With the number of millionaires and billionaires surging in the past decade, the demand for ultra-high-end supercars is also on the rise. As such, manufacturers are scrambling to churn out the best four-wheeled speed machines they can muster. That includes McLaren, which just outlined its £1.2 billion, seven-year business plan.
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The Full Story
McLaren revealed its latest business plan at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, providing a framework of how the brand would evolve between now and 2025. McLaren calls it the Track25 plan, and it takes the next step beyond the Track22 plan revealed back in 2016 at the Geneva Motor Show.
“Track25 sets out a clear roadmap for future vehicles, production, and technology that will allow the brand to continue to position itself as a major global player in the sportscar and supercar market,” McLaren stated in a press release.
One of the milestones includes a strong move to hybrid powertrains across its sportscar and supercar lineup within the next seven years. This will include the latest “augmented driving features,” which will be used to create battery systems that offer lower overall weight and faster recharge times. Eventually, McLaren says its goal is to provide more than 30 minutes of electric performance at racing speeds using these new systems.
McLaren also reiterated its commitment to lightweight materials technologies, which includes a £50 million investment into the up-and-coming McLaren Composites Technology Centre. Further technology updates will include “enhanced cyber protection, improved vehicle tracking, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates.”
As for the mechanical bits, McLaren says it will continue the mid-engined platform and layout into the foreseeable future, with the lineup freshened by 18 new models and model derivatives in the coming years. The company also predicts production will see a significant boost, up an additional 75 percent to roughly 6,000 units annually in the same time period. As before, each model will be built at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, England.
Most exciting, however, is the anticipated release of the successor to the incredible P1 hybrid hypercar. No additional details were revealed, but it’s safe to assume the new halo vehicle will bring hybridized power, insane speed potential, spacey good looks, and an astronomical price tag.
Critically, McLaren says it will also expand into new markets, such as Russia, India, and Central/Eastern Europe, while simultaneously expanding its existing market presence around the world. All told, McLaren says it would like to add another 14 retailers to its exiting network of 86 retailers.
It all sounds pretty good, no? The brand already proved it could make the hybrid thing work wonders with the P1, and with advanced tech and materials to back the expanded vehicle lineup, we’re optimistic about McLaren’s future.
That said, we have to mention that significantly expanded production numbers could cheapen the brand perception a bit. Granted, McLaren was already heading towards a slightly more accessible platform with the release of the Sport Series, but still, a 75-percent production increase is no small potatoes.
Regardless, we can’t wait to see what the folks from McLaren have in store.
Further Reading
Read our full review on the 2014 McLaren P1.
Read more McLaren news.
Read more Goodwood Festival of Speed.