In the pursuit of financial solvency, British supercar brand McLaren is planning to pursue more lifestyle customers in addition to the tech- and performance-focused clientele it currently has. And part of that strategy, according to anonymous dealers who attended a retailer meeting with the company, is a comprehensive showroom redesign and a wider lineup beyond supercars like the GTS, including two front-engined offerings and a few more hybrids.
In addition to the rumored-but-unconfirmed SUV, McLaren is also reportedly working on a front-engined GT car, something that could give its neighbors at Aston Martin a reason to worry.
A New Hybrid Supercar Is On The Way
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But that doesn’t mean the brand will abandon its core focus on uncompromising high-performance automobiles. According to Automotive News, which spoke to dealers who attended the product meeting, there’s another supercar coming soon from the brand. Debuting after the production-ready W1 Hypercar will be a mid-engined sportster with a mild-hybrid V6 engine, positioned just above the Artura. Those familiar with the project described the design as F1-like, with a wedgy front end and a tempered glass engine cover.
The car will be longer than its kid sibling, and its twin-turbocharged V6 powertrain – developed in-house and potentially related to the one in the Artura – will produce 810 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque, per the retailer meeting attendees. McLaren hopes to sell 1,000 of them each year, with a starting price of around $310,000. If that plan comes to fruition, it would drive the brand’s global volume up nearly 50 percent; in 2025, McLaren delivered about 2,200 automobiles worldwide.
The new supercar, codenamed P34, seems well positioned to achieve that goal, costing less than the $365,100 750S despite reportedly offering 70 more hp. The $260,400 Artura, meanwhile, is an admittedly excellent 690-hp affair, meaning the new offering will be a relatively easy step up for those who want greater performance. The mild hybrid will likely ride on a new platform for the brand, considering McLaren has already confirmed that its existing supercar chassis, which dates back to the 2017 720S, will achieve its final form via the 788HS.
Will The New GT Car And SUV Dilute The Brand?
News of the SUV’s impending arrival, for which rumors first began last year, have raised questions about McLaren’s brand identity. Until now, almost every vehicle to hit the market with a “Speedmark” logo on the nose has been a mid-engined sports car, starting with the ultra-limited M6GT and stopping along the way with the F1 and MP4-12C. An SUV would surely be heresy, wouldn’t it?
CarBuzz renders of a McLaren SUV.CarBuzz/Valnet
Although some purists may claim so, McLaren is one automaker that could probably handle the development of a performance luxury crossover without sacrificing its core values. The company’s expertise in carbon fiber construction and chassis development all but guarantees the forthcoming SUV will be sporty and fun to drive, traits it will likely share with the front-engined, “sedan-like” GT car also coming in the next few years.
Details on that machine are few, but it will reportedly debut before the end of 2028. In that time period, McLaren is planning a comprehensive product onslaught, including the production-ready W1 Hypercar, the P34, and a variety of special-edition supercars like the McL 6GT. If you’re still skeptical, bear in mind that McLaren has done luxury GT cars once before, partnering with Mercedes-Benz on the mighty SLR super-coupe.
A New Boutique Retail Experience
In addition to the new cars, McLaren is also preparing its dealers for a new showroom design, said to be inspired by luxury brands like Burberry or Louis Vuitton. Wood paneling and warm lighting that takes after the automaker’s signature Papaya Orange paint color will ensure the dealerships feel warm without sacrificing the exciting performance for which McLaren is known.
The company also wants its dealers to expand their service capacity by at least 25 percent in order to make room for all those extra customers it hopes to court.
Base Trim Engine
3.0L Twin-Turbo V6 Plug-in Hybrid
Base Trim Transmission
8-Speed Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
671 hp
Base Trim Torque
531 lb-ft @ 2250 rpm
Fuel Economy
TBC
Infotainment & Features
5 /10
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The idea of a McLaren sedan or SUV may seem sacrilegious, but the unfortunate reality of the luxury market is that not everyone wants to run their errands in a speedbump-scraping supercar. In the past, Ferrari and Lamborghini owners could be expected to purchase a Bentley or BMW to go along with their supercars, but more and more customers would prefer to simply do a one-stop shop when it’s time to renew a few leases. That’s why Aston Martin offers the DBX 707, while Ferrari has the Purosangue and Lamborghini has the Urus (and the forthcoming Lanzador GT car).
If the choice is between McLaren building a profitable family vehicle or going bankrupt and taking the W1 and 788HS with it, we’ll take the SUV/exotic two-car solution.
Source: Automotive News
