Classical futurist: the new McLaren Speedtail
The Speedtail is the latest car by McLaren Automotive. A nod to the iconic F1, this three-seater hyper gran turismo is a genuinely accomplished product, returning to the marque a sense of grace and beauty and allure of the automobiles of the past as it takes on the future Take a closer look #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 25%; } #gallery-1... Read More
Senna by McLaren: When design follows performance
McLaren Automotive‘s latest car is Senna, a driver-focused road-legal track car that pushes the limits of vehicle design. It will be built in very limited numbers at the Foster-designed factory in England next year. I was lucky to be treated to a sneak preview of this car earlier in the week, and it really is very, very special. Read my full review here. #gallery-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top:... Read More
The exotic and the autonomous: Geneva Show highlights
Autonomous driving is side-tracking. The conversation has temporarily diverted from its original explosive futuristic narrative for an altogether more tangible one. The automotive world is looking at more pragmatic solutions that can be applied now, without the complications of full autonomy. Read the full review originally published in Wallpaper* here. Read more on the McLaren 720S, the Range Rover Velar and Rolls-Royce ‘diamond-stardust’... Read More
Introducing the dramatic McLaren 720S supercar
‘It is special,’ smiles McLaren Automotive chief executive Mike Flewitt pointing to the latest 720S that proceeds the 650S in the Super Series. ‘It almost feels like a milestone in the maturity and development of the company,’ he told me at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this week for this car represents the first production vehicle to be replaced since McLaren Automotive was born seven years ago. ‘We started out with one car, the 12C, which... Read More
Trend spotting at the Geneva Motor Show
The Geneva Motor Show is a great place for spotting new design and technology trends within the car industry. There never of course is a single direction but you can get a general sense of what to expect in the new few years. Read the full reports in Future Space Magazine and in Wallpaper* Also have a look at some of the designer interviews from previous Geneva Motor Shows. Design Talks | 5 – 25 Scrutton Street | Old Street | Shoreditch | London... Read More
F1 inspires men’s jewellery line
The world of high-performance racing cars could not be further away than that of jewellery, so it was intriguing to see the outcome of a recent collaborative venture between the king of Formula One McLaren and jeweller Links of London. Fashion is often flirting with carmakers. High-end brands such as Rolls Royce, Bentley and Aston Martin are forever commissioning luxury marques such as Louis Vitton to create bespoke luggage for them, or to help style... Read More
Frank Stephenson discusses McLaren 12C
Few contemporary car designers boast a resume as impressive as Frank Stephenson’s. Since graduating in vehicle design from the prestigious Art Centre College of Design in Pasadena, he has designed the first generation 2001 Mini, BMW X5, Maserati MC12, Ferrari F430 and Fiat 500. Stephenson took on the position of styling director at McLaren Automotive in 2008. The first road car designed for the new company, the MP4-12C, was already underway when... Read More
Foster’s bespoke McLaren car plant
McLaren builds winning Formula One cars. With this in mind and the current economic climate it came as a surprise when chair Ron Dennis announced to the world that he intends to branch out and make road cars. Not any road cars, but low volume, high-performance, technologically driven sports cars at competitive prices that will challenge Ferrari, Lamborghini and co when they start rolling off the production line from 2011. #gallery-6 { margin:... Read More