The current Ultimate Series models in McLaren’s ever-growing range are, as the name suggests, the very best and fastest cars they offer. So far the Ultimate Series has consisted of the Senna, the P1 and the Speedtail but they will soon be joined by a new open-topped model, one that McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt says will be dedicated to the thrill of driving.
“At McLaren Automotive we are consistently pushing the boundaries to deliver the purest and most engaging driving experience whether for the road or track. Our two current ultimate series cars, the Senna and Speedtail, offer unique and distinct driving experiences. Now this new addition to the Ultimate Series, an open-cockpit roadster, will take road-focused driving pleasure to new levels.” he explained.
With the design rendering being shown to McLaren customers at the Pebble Beach Concours to gauge interest, Flewitt has revealed very little about the new model so far. What we do know is that it will have classical roadster proportions, and just 399 are planned to be produced.
Unlike the Senna, which was built for setting lap times, and the Speedtail (above), which focuses on mind-numbing acceleration figures, the new car, with its open top and low-profile doors, will be more about connecting the driver with the surrounding environment. It should still be stupendously rapid as it will utilize a modified version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 as used in the Senna, and McLaren Automotive claim that it will be the lightest car they have ever produced.
That should put it somewhere below the curb weight of the 3000 lb Senna and the 2500 lb McLaren F1 (the latter car was built under McLaren Cars before the founding of McLaren Automotive in 2010). It should become available in late 2020 and the pricing is set to slot in somewhere between the £750,000 ($909,000) Senna and £2.1-million ($2.5-million) Speedtail.
Images courtesy of McLaren
