the futuristic Speedtail stayed true to the three-seater layout, with the driver’s seat up front in the middle for better visibility. But with a three-decade hiatus between them, the technological gap is obvious.

It is powered by a hybrid system, which integrates a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, working alongside an electric motor, churning out 1,036 horsepower (1,050 PS) and 848 lb-ft (1,150 Nm) of torque.

The dielectric-cooled-and-insulated battery pack is a paradigm of innovation. Back then, it was labeled as the most power-dense battery that had ever been on a production vehicle.

Passengers seats integrated in the chassis, dihedral doors (spectacular, but nothing out of the ordinary for the McLaren models), and a carbon fiber monocoque are part of the plan for the Speedtail.

The McLaren Speedtail came with an insane top speed

It is super light and super fast. It does the 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) run in 2.9 seconds, and the needle of the odometer goes all the way to a top speed of 250 mph (403 kph).

The Brits came with an adjustable multi-lid suspension and active aerodynamics. So everything you see on the elongated body is not just for show. For those in search of some overdose of adrenaline, McLaren equipped the model with a Velocity Mode. Once engaged, the car goes closer to the tarmac by 1.4 inches, changes the aerovane configuration, and retracts the sidev-view camera to provide extra aerodynamics and stability at high speeds.

McLaren only built 106 such units, and the series was instantly sold out despite the daunting starting price of $2.25 million, before checking any option boxes.

What we have right here is one of the 106. It is actually number 72 of 106. It is finished in a unique color combo of There Grey over Rich Brown, and there is Tan Semi-Aniline leather upholstery. The carbon fiber steering wheel is wrapped in Rich Brown leather, while Tan leather covers the headliner, door sills, and passenger seats.

Polished Zircon trim, aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber show up on the number 72's unique exterior and interior.

The Speedtail got the electrochromic glass, which darkens at the push of a button. It also uses HD cameras instead of the conventional mirrors.

Considering the level of customization that McLaren brought in the limited-production run, there can't possibly be two Speedtails alike.

The car runs on 10-spoke Diamond Cut lightweight wheels, housing the black-painted calipers.

Finished in Stealth titanium (the name is so relevant!), the exhaust is discreetly integrated into the rear diffuser. Meanwhile, the exterior badging is elegantly rendered in machined aluminum.

A practice implemented with the McLaren F1 back in the 1990s, the company also offered bespoke luggage for the Speedtail buyers.

Only those who were pre-selected by McLaren could get their hands on a Speedtail. The owner paid 1,836 million pounds to drive the car home ($3.326 million), 86,000 pounds of them ($107,363) going on optional equipment. It seems like they drove it home and not much anywhere else, because the odometer indicates only 177 miles (285 kilometers). Now it goes under the hammer with RM Sotheby's and is expected to fetch between $2.2 and $2.6 million.

The listing claims it is in impeccable condition, and it only had one single owner since it first drove through the factory gate. Every single intervention on this car was exclusively performed by authorized McLaren facilities in Texas and California.

It was the forbidden fruit in America, yet so many Americans bought it

Manufactured back in 2020, the hypercar is currently in the United States on a 'show and display' exemption, which allows certain privately imported cars to be exempted from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) if the car in question meets a standard of ‘historical or technological significance.’

The model is not considered safe enough because it is not equipped with the mandatory side-mounted airbags. Yet 35% of the 106 cars that McLaren built were bought by American customers.

Now any transfer of ownership must get the green light from the NHTSA, and there is no way a dealership could buy it.

Whoever takes this car home is restricted to 2,500 miles (4,023 kilometers) per year. The McLaren Speedtail is no daily driver, so that doesn't exactly sound so tragic. They must also have their car available for inspection by NHTSA until it turns 25 years old.