When you think of a McLaren, you probably think of a low-slung coupe with a big engine in the middle, a couple of doors that go up in the proper supercar fashion, and rear wheel drive. That’s all going to be changing soon, though, as the struggling British automaker looks to find new ways to make money and stay afloat. The company is in the end stages of planning a future beyond the two-door supercars that put it on the map, and while details aren’t clear yet, that car will be here before we know it.
Plans have been kicked into high gear since the British company was acquired by Abu Dhabi investment firm CYVN Holdings back in April of this year. At a dealer meeting, McLaren’s newly minted CEO, Nick Collins, said the company is getting ready to expand well beyond its mid-engined sports car lineup, according to Automotive News. It’s also very likely that McLaren’s future will be electrified — but not exclusively electric. A dealer in attendance told the outlet that McLaren is planning to stick with hybrids since it isn’t really in a position to roll out EVs just yet, but most of McLaren’s lineup will be hybridized within the next three years.
Don’t be shocked when the four-door McLaren shows up, either. It’s expected that the automaker will introduce a “utility-style” vehicle in 2027, according to AutoNews. It’s not totally clear what that means. For the most part, executives have avoided calling it a crossover or SUV, saying instead that its body style is still under consideration. Right now, the plan is to develop the model in-house. More likely than not, this new model will serve as the replacement for the current GTS grand tourer.
It’s an awfully big house
When it comes to “in-house,” McLaren now has a lot to choose from. CYVN — McLaren’s new owners — also owns British automotive startup Fourseven, which it merged with McLaren, according to Automotive News. On top of that, it’s got a controlling stake in the eclectic vehicle division of Gordon Murray Design and a minority stake in Chinese EV maker Nio. Basically, CYVN has its tech tentacles everywhere.
Now, McLaren’s owners are working on integrating Forseven’s designs and Gordon Murray Technologies’ engineering and light-weight exterior into McLaren’s lineup. It is, of course, a bit ironic that GMT is working with McLaren again: Murray was famously the driving force behind the iconic F1 of the 1990s.
Things are getting interesting at McLaren, and while it might bum some folks out to see another supercar maker succumb to the temptations of the crossover SUV, it makes sense. There’s a reason Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche sell so many of them: It’s what the people want, and it allows these companies to keep making the cool stuff we want to drive and look at. If you ask me, it’s a win-win.
