Say Hello To Albert: The 250mph McLaren Speedtail Prototype

McLaren has released images of its first Speedtail 'attribute prototype', named 'Albert' in a nod to the F1
Say Hello To Albert: The 250mph McLaren Speedtail Prototype

Yes, McLaren’s first Speedtail ‘attribute prototype’ really has been christened ‘Albert’. But there’s a good reason the company chose this inoffensive, cuddly name for a 250mph, 1036bhp hypercar: one of the McLaren F1 test mules was thusly titled.

This particular F1 was named after Albert Drive in Woking, the location of McLaren’s HQ before it built the Bond villain lair-like Technology Centre, and the place the seminal supercar was designed and built. So, it’s a double reference to the car from which the Speedtail takes inspiration.

Say Hello To Albert: The 250mph McLaren Speedtail Prototype

The subtle references continue with the car’s official designation of ‘MVY02’. The Speedtail project name MVY0 is a combination of McLaren’s longstanding ‘MV’ project initials, while YO signifies “the lateral central point in the XYZ axis in CAD (computer aided design),” McLaren says. So, it’s a fantastically geeky nod to the Speedtail’s F1-style central driving position.

Say Hello To Albert: The 250mph McLaren Speedtail Prototype

As for the car itself, it’s decked out in a special testing livery, and is wearing a set of wheels you won’t see on the production car (which is pictured above), along with a 720S-like front end. The rear deck isn’t production spec either, but the hybrid powertrain underneath - which will most likely involve a twin-turbo V8 - certainly is.

Say Hello To Albert: The 250mph McLaren Speedtail Prototype

A year-long test schedule for the Speedtail kicks off this week, which will involve the car being driven in Europe, North America and Africa at both dedicated test centres and on the road.

Production, meanwhile, begins the tail end of 2019. 106 will be built, with owners paying £1.75 million plus taxes for each one.

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Comments

Robert Gracie

I wonder if “Albert” is the short name for “Lord Albert of McLaren Automotive” I could see them trying to do that as a bit of an insider joke

11/10/2018 - 09:39 |
1 | 1
675LT_ftw

Non-McLaren fans be like “But its a 720 with a different back” 😂

11/10/2018 - 17:06 |
0 | 0
ATOGI_28

imo Albert looks better than the speedtail

11/11/2018 - 19:35 |
0 | 0
Muhammet Aydoğmus

It looks like robot duck :O

11/12/2018 - 15:02 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Hi Albert, I’m Prius Exterminator.

11/12/2018 - 19:07 |
0 | 0
ThatV70Guy

cough Le Mans regulations change in 2020 o allow gt1 cars to compete in the highest class cough

11/12/2018 - 23:44 |
0 | 0
Jevil

Is it just me or is the this waaaay nicer than the production model

11/13/2018 - 09:02 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Basically a 720S with a different back.

01/29/2019 - 13:21 |
0 | 0
Alex Shutt/SHUTTMAN

It looked like a 720s in the front.

02/05/2019 - 16:28 |
0 | 0