Road to Speedtail 2020
IN OCTOBER last year, McLaren Automotive launched its new Speedtail hypercar. Only 106 of these highspeed machines are going to be made, with the first units scheduled for delivery to owners early in 2020. It’s a long wait, but McLaren has made it easier on customers.
The company has announced that the 106 deposit-holders for the forthcoming McLaren Speedtail have started their journey on the road to ownership of (arguably) this century’s most coveted car yet with the receipt of Colours & Materials Inspiration Story: a portfolio of design ideas to help invigorate their creative minds.
Basically, the three collections have been fashioned to help this exclusive club of hypercar owners to think about how they would each like their individual Speedtail to look. ULTRA BESPOKE
Every aspect of the McLaren Speedtail is designed to push established boundaries and this extends to the look and feel of each individual car. Each hand-built Speedtail will be tailored to the customer’s exact requirements, but to help make this process less demanding, McLaren’s Colour and Material design team has curated an extensive and innovative range of design concepts, arranged into three key collections:
The first collection, Urbane, is a collection of three themes which have been created to offer a discerning and refined feel, giving the Speedtail a sophisticated look with calm exterior hues, plus subtle and cool interior tones.
One theme is Stratosphere, which sees the Speedtail finished in gloss 1K full visual carbon fibre with the contour pack, which is designed to accentuate the exterior highlights of the car’s aerodynamic bodywork. It’s set off with brushed light blue anodised aluminium brightwork, ensuring that every curve of the exterior is revealed. The luxuriant detail extends to the badging, which is crafted in platinum with TPT carbon inlay, whilst the cool-hued cabin blends the metallic light blue driver seat with light grey passenger seats. Completing the look are unique navy painted edges with navy contrast stitch and bespoke brushed light blue anodised aluminium brightwork.
The second collection is appropriately named Visionary and offers a purposeful and unmistakeable look from moody, yet striking shades, to opulent and surprising touches. It includes the stunning Astral theme, inspired by the United Kingdom’s wealth of nautical heritage with an interior dominated by timeless navy blue, including nubuck bespoke navy passenger seats and full aniline leather bespoke navy driver’s seat, bespoke Nebular quilt and digital print on nubuck bespoke navy leather upper trim.
This is juxtaposed with a striking exterior finished in orange with a unique silver pinstripe, gloss 1K visual carbon fibre and white gold 18 carat with TPT inlay badging.
The third collection, Dynamic, is said to be exciting and modern and makes bold statements with sporty, futuristic and sumptuous themes. McLaren spokesmen say it’s epitomised by the Bloodline theme, distinguished by an unhindered burst of red on the exterior, with gloss black diamond cut wheels featuring a light copper edge and silver brake calipers. Inside, the driver seat is contrasted in full aniline red, whilst passengers sit on lightweight semi aniline white seats. Accentuating the athletic theme, the steering wheel clasp, paddle shifters, window and door bezel surround are highlighted in TPT carbon quartz white. ONE-OF-A-KIND
Each one of the three collections offers Speedtail customers the opportunity to personalise their car to the smallest detail with the prediction that, like the McLaren F1 and the P1 before it, every model in the 106-car production run will be unique to its owner.
These collections are just a small realisation of design opportunities presented by the Speedtail, and each owner will be allocated a ‘Bespoke Liaison Manager’ to help bring their vision to life. This includes access to the services of McLaren Special Operations (MSO), helping to open up a range of colours and materials limited only by the owner’s imagination. Regardless of choice, each owner of McLaren’s Hyper-GT will take the helm at the centre of a three-seat interior, a layout that has previously only been used in the McLaren F1 cars built between 1992 and 1998. DIZZYING PERFORMANCE
With a 772kW petrol-electric hybrid powertrain, the Speedtail will be the most powerful and fastest car created by McLaren. How fast? 403km/h at full tilt, and with a claimed 0-300km/h in 12.8 seconds. Good luck catching one if you ever spot one.
“The McLaren Speedtail is our most ambitious project to date and all were sold months before the car was even unveiled. This level of faith in McLaren products demands that we strive to even greater heights of detail and excellence. As a result of meticulous study of colours, forms and textures by our design team, finding inspiration in areas that are uncharted in automotive design, we believe that we will achieve this with the look and feel of each individual Speedtail. Whilst only 106 customer cars will be built, it is important that each one is unique, so this tailored collection is quite simply, like no other – as is the McLaren Speedtail itself.” - Jo Lewis, McLaren Automotive, Head of Colour and Material Design