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McLaren working on a roofless speedster for the Ultimate Series

A "source aware of the car" told Autocar that McLaren is working on a new entry in the Ultimate Series range, an open-topped speedster that will "focus on exhilarating on-road driving." The British carmaker hasn't finished building its already-spoken-for quota of Senna GTR models, and after that, Speedtail production is slated to begin toward the end of this year. That pushes whatever this new car might be out to late 2020 or early 2021 at least, and that's not accounting for development time.The comparison being made is that this will be the English version of Ferrari's F8-Superfast-based Monza SP1 and SP2 speedsters, with styling reminiscent of open-cockpit prototype race cars. When The Drive asked McLaren about the rumor, the carmaker replied that it is "speaking to potential customers about a new McLaren Ultimate Series model that shares some attributes with the car that Autocar describes." Unlike the track-centric Senna or the aero-focused Speedtail, the new roofless car is said to "highlight the more emotional, fun side of McLaren." That's a bit like looking for the emotional, fun side of an electromagnetic railgun - and I mean that as a compliment to McLaren - but there's plenty of feeling to draw from in the carmaker's past. Autocar's source said to expect lines with more elegance and fluidity outside and in, capped by a set of the brand's trademark dihedral doors. If designers can make Can-Am curves from the McLaren M1B, M6A, or M8B jive seamlessly with modern carbon and combustion internals, we're ready for it. There's no reason to let Ferrari - and De Tomaso and Ecurie Ecosse - bogart the retro fun. Predictions point to the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 providing the power, in this application without hybrid assistance. Slinky lines and no roof could mean a car that weighs less than the 2,641-pound Senna, and since "extremely agile handling" and driver feedback are the priorities, power could be toned down from the 789-horsepower track car. Autocar mentions a sticker price of something around 1.5 million pounds, roughly $1.9 million in our money. If that's accurate, paying twice the price of a Senna could pay for exclusivity, with build numbers expected to be fewer than the Senna's 500 examples. When it arrives, it will be another milestone in McLaren's Track25 business plan that targets 18 new models and derivatives in the next six years.

McLaren F1 designer Gordon Murray no fan of hybrid supercars

You'd think that the extreme performance, engineering and technology of hybrid hypercars like the McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder would appeal to a guy like Gordon Murray. After all, the man behind the McLaren F1, the original hypercar, knows a thing or six about pushing the edge of the performance envelope with a new vehicle. The F1 came out over 20 years ago, but even then, it was exploring the limits of automotive technology. But if Murray were in the driver's seat today, he'd pass on all the F1-inspired trickery that's infiltrating the modern breed of supercars. Instead, as he tells Goodwood Road & Racing, he'd focus on building a "great driver's car" with "pure engineering." We aren't sure how Murray's engineering differs, or is purer, than the work done in Woking, Maranello and Zuffenhausen, but we suppose he's entitled to his opinions. Overall, the interview with GRR and Murray is a fascinating read into a man that has a very unique take on what a driver's car should be. Hop over and have a read. Featured Gallery 2015 McLaren P1: First Drive View 39 Photos Related Gallery McLaren F1 LM: Geneva 2013 View 14 Photos News Source: Goodwood Road & RacingImage Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL, Copyright 2014 Matt Davis / AOL Read This McLaren Coupe Performance mclaren p1 Gordon Murray

New McLaren hybrid hypercar will be company's fastest ever

We've reported earlier that the upcoming McLaren Ultimate Series "Hyper-GT" BP23 will be a seriously fast machine. Today, McLaren set a top speed target for it: The limited-edition hybrid hypercar will surpass the legendary McLaren F1 from the 1990s. That car reached the top speed of 243 mph, or 391 km/h; it appears the manufacturer wants the new car to hit or exceed 400 km/h. Maybe it'll even top 250 mph. The indicated 243 mph speed illustrated in the teaser sketch is a nice touch. The BP23 will hit the highest top speed of any McLaren yet. It will feature nods to the original McLaren F1 in several ways, including the centrally mounted driver seat flanked with passenger seats. That 106-unit production run also refers to the original F1 road car's sales figure. The finished vehicles will all be done to any specific customer's taste, as they will be seen through by McLaren's Special Operations division. McLaren is still keeping a few surprises to itself, as the actual top speed along with the BP23's actual name will be revealed closer to the car's unveiling. McLaren also hints the name will be something more special "rather than an alphanumeric nomenclature." This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video: Featured Gallery McLaren Ultimate Series BP23 Image Credit: McLaren Automotive Green McLaren Coupe Future Vehicles Hybrid Performance mclaren automotive mclaren bp23 mclaren hybrid