The Gentleman Magazine Issue 12 | December 2018 | Page 21

into the cockpit – unless the occupants choose otherwise, in
which case the porthole, glazed upper section of the doors
and rear-quarterlights feature electrochromic technology
that allows them to independently turn opaque in an instant.
Separately, the top of the windscreen is also electrochromic
glass, forgoing the need for sun visors.
Ahead of the driver is a state-of-the-art control system, with
high-definition displays and touchscreens that sweep across
the dashboard and remove almost every button and switch
traditionally found in a car. The controls to start the engine,
turn on the Active Dynamics Panel and engage Velocity mode
– as well as those to open the windows and doors – are in
panels above the driver’s head. These controls and the other
switches and dials are milled from aluminium, and then hand-
brushed and polished.
The beautifully crafted interior fuses contemporary
craftsmanship and cutting-edge innovations to push the
boundaries of design into a new era. The elegance and material
excellence is more akin to high fashion, luxury yachts and
bespoke furniture than is normally seen within an automotive
environment. The scope for personalisation is extraordinary
and every Speedtail will be unique to its owner.
McLaren’s vision for the Speedtail – to create the ultimate in
bespoke vehicle design – begins with carbon fibre, a material
that McLaren has pioneered for nearly four decades, with every
road or race car it has built since 1981 having a strong, stiff and
light composite structure at its core.
The Speedtail marks a revolutionary advance in the creation
and usage of carbon by McLaren, with state-of-the-art
technologies combining with traditional Italian textile
knowledge to conceive a ‘digital loom’ process that delivers
an even lighter composite material formed from an intricate
carbon fibre weave.
Pursuing further innovation, McLaren utilised this digital
loom technique to develop a unique carbon fibre and titanium
weave, christened Titanium Deposition Carbon Fibre.
Traditional methods to change the colour of carbon fibre
can compromise the material’s structural integrity and visual
clarity; for the Speedtail, a micron-thin layer of titanium is
fused directly onto the weave and becomes an integral part
of the carbon fibre’s construction. The titanium deposition
process maintains immense strength and low weight and
creates a truly remarkable finish of visual carbon fibre with a
chrome-effect shimmer.
The front splitter, diffuser and side skirts are all finished in
1K Titanium Deposition Carbon Fibre. This material has just
1000 fibres per thread, making it lighter than the 3K alternative
and allowing the adoption of a Jacquard weaving process to
create an intricate, bespoke pattern in the Visual Carbon Fibre
elements. The titanium can additionally be anodised in any
bespoke colour or used to create interwoven images, symbols
or even words within the carbon – for example, the rear of the
driver’s seat features the McLaren logo.
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