McLaren Speedtail Blows Past F1 with 250 MPH Top Speed

Streamlined simplicity is the key to true elegance

“As an Ultimate Series model, at the pinnacle of the McLaren range, the Speedtail pushes the limits of what is possible technically. Just as the McLaren Senna is the embodiment of extreme aerodynamic technologies and weight saving, so to is the Speedtail – but for this McLaren, the purpose was to achieve a new level of design sophistication and weight reduction in the pursuit of low aerodynamic drag, breath-taking acceleration and extreme velocity.”- Andy Palmer, Vehicle Line Director, Ultimate Series, McLaren Automotive

The essence of the McLaren Speedtail is modern design and craftsmanship in the truest sense, the breathtakingly sophisticated shape having been brought to life using the very latest digital development technologies. By radically rethinking every aspect of the exterior design and drastically reducing weight, aerodynamic drag efficiency was maximized, acceleration improved and top speed increased.

Elegance has been created through reduction: every body panel is carbon fiber and has been sculpted to reduce drag; retractable digital rear-view cameras replace traditional door mirrors to further aid aerodynamic performance; carbon fiber front-wheel static aero covers reduce air turbulence around the wheel arches; and the seamless silhouette is enhanced by a reduction in the number of shutlines – including a one-piece rear clamshell – which disrupt neither the visual continuity of the body or the flow of air over it. The patented active rear ailerons ensure the continuity of the design remains uncompromised, with drag kept to a minimum.

Every element and every aspect of the McLaren Speedtail has been considered in the mission to reduce drag and maximize top speed. The McLaren Speedtail is narrower than a McLaren P1™, but more than half a meter (more than 1.6ft) longer, measuring nearly 17 feet (5,137mm) from nose to tail. The purity of form is remarkable: viewed from above, the McLaren Speedtail is essentially a teardrop – the fastest shape in nature – and this sculpted form creates the smoothest initial contact with the air at the front splitter, while the dramatically elongated tail bleeds off the flow to reduce turbulence. And not only is the overall shape a teardrop but so too is the cockpit glasshouse set within the body, once again benefitting aerodynamic drag efficiency.

The vertical ducts beneath the full LED headlights, for instance, are particularly slender, their form meticulously tapered to minimize drag while still feeding sufficient cooling air into the LTRs (Low-Temperature Radiators). Airflow that doesn’t enter the LTR ducts is directed over the bonnet of the Speedtail and enters two discreet upper front clam intakes. From here, it is ducted through the body and around the wheel arch before exiting out of the lower door vents. This engineering detail reduces the volume of air traveling around the side of the vehicle, which is prone to separation from the body and resulting turbulence.