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Watch the McLaren Speedtail in motion

We were all pretty excited to see the reveal of the McLaren Speedtail last week, looking like something the Silver Surfer rode in on. But now, on YouTube, tucked away amid the jumble of videos of talking heads offering commentary on the still images of the hypercar, is one little snippet of video of the Speedtail actually moving under its own power. It's moving very slowly, being driven out the doors of the also-futuristic McLaren Technology Centre HQ in Woking, England, by senior designer Alex Alexiev, who apparently supplied the video to the McLaren dealership in Newport Beach, Calif. You can hear the engine at high idle. You can see Alexiev in the center seat, the front aero wheel covers remaining stationary, and the taper of that long, long tail as the car heads off into the English countryside. There's not much more to it than that. But the chance to see the Speedtail in motion for the first time, even if it's a 250 mph car going just 2 mph, whets the appetite for seeing a whole lot more. McLaren Speedtail View 17 Photos Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Design/Style McLaren Coupe Performance Supercars Videos McLaren Speedtail

Fernando Alonso to race in the 24 Hours of Daytona

MEXICO CITY — McLaren Formula One driver Fernando Alonso will compete in next January's 24 Hours of Daytona as preparation for an eventual race at Le Mans. The United Autosports team owned by McLaren executive director Zak Brown announced the move on Thursday. Alonso, a double Formula One world champion who is competing in this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix, made a big impression last May when he entered the Indianapolis 500 and led for 27 laps. He has set his sights on becoming only the second driver, after Briton Graham Hill, to win motorsport's Triple Crown. That entails winning the Formula One title, or Monaco Grand Prix according to other interpretations, as well as Indianapolis and Le Mans. Alonso, 36, has won Monaco as well as his 2004 and 2005 world titles. He recently signed a contract extension keeping him at McLaren in 2018. "The Daytona 24 Hours is the most iconic U.S. endurance race and one of the world's great races. Everyone knows it," said the Spaniard. "It's not part of the Triple Crown but, as I have always said, my aim is to be a complete driver and this experience will help me in the preparation for any other endurance race I might take part in. "I am excited to go back and race in America," he added. "After the great time I had during the month of May for the Indy 500, I am looking forward to taking part in another legendary race that will bring back all those amazing sensations that US fans gave me." Daytona comes before the start of Formula One's pre-season testing when drivers are mostly working on physical preparation for the year ahead. Le Mans, on June 16-17, does not clash with any grand prix — unlike Indianapolis, which is on the same weekend as the showcase Monaco race. Alonso will partner British teenagers Lando Norris, the McLaren development driver tipped to take a reserve role next season, and Phil Hanson. Daytona, in Florida, will be the first time the Spaniard has raced a prototype sports car. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video: Image Credit: Getty Motorsports McLaren Racing Vehicles US

McLaren hybrid tech will create one of the quickest cars in the world

McLaren's entire range of models will be electrified by 2023, and hybrid technology will help the British firm build one of the quickest cars in the world. The company's chief executive outlined an unnamed upcoming model that will boast an organ-displacing zero-to-60-mph time of 2.3 seconds. Speaking about the firm's future with Car & Driver, McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt provided crunchy new details about the next-generation platform and the gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain the firm plans to unveil in early 2020, possibly during the next edition of the Geneva Motor Show. The 2.3-second car's secret ingredient will be an electric motor that will zap the front wheels into motion. It will work with a mid-mounted engine, likely a twin-turbocharged V8, to deliver through-the-road all-wheel drive. We expect a generous serving of carbon fiber will keep the model's weight in check. Though there's much more to a sports car than an impressive zero-to-60-mph time, 2.3 seconds would put McLaren's looming hybrid on par with the sold-out Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, and ever so slightly ahead of hypercars like the Bugatti Chiron (2.4 seconds). McLaren's limited-edition P1 hybrid took 2.6 seconds, and the hardcore Senna (pictured) is a tenth of a second slower. Looking ahead, McLaren will gradually replace the current members of its range with new models built on its next-generation platform. The cheaper, less powerful ones will surf the downsizing wave sweeping across the industry by adopting a V6 the company hasn't unveiled yet, while the bigger cars with higher horsepower ratings will carry on with a twin-turbocharged V8. All of the upcoming models will come standard with hybrid power, and they'll be capable of driving for up to 20 miles on electricity, yet they'll weigh as little as 65 pounds more than the supercars they'll replace. The weight difference will likely increase when all-wheel drive, a V8 engine, or both enter the equation.  McLaren has talked about building an electric car for years, and it even turned the 720S into a test mule to put the drivetrain though its paces, but Flewitt reaffirmed the technology isn't ready. While solid-state batteries expected to merge into the mainstream halfway through the 2020s could make an electric McLaren more feasible, Flewitt warned the firm might not completely ditch gasoline for another three decades. Profitability is a deciding factor, too, especially as the company eyes an IPO.