McLaren to add SUV and second factory in major UK expansion
Asked if those ongoing discussions meant the SUV was still in the early stages of development, Straughan said yes, but said the company still plans to launch it this side of 2030.
Whatever its technical make-up, the SUV is planned to contribute significantly to McLaren’s planned volume increase over the coming years. Straughan would not be drawn on a target number, but pointed to the success of rivals like the Aston Martin DBX, Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga, which are comfortably their respective makers’ best-selling models.
“In terms of volume aspirations, you can guess as well as I can as to where this could go,” he said, noting that McLaren’s volumes “are about half of the next in the league table”, referring to Aston Martin, which sells around 6000 cars per year.
Although it is preparing for a wide-reaching revamp of its line-up and production operation, McLaren will continue to produce its existing mid-engined supercars in Woking in the coming years, with no plans for a ‘firebreak’ like Jaguar imposed for a year between its previous-generation line-up and the imminent Type 01 GT.
“A small company like McLaren can’t afford that,” said Straughan, “but we will start to phase in new products as quickly as we possibly can – and it’s not too far away, either.”
DOOR OPEN TO CONTI GT RIVAL
The introduction of the SUV’s new architecture will pave the way for McLaren to chase rivals into other segments, too, with additional front-engined models that have more of a luxury focus than the current supercars.
While development is ongoing and the SUV remains the only model confirmed in the strategy, Straughan said: “The interesting thing – and I’m not saying there’s any firm plan behind this at the moment – is that once you put an engine in the front of the car, it opens up other opportunities.”
He would not be drawn on which precise segments would be open to McLaren once it has introduced its new architecture, but suggested that any related models could also play a significant role in boosting volumes.
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