McLaren Speedtail reached 403 km/h, dethrones the F1

MANILA: A prototype of the Speedtail just registered a maximum speed of 403 km/h at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Ground's runway at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

It sets a new world record that effectively dethrones the iconic Formula One, which holds the title as the fastest naturally aspirated car since the ‘90s.

The Speedtail was at the hands of McLaren chief test driver, Kenny Brack, when the prototype reached the top speed 30 times on the 5km runway of the Kennedy Space Center.

McLaren Automotive CEO, Mike Flewitt, says “it's fitting that the Speedtail's high-speed test program concluded with multiple maximum-speed runs at a location strongly associated with pushing the boundaries of extreme performance and engineering excellence.”

He further adds, “the Speedtail is a truly extraordinary car that epitomizes McLaren's pioneering spirit and perfectly illustrates our determination to continue to set new benchmarks for supercar and hypercar performance."

The Speedtail prototype is powered by a gas-electric hybrid powertrain that has a twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 and an electric motor. The hybrid set up can produce an astounding 1,055 bhp of maximum power and 1,150 Nm of peak torque.

This allows the Speedtail to go from zero to 97 km in just 2.5 seconds and can hit 300km/h in about 13 seconds. To hit a top speed of 403 km/h, the McLaren hypercar has to switch to velocity mode which retracts the side mirror and lowers the ride height by 1.4 inches. McLaren said it is also planning an all-wheel drivetrain hybrid that can reach 97 km in just 2.3 seconds.

Besides its powerful engine, the McLaren Speedtail record-breaking speed can also be attributed partly to its design. The car is lightweight at 1,430 kg while the teardrop shape and elongated tail design limits the drag and make the vehicle very aerodynamic.

The good news is, Speedtail is heading to production. Only 106 units of the Speedtail will be hand-built at McLaren's factory in Woking, England and will be sold worldwide. Accordingly, deliveries for the hypercar will begin in February 2020 with a starting price of $2.1 million. However, all of the units are already sold out.

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