Unveiled in October 2018, with production examples delivered beginning in 2020, the McLaren Speedtail was immediately hailed as the spiritual successor to the legendary McLaren F1. The parallels were obvious: As with the F1, the Speedtail is built around a lightweight composite tub and features the same three-person seating configuration, with the driver in the center, as well as vertical dihedral doors. Both cars were designed to push the performance envelope of their respective eras—though they did so in their own unique ways, with the Speedtail’s focus, as its name suggested, on the pursuit of maximum top speed.

Finally, both cars were built in a limited quantity of just 106 examples, ensuring that each car would form an instant centerpiece in any garage fortunate enough to contain one.

REINTERPRETING A LEGEND: FROM F1 TO SPEEDTAIL

Though the similarities between the F1 and Speedtail are clear, advances in technology over the past three decades abound; despite the reverence for its predecessor, the Speedtail is unreservedly a car of the 21st century.

Nowhere is this revelation more evident than its hybrid powertrain. The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine is an evolution of the McLaren P1's engine and features a revised piston design along with enhanced cylinder head cooling, enabling it to produce over 750 horsepower. The Speedtail’s electric motor and battery, meanwhile, are both units developed by McLaren’s Formula E technology group. The motor smooths out power delivery at low engine speeds, providing an additional 312 horsepower; the dielectric-cooled and insulated 1.647 kWh battery was, at its debut, the most power-dense unit ever fitted to a production vehicle. Total system output is a formidable 1,035 horsepower, propelling the Speedtail to a reported top speed of 250 mph.

The composite material used in the construction of the Speedtail’s lightweight tub is reinforced with titanium strands and sculpted into a more dramatic “teardrop” shape surmounted by a one-piece glass canopy. The car’s sleek, elongated carbon fiber bodywork is underpinned by an adjustable, multi-link suspension composed of aluminum alloy. This system works in tandem with the Speedtail’s cutting-edge active aerodynamics (which include remarkable deformable carbon fiber ailerons), distinctive static wheel covers, bespoke Pirelli tires, and carbon ceramic brakes to keep the 16.8-foot-long vehicle glued to the ground. The design’s incredibly low drag coefficient maximizes the Speedtail’s fuel efficiency, especially when paired with its regenerative braking system.

As with the F1, the central driving position of the Speedtail offers an uncompromised experience unlike anything else on the road. From the central seat, the driver has an unobstructed view of their surroundings; with both A-pillars out of their line of sight, they can more accurately place the car on the roadway. A defining feature of the F1, this central driving experience is uniquely implemented by McLaren and feels entirely natural. In addition to offering optimal visibility, the central driver’s seat allows for two additional passengers to enjoy the exhilarating ride of the Speedtail.

Further, the Speedtail replaces side mirrors with hideaway cameras, which retract back into their respective panels during activation of the Speedtail’s exclusive “Active Velocity” mode—which lowers the car several inches and changes the aerovane configuration, thus streamlining the silhouette for extreme stability at high speeds. The mode was on full display on 19 December 2019, with a McLaren Speedtail prototype reaching 250 mph over 30 times during testing at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds—part of NASA’s Space Shuttle Landing Facility in Orlando, Florida.

All told, the Speedtail is the fastest, most aerodynamic, and most technologically advanced McLaren has ever made, pushing the frontier of what is possible in a road car. On public roads, its futuristic design and length of 16.8 feet give it a presence like nothing else. More than its exclusivity or any styling similarities, it is this that makes it a true successor to the legendary F1.

SPEEDTAIL NUMBER 36

The Speedtail offered here is the 36th example produced. It is a unique specimen finished with over $170,000 (£137,711 GPB) of bespoke and optional equipment, as confirmed by the McLaren Automotive Order Confirmation document. Ordered on 20 July 2020, it was delivered new to McLaren of Philadelphia in the fall of 2020.

This chassis’ dramatic exterior is clad in a bespoke shade of MSO Heritage Atlantic Blue, further enriched by a set of bespoke exterior painted pin stripes which are color-matched to the lightweight alloy wheels and cost £39,711 (~$53,600 USD). The front wheel covers have been specified in Gloss Visual Carbon Fiber, while the engine cover and brake calipers have been paired with black paint. The Speedtail’s exhaust system, which is integrated into the rear diffuser and nearly hidden, wears the aptly named “Stealth Titanium” finish.

A comprehensive suite of Zircon trim and Satin Visual Carbon Fiber flourishes add a uniform appeal to both exterior and interior. Inside, the Speedtail’s next-gen dashboard and distinctive three-seat cockpit are trimmed in stunning vintage tan Aniline leather finished with bespoke contrast stitching. The Satin Visual Carbon Fiber steering wheel is appointed in matching upholstery; it fronts a suite of five digital displays and the two elements are interceded by a steering hub clothed in Alcantara and a pair of billet titanium paddle shifters.

This Speedtail joined the collection of its second owner in 2021, and it has seen extremely limited road use in the intervening years. At the time of cataloguing its odometer displayed just 280 miles and as expected, the car presents in essentially as-new condition. In the current owner’s care, it has been routinely serviced by McLaren San Francisco of Palo Alto, California, as documented by a series of service invoices on file.

Some six years after its production, it is safe to say that the revolutionary Speedtail’s saga is only getting started; like its predecessor the F1, the Speedtail is predicted to capture the public’s attention for decades to come. With each of the 106 examples having been purchased by pre-selected customers before the model’s announcement, the availability of this Speedtail, number 36, offers an exciting opportunity to partake in one of the most advanced roadgoing vehicles that McLaren has built to date. The Speedtail is an engineering triumph combining the best of McLaren’s past with the extraordinary technology of the present. Its moment in the spotlight has just begun.

Now offered showing just 280 miles at the time of cataloguing, this 2020 McLaren Speedtail is accompanied by its Order Confirmation document, a fitted suitcase front trunk, as well as a serialized, lightweight gold-colored titanium tool set.