McLaren Speedtail Inspires One-Off Electric Guitar

McLaren is returning the Speedtail 'XP2' but not on a long runway for another crazy top-speed run. This time, the prototype is coming to light as a musical instrument made in collaboration with Dean Gordon, a luthier based in Miami, Florida.

As a model built to go against prestigious hypercars like the Bugatti Chiron, the McLaren Speedtail is as extreme as it gets. This inspired Gordon to base his custom-built, one-off guitar on the British hyper-GT, showcased at the 2023 National Association of Music Merchants show.

First, let's talk about colors. Like the XP2 prototype, the guitar is finished in Saragon Quartz said to be a "shimmering champagne hue." The Oxblood Red interior in the hypercar can also be seen in the guitar's wiring cavities, along with carbon fiber trims on the backplate and the back of the headstock.

In terms of materials used, the guitar has old stock lightweight alder wood for the body, master-grade flamed maple for the neck, aircraft-grade aluminum for the lower horn, and ebony wood for the fretboard.

The headless style allowed a lightweight finish, similar to top-notch McLaren cars like the Speedtail and especially the Senna. The covers of the pickups are also created to match the Speedtail's engine cover and rear end.

"McLaren being synonymous with cutting-edge design and pushing boundaries made it a no brainer choice of inspiration for my 'Automotive' inspired line of guitars," said Dean Gordon, Owner of Dean Gordon Guitars

"These guitars are my artistic exercise, where I not only try to make the best playing and sounding guitars possible, but to put an artistic flare on them beyond what I normally do. The Speedtail was the perfect muse."

While there is only one Speedtail-inspired guitar in existence, McLaren only produced 106 examples of the hyper-GT. One of the model's highlights is reaching a maximum speed of 250 mph, the highest of any McLaren to date. This also makes Speedtail one of the fastest road-going cars albeit the US does not allow it for street use.