Quickbuilding an automotive marvel, Speedtail style

Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.

Our subject for this latest edition of our update blog could hardly be more different from our previous posting, even though both machines would be pretty evenly matched if history had ever allowed then to take part in a sprint race. This week, we will be returning to the subject of new product tooling projects and the latest addition to our popular Quickbuild range, a model representation of a car which is quite possibly the most aerodynamically perfect hyper car design ever produced, the awesome McLaren Speedtail.

Our Quickbuild range of kits will be familiar to most Workbench readers by now and as this series has benefitted from significant development investment over the past few years, many new model projects have featured within Workbench as a consequence. Having just arrived back from spending an enjoyable few days attending and exhibiting at the Scottish National Scale Model Show in Perth, it was interesting to see just how many Quickbuild models made it onto the various modelling display tables at the show, maybe produced by some of the younger, less experienced members of the clubs in question, but with them certainly not looking out of place amongst this array of modelling excellence. This says much for the work of our designers in ensuring that a brick based push-fit method of construction never gets in the way of ending up with an accurate and appealing looking model, once it's assembled. That's certainly the case with this latest model, an easy to build, extremely easy on the eye representation of this unique and futuristic looking supercar, or to be more accurate, Hyper-GT car.

It's time to put away your glue and paints for a few moments, because in this latest edition of Workbench, we're all going to be required to demonstrate a slightly different set of modelling skills - we're on Quickbuild time!

Quickbuild very much part of the Airfix story

Quickbuild kits have been around since 2013 and are now a significant feature of any Airfix model range.

One of the most significant features of being an Airfix modeller over the years is the sheer breadth of modelling subject matter respective ranges have given enthusiasts access to and in addition to this, how Airfix have never been afraid to try new things, whilst always maintaining the relationship with their core audience. One range of kits which is a current manifestation of this continuing heritage, our ever-expanding selection of Quickbuild models may well be targeted at a younger, less experienced class of modeller, but is still 100% Airfix and now has a mature, diverse range of subject matter for people to choose from. 

An impressive range of kits which employ an ingenious brick build, snap-together method of construction, these models may well be aimed at younger modellers, even those who may have never considered building a model kit before, but not exclusively, as everyone will enjoy a little Quickbuild time, something which is always fun and always engaging. That is, of course, until the stopwatch comes out on your phone, and the dining room table converts to a venue for combat and the serious business of a parent versus kids Quickbuild Challenge contest, a duel where there can only be one winner and probably a forfeit of having to make something kid-friendly for dinner, or maybe a massive supply of sweets and chocolate.

The very heart of these impressive kits is one of our product designers and their determination to make every Quickbuild design project as faithful a representation of the subject being modelled as they possibly can. Despite the fact that their design cannot make use of either glue or paint during the construction process, it must always assemble into an accurate and visually appealing representation of the car, aircraft or tank being modelled, one which is more than capable of holding its own amongst any display of built model kits on a shelf or in a display cabinet.

From a historical perspective, Quickbuild model kits have been a part of the Airfix story since 2013, with their arrival being heralded by two iconic aviation subjects and a Quickbuild modelling recreation of the deadly duals which took place in the skies above Britain during the summer of 1940, the Supermarine Spitfire and its aviation nemesis, the Messerschmitt Bf 109E.

From those humble beginnings, the range has gone from strength to strength, welcoming the addition of new models with almost every annual range announcement since their initial arrival. Currently, the range boasts an impressive selection of cars (with both classic and contemporary 'Super Cars' receiving the Quickbuild treatment), vans and utility vehicles, aeroplanes, helicopters and tanks. In fact, with the finished models being impressively accurate representations of the vehicles and machines on which they are based, there are now enough kits in this range to allow anyone to create a colourful model display in its own right, one which you can take apart and re-assemble to your heart's desire, should you wish to.

Although these impressive kits utilise a push fit construction method, the finished model is a faithful representation of the subject vehicle and importantly, 100% Airfix.

Over recent months, the Quickbuild range has grown once again with the addition of such delights as a pairing of new Jeep vehicles and the awesome F-35 Lightning II, an aircraft which is essentially Britain's current Spitfire, with our model representation of it quite possibly being the first Airfix product many thousands of people will come into contact with, well that's the hope anyway. Speeding up stealthily on the rails, the range has recently seen its latest new addition arrive in model shops everywhere, our modelling homage to a motoring sensation which is quite possibly the most unusual, yet the most spectacular looking super car ever created, the attention grabbing McLaren Speedtail.

If we are being factually accurate, we should really be describing the Speedtail as a hybrid hyper-GT car, but one which uses technologies which are more closely aligned to the design of a modern jet fighter than a motor vehicle, even though this is no ordinary motor vehicle. The talented creator of this new kit is product designer Adam French, the man many Workbench readers will remember featured in a recent edition devoted to the release of the muscular Jeep Gladiator Overland and Jeep Quicksand Concept models, where he kindly guided us through some of the finer design details he faces when producing a new Quickbuild kit. Ordinarily, we would be going back to Adam to give him more time in the blog spotlight, however, he has thrown us something of a curveball and is currently on holiday, so we are going to be heading in a slightly different direction with this review.

In any case, we wouldn't be wanting to simply repeat the information published in the previous Quickbuild design overview, however, if you would like to see how Adam designed his new Jeep Duo for inclusion in the current range, please use this link to be taken straight to that edition on our main Workbench hub. In his absence, we have enlisted the help of an Airfix design heavyweight, Design Manager Matthew Whiting, who was himself just about to head out on a business appointment, but was more than happy to help us. We had a couple of more direct Quickbuild design questions we wanted to ask, as we thought our readers would be interested to learn about the differences between designing something like one of our new Starter Sets and a Quickbuild kit, and Matt was only too happy to help out.

Before we get on to that though, this is probably an appropriate time to look at the McLaren Speedtail in a little more detail and why this unique looking car was just crying out to be included in the Quickbuild range. 

Is this the coolest car ever made?

Main box artwork image for the new Quickbuild McLaren Speedtail, a new model which has captured the spectacular aerodynamic profile of this fastest McLaren ever produced.

From the perspective of our modelling customer base and particularly with younger/first time modellers in mind, years of experience has left us in absolutely no doubt that motor vehicle model kit subject matter is incredibly popular with this specific sector of the hobby. When our salesforce were visiting model stores, particularly the larger, high-street chains, they were always being asked to re-order car model kits and to feed back requests for more new car models to the Airfix development team. That being the case, we were only too aware that for both future Quickbuild and our new breed of Starter Set kits, vehicle subject matter would have a significant role to play, particularly as both ranges are intended to be enjoyed by novice and less experienced modellers, potentially even their first foray into the wonderful world of model building.

For this reason, most Workbench regulars will be only too aware that much of the investment across both ranges over recent years has been weighted towards car and motoring subject matter, spanning the past seventy years of motoring, but with a  definite leaning towards the world's current breed of Supercars.

A vehicle which is very much aligned to this thinking and one which is the latest addition to the Quickbuild range, the McLaren Speedtail is perhaps as super as it's possible for a supercar to be, one which is more space age than contemporary age. We had better begin by giving this beautiful car its correct title and range positioning, as it is actually described as a Hyper-GT car, the literal definition of which is a design which takes everything that is current and takes it to the next level.

The Speedtail is actually described by McLaren as 'A car like no other' and is one which has set the motoring world alight, one which they themselves are incredibly proud of. This is McLaren's first Hyper-GT car and as you can see from its appearance, is as advanced as its spectacular good looks would suggest. Their most aerodynamically efficient design to date, the Speedtail is a fusion of science and art in automotive form, with its hybrid powertrain propelling this bullet of a car to an impressive 250 mph, making this the fastest McLaren ever produced. It goes without saying that this limited production run hybrid sportscar is eye wateringly expensive and if you are thinking of securing one, you're not going to be getting much change from £3 million.

The Speedtail is bristling with the latest technologies, from its self-charging hybrid battery, to the innovative electrochromatic glass, which darkens when prevailing conditions dictate, all intended to make the driving experience both safer and more pleasurable. Of course, the most distinctive feature of the Speedtail is its appearance, a car which was designed for maximum aerodynamic performance and one which is actually McLaren's most aerodynamically efficient design to date. Rather than simply chase high speed by installing ever more powerful engines in the new car, McLaren engineers instead elected to produce a sleek design which is as close to aerodynamic perfection as possible, ensuring that whatever provided the car with power will be meeting the least atmospheric resistance possible, by virtue of the design.

Two recently created computer rendered images produced using the Quickbuild McLaren Speedtail CAD files, followed by a third image where our photographer has gone all Speedtail creative. 

Despite this, the Speedtail still employs a powerful and efficient engine, but one which makes use of hybrid power. The main engine is a 750hp twin turbocharged V8 engine, backed up by a 300hp parallel hybrid electric power train, allowing the car to reach an impressive top speed of 250mph, a mark which sees this historic machine standing as the fastest McLaren ever produced. The car can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3 seconds and reach 186mph in just 12.8 seconds, but if you keep your foot down, this beast will just keep going.

Utilising technologies which are more commonly found on the latest fighter jets in service, the aerodynamic shape of this design incorporates rear active ailerons, which are usually flush with the profile of the car, but are activated by computer to keep the car stable at all speeds, whilst also serving as an effective speed brake as and when required. The body shell of the Speedtail make use of a new type of carbon fibre technology, one which employs an innovative layer of ultra-thin titanium which is woven into the already highest quality carbon fibre used, something which allows the sweeping, clean lines of the Speedtail to be formed, whilst at the same time endowing the car with incredible strength.

Inside the Speedtail, there is no let-up in either the use of quality materials, or the latest technology. The hybrid carbon fibre technology makes its way into the cabin interior, with the contours of the two passenger seats actually forming part of the car's chassis design, with this enabling designers to maximise the aerodynamic qualities of the car. The driver's seat is positioned centrally, with their passengers positioned slightly behind and to either side, with a dynamic electronic display console surely giving this the feel of sitting in a high-tech jet fighter, rather than a hyper car. 

In order to maintain the aerodynamic integrity of the Speedtail, designers have done away with the wing mirrors most traditional cars need for safe operation and replaced them with two rear facing high definition cameras mounted in retractable aerodynamic fairings in each door panel, with the cockpit display providing a clear view behind the vehicle when required. Switching the Speedtail to Velocity mode will see these cameras retract into their door housing, producing the most aerodynamic profile possible, as the driver takes this speedster towards its impressive top speed and it has to be said, the McLaren Speedtail really does go like stink! 

The design of any Quickbuild model kit is something the designer responsible for it should be rightly proud.

When fully assembled, can you tell this model uses a push together brick based construction method?

This incredible vehicle has been designed as an aerodynamically perfect shape in the pursuit of high speed, using technologies which are usually found in the production of the latest combat aircraft, but with a view to influencing car design in the years to come. Something of a concept vehicle, only 106 of these beautiful and extremely rare cars have been produced and as they are in such high demand, their already eye-watering cost is only certain to increase further with the passage of time. For those lucky enough to have one, we think you have a pretty sound investment there, just don't go racing it too often. For the rest of us who have to dream, we can offer you a Quickbuild representation, something which will serve as inspiration whilst we wait and save.

We have mentioned several times that much of the technology used during the design of the Speedtail is similar to that found on some of the world's current combat aircraft, which is rather fitting, considering a popular motoring programme decided to race one of these highly advanced cars against arguably the most capable multi-role strike fighter in the world today, the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II. In a course which had to allow some latitude for the fighter jet, this race, which included three turns, saw the lead change several times before the end, with the F-35 eventually powering to the win, but taking acceleration alone, even the F-35's afterburning Pratt & Whitney F135 could not keep up with this McLaren speedster at the start. Perhaps this car is even more aligned with aviation than we initially thought - if only it had wings.

The most aerodynamic car in brick construction form

From a design perspective, all this talk of sleek, aerodynamically perfect shapes really does beg one very poignant question, how on earth to you go from a collection of push together brick based parts, to a modelling representation of a McLaren Speedtail? Using just 37 parts and his Quickbuild expertise, that's exactly what product designer Adam French has managed to do, however, as you might well imagine, this wasn't a process without its challenges, some of which he had never previously encountered on a Quickbuild project.

In his absence, design manager Matt Whiting told us that he recalls Adam facing some real challenges with this design, despite the fact that he is probably the most experienced Quickbuild designer in the team at this point. Just like any other project an Airfix designer takes on, Adam is always looking to bring all his acquired skills and any industry design/manufacturing advancements to bear when embarking on a new project, producing the most accurate representation of the subject at hand that he possibly can. With a Quickbuild design, he knows that the new kit is going to be enjoyed by a particularly enthusiastic section of the modelling community and as such, everything must go together securely and whilst the assembled model must look 100% McLaren Speedtail, it must also possess the inherent strength to allow for hours of playing fun, or disassembly and reconstruction many times over - quite a daunting challenge.

As you can see from some of the images used here in illustration of the points raised, whilst the outer design of the kit is as aerodynamically sound as the real thing, the internals of the kit's design are anything but and with inherent strength being a design prerequisite, Adam would learn a few new skills whilst overcoming some Speedtail design challenges. Areas which caused him particular concern were the distinctive protruding rear section of the car and the large, single piece cockpit bubble, which was to be produced as a clear part. The back end of the McLaren is different to any other car we have ever seen and with it being so long, thin and sleek, a traditional method of Quickbuild design simply wouldn't do. In order to provide the structural integrity the kit was going to need, Adam had to come up with an innovative solution and therefore designed some clever little clips to add the required rigidity.

A series of images showing a fully assembled example of this latest addition to the growing Quickbuild model range.

With the clear cockpit bubble actually having quite an important job to do when it came to the strength of the assembled model, Adam once again used his experience to come up with a slight deviation from his usual Quickbuild design, one which provided both the required structural integrity and some appealing detail to the spider-like framing.

Another design feature which caused Adam a few headaches were the distinctive wheel covers on the front wheels of the Speedtail, something which was introduced to further aid with the aerodynamic performance of the car, but a feature which was not added with the Airfix designer in mind. These fairings remain static even whilst the wheels are turning, something made all the more noticeable by the fact that there is a discernible notch out of the rear of the cover. Ordinarily, something such as this would simply turn with the wheel on a Quickbuild model, but not on the Speedtail and Adam had to figure out a way to replicate this in his design. Of course he managed to do this, but it wasn't without a few moments of design contemplation.

The second question we wanted to ask was around the design of a Quickbuild compared to one of our new breed of Starter Set kits. With both having a similar part count and both intended for a younger, slightly less experienced modelling audience, which of the two kit types was the easier to design?

A new box presentation of the model store shelf, the new Quickbuild McLaren Speedtail kit is available now.

Prepare to be thrilled, the McLaren Speedtail is here and ready for Quickbuild action.

Matt told us that the answer to this question was very much down to the individual designer, as both kit types have their own particular design nuances, but both are equally challenging. A Quickbuild design uses a different method of construction and tooling design to a traditional model kit, where in the main, a traditional kit will require the inclusion of more detail during the design phase. If an individual designer is more experienced in working with Quickbuild but then takes on the design of a traditional Airfix kit, this can initially cause them a few problems, with the opposite obviously being the case for a designer moving in the opposite direction. Despite this, every designer has access to the combined experience of the wider Airfix team and therefore, no design issue should remain a problem for too long, although if it is a Quickbuild problem, Adam will definitely be the man to ask.

We would like to thank Matt for stepping into the breach this week and for helping with the production of this latest blog and for answering the questions we thought particularly relevant in this case. Significantly, the new Quickbuild McLaren Speedtail kit is available now, so if you would like to have a go at building this aerodynamic motoring marvel, you can do so right now.

Race recreation, Quickbuild style

The race is on .... with both the McLaren Speedtail and F-35 Lightning II now available in Quickbuild form, it's time to resume this speed rivalry in miniature in homes the length and breadth of the country. 

We couldn't end this latest blog without including one further Quickbuild related feature, one which draws our attention to the fact that the recent release of the McLaren Speedtail now allows modellers the opportunity to stage their own F-35 Lightning II versus McLaren Speedtail race, Quickbuild style. The F-35 Lightning II has understandably been one of our most successful Quickbuild releases and with the summer's schedule of Airshows due to take flight this coming weekend, the popularity of this kit is only going to increase further. 

If you feel that the Speedtail deserves another crack at taking on the F-35, you can now resume this speedy battle Quickbuild style, however, please remember that the carpet will have a detrimental drag impact on the aerodynamic integrity of both of these aerodynamic marvels, as they head off from the start line!

Both the McLaren Speedtail and F-35 Lightning II Quickbuild kits are available now.

We are afraid that's all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back next Friday with more project development updates and the very latest Airfix kit exclusives. In the meantime, we are always keen to hear your views on all things Airfix and in particular, any thoughts and opinions you may have regarding our Workbench blog. If you would like to drop us a quick line, could we please ask that you use our workbench@airfix.com email for all correspondence. 

To re-visit any of the Airfix blogs we have produced over the past seven years or so, please head to our main Workbench hub, where you will find our entire blog back catalogue and all the Airfix design projects we have already covered.
 
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Airfix Workbench Team