'Top Gear' Season 28 Episode 2: When Chris Harris and the McLaren Speedtail raced an F-35 Lightning II fighter jet
Just over a decade ago, Richard Hammond, one of the hosts of 'Top Gear' raced a Bugatti Veyron against a Eurofighter Typhoon. The aircraft was stunningly state-of-the-art and while a car vs jet race seems outrageously ludicrous, it's quite fun despite the world knowing what the final result actually is. The aircraft always wins, ain't matter if it's a Lamborghini or a Bugatti. But like we said, it's pure adrenaline-pumping fun. And now, 'Top Gear' Season 28 is at it again— another car vs aircraft race.
Say hello to the McLaren Speedtail. The fastest McLaren ever-produced and the fastest British car ever made. The hypercar is sleek, sharp, hybrid, center-wheel drive and boasts of a modified M840T from the 720S. With a 1,036 horsepower (773 kilowatts), it tops off at 250 miles an hour on a straight track. That's just over around 250 mph (400 kmph). The folks at 'Top Gear' decided to be a bit adventurous when they put driving ace Chris Harris in the car and asked him to race the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.
For the first few minutes, the Speedtail hogged all the glory. The shiny red monster that's sexy and scarily fast, until the F-35 piloted by an 18-year-old just pulls up on the runway next to it. What follows is a slender lead the McLaren takes just to be blitzed by the jet that takes a lead well beyond Harris' reach. Paddy McGuiness watches in awe as the jet zooms around without breaking into a sweat. The F-35 is a magnificent piece of engineering and is the latest piece of tech from Lockheed Martin's arsenal.
Priced at a hefty $124 million, the Lightning II beats the McLaren easily. But that's not to say the British car isn't worth it. It is faster than the F1 which held the record for being the fastest one on the block. Guess its time to make way for the McLaren Speedtail. It costs $2.2-million and boasts of some quality aero-components that makes it one of the most futuristic advanced cars to be ever made.
What are your thoughts on the McLaren Speedtail?