$2.3M McLaren Speedtail Test Mule Seen Billowing Smoke at Gas Station
Road-going examples of the 1,035-horsepower hypercar are due for customer delivery in 2020.
The McLaren Speedtail is the high-class automaker's newest hypercar that is due to be delivered to customers beginning early next year. But before keys reach the hands of the 106 lucky owners, McLaren has begun to test its cars on public roads—and one was just spotted billowing smoke at a British gas station.
While smoke can be seen pouring from the rear of the car, it's not immediately evident just how much damage the McLaren sustained, nor how the incident itself began. An update from a Facebook page shows that electrical problem was able to be contained and the car itself was saved from being rendered a complete loss.
Knowing that the incident occurred at a gas station, the test driver's quick thinking to move the car away from the fuel pumps is certainly something that should be held in high regards. Emergency crews were later seen examining the car which shows no external damage.
“A prototype version of the McLaren Speedtail experienced what we believe at this stage to be an electrical fault, whilst stationary at a fuel station near Guildford in Surrey, UK." said McLaren's Head of Global Communications, Roger Ormisher, in a statement to Motor1, "As a precautionary measure, having seen a small amount of smoke emanating from the vehicle, McLaren employees moved the car away from the fuel pumps and discharged dry powder extinguishers over the rear of the car. The prototype was subsequently recovered to McLaren premises."
Ormisher also confirmed that there were no injuries as a result of the mishap and that an investigation into the cause was still ongoing.
While the Speedtail is still months away from its official release, it's clear that the automaker is still actively testing the product to ensure that it meets its customers' unrivaled expectations. The 1,035-horsepower hypercar is said to be capable of reaching 250 miles per hour thanks to its advanced aerodynamics, and it's priced at around $2.3 million.
Earlier this year, a McLaren Senna owned by a high-profile YouTuber met its end in a mysterious fire.
