You’ve heard the name, seen the sculpture, and read about Top Gear exclusively driving the driving position test mule. Now it’s time to actually start seeing the McLaren Speedtail itself. This is, appropriately enough, its (very long) tail. Swoopy.

Now, what’s going on here exactly? There’s no pop-up airbrake like we’re used to on a McLaren, so perhaps the Speedtail will do without the sort of giant aero addenda we’re used to on a McLaren Ultimate Series car. The P1 and Senna’s mega-wing honour stays intact. Instead, the Speedtail has some curious slots and a very slippery-looking form.

The lo-drag silhouette is obviously a factor in helping the car surpass 243mph, and thus become the fastest McLaren road car ever. It’ll be powered to the as-yet undisclosed top speed by a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain developing in excess of 1,000hp, or 986bhp. It’s expected that McLaren will use a development of the 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 already chucking out 711bhp in the 720S and 789bhp in the Senna, but potentially boosted to even higher levels of flame-spitting lunacy.

McLaren has announced that the car itself will be revealed on 26 October at 1pm British Standard Time, so head back here for the full details.

Three seats. Over a thousand horsepower. Only 106 to be made (all of them reserved), for £2.1m a piece. A 400kph top speed in the offing. It’s going to be a moment in supercar history, that’s for sure. But what’s going on with the tail? Answers on a digital postcard…

Content published on 11th July 2015

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