Long game

Price: ±R45 million Engine: 4,0-litre, V8, twinturbo-petrol + electric motor Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch Combined power: 772 kW Combined torque: 1 150 N.m 0-96 km/h: 2,9 seconds* Top speed: 402 km/h* Fuel consumption: n/a CO₂ : n/a Rivals: Bugatti Chiron; Pagani Huayra

+ fabulous design; immense acceleration; wonderfully involving to drive you could argue the price is a tad steep

There is plenty McLaren would like you to think about when contemplating its extraordinary new Speed-tail hypercar. Most obviously: the McLaren F1 shares its three-seat, arrowhead cabin configuration and that just 106 units will be produced; and its 0-300 km/h time is quicker than a Bugatti Chiron’s. But what Woking’s grands fromages wouldn’t want nor expect you to be thinking about are 50-year-old Porsches.

But I can’t help myself because when I look at the Speedtail, I see not only a stunningly modern and striking road-car shape but one that was in vogue in an entirely different context half a century ago. Cab forward and tail back; I see a 1968 Porsche 908 using its elongated bodywork to punch through 200 mph (322 km/h) on Le Mans’ Mulsanne Straight.

This is not intentional, nor