Its aerodynamic body looks like a teardrop, and Leno thinks it's one of the best car designs of the 21st century.
A McLaren Speedtail has visited Jay Leno's Garage, where the former talk show host said that the Speedtail would go down in history as one of the best-designed cars in the 21st century.
How so? Leno was impressed at how McLaren built an aerodynamic car without compromising aesthetics. He also envisions theSpeedtail among the iconic cars in attendance at “Pebble Beach in the year 2121.” While we can't predict the future, the Speedtail could hold its ground regarding design, performance, and rarity.
The Speedtail is a three-seat hypercar and McLaren's most aerodynamically sound car, with a drag coefficient of only 0.278. There were only 106 examples of the Speedtail, mimicking its spiritual forefather, the McLaren F1.
McLaren Beverly Hills Director of Special Projects Parris Mullins told Leno that the Speedtail featured in the video is not among the 106 limited production units. Mullins clarified that it's a pre-production model, which a customer bought, and decided to paint similar to the first Speedtail prototype, codenamed Albert.
The Speedtail “Albert” sports one of the “most complex paint finishes” ever completed by McLaren Special Operations (MSO). It took MSO 12 weeks to complete and was designed to reflect the “extreme aerodynamic prowess of the Speedtail,” a detail that Mullins confirmed while conversing with Leno.
Mullins also showed Leno the Speedtail's luggage compartment at the back and front of the vehicle. The rear compartment was not exactly spacious, but the front cargo area could fit an overnight bag.
Jay Leno's Garage/YouTube Jay Leno's Garage/YouTube Jay Leno's Garage/YouTube
The Speedtail featured in the video has the same interior package and tech features as the production-spec versions. Mullins also highlighted that the car has a special badge behind the headrests, which is among the car's unique details from other Speedtail units.
The McLaren Speedtail has a 4.0-liter V8 engine paired with a parallel hybrid system that generates 1,036 horsepower and 848 lb-ft of torque, power figures that dwarf the McLaren P1's. Weighing 3,500 lbs, the Speedtail can go from zero to 62 mph in three seconds, with a claimed top speed of 250 mph.
But, it's not road-legal in the USA, owing to its central driving position. Neither is the McLaren F1 or the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50, but fortunately for us all, we can see them on occasion as all three are eligible for import via the Show or Display law.
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Keyword: Jay Leno Is Full Of Praise For McLaren Speedtail