A McLaren Speedtail catches fire mysteriously during a test drive

Over the years we have witnessed how the first steps of evolution have not always been fruitful. The same happens in the automotive industry, where hundreds of innovations have needed more than one revision to settle properly in the market and deliver their novelties correctly. Let us remember that brands such as Ferrari have had to deal with this problem, when one of the first batches of the 458 Italia caught fire. This story is repeating itself, only that on this occasion the protagonist is the McLaren Speedtail, although it is premature to say whether this is an isolated case or an endemic fault that could affect more units.

The Woking firm had long been planning to bring to life a model capable of carrying on the legacy of the acclaimed F1, a model that has been directly replaced by the Speedtail. As with the firstborn of McLaren, this latest creation makes use of that distinctive seating arrangement, which offers three seats with the driver’s seat located in the centre.

Without a doubt, the McLaren F1 revolutionised the automotive industry with its striking technological display and its capabilities on the road, which allowed it to crown itself the fastest vehicle in the world. This same discipline has been the one used to engender the Speedtail, a vehicle that also wants to claim that title by facing cars of the calibre of the Bugatti Chiron or the Koenigsegg Jesko.

However, there is something that seems to stand in the way of the British hypercar, as this video shows. In it, a brief recording can be seen showing a McLaren Speedtail smoking at a petrol station, but the quick intervention of the occupants with a fire extinguisher managed to prevent the flames from spreading and reducing the firm’s favourite child to ashes.

For now the causes of this incident are unknown, but it could be a specific case and not an endemic fault. If so, the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 combined with an electric motor and capable of producing a staggering 1,050 CV, could have suffered some combustion failure or short circuit, two problems capable of causing a car to burn out within minutes.

https://youtu.be/F8epfmKk5Rg

We will have to wait until McLaren carries out an analysis to determine the causes of the event and issues an official statement. In the meantime, we can only keep an eye on the other 105 units of the Speedtail that will be built, which make it one of the most exclusive models of recent times.