Photo: McLaren
McLaren has been struggling financially since the start of the COVID pandemic to the point where they had to sell their headquarters in Woking and several vehicles that were part of their heritage collection. Therefore, their current focus is to become profitable again, and only then they'll be able to think about expanding their product portfolio.
Speaking to the press at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, CEO Michael Leiters confirmed that a crossover is not part of their immediate expansion. First, they'll have to recover financially from the pit they're currently in, and only then they'll decide on the development of a crossover. Leiters, who has led McLaren for over a year, claims "this won't be before 2028."
It is possible that by then, Lamborghini would have a second-gen Urus in its lineup, either with partial or full electric power. Ferrari's first attempt at a crossover, the Purosangue, will likely be facelifted, and so will the Aston Martin DBX. Thus, while McLaren takes its first step in this direction, its main rivals will have further refined their super crossovers, making them better in most aspects.
As far as the supercar class goes, Leiters sees three main (and obvious) pillars: ICE models, hybrids, and electric vehicles. The 720S replacement, which was christened the 750S, sits in the former, whereas the hybrid range comprises the Artura. But what about pure EVs? According to the brand's head honcho, they "don't want a car weighing 2,000 kg (4,400+ lbs) and with 2,000 bhp (2,029 ps/1,492 kW), as anyone can do that." Thus, if they're launching an electric supercar, they want it to be "comparable to a 750S weight-wise."
Michael Leiters has given an insight into what they have up their sleeves, confirming that they are "working on concepts and have really exciting ideas around that (EV)." And if they give it the green light for production, then "it (the EV supercar) has to outperform what we can do with ICE." According to Autocar, this statement refers to the emotional experience felt by those sitting behind the wheel and the overall driving credentials of the model.
For now, McLaren will keep focusing on the Artura. The hybrid supercar has yet to peak its production capacity, and this will cause some delays for customers. That includes the US launch. The 750S is getting ready to hit the assembly line, as the first deliveries are believed to kick off before the end of the year. The British automaker's ICE-powered supercar has been well received by its audience and is fully booked until the end of 2024. Therefore, if you want a brand-new McLaren 750S, you will have to wait over a year if you place a deposit now or scroll through the used car market for that perfect copy, which will come at a hefty premium.
It is possible that by then, Lamborghini would have a second-gen Urus in its lineup, either with partial or full electric power. Ferrari's first attempt at a crossover, the Purosangue, will likely be facelifted, and so will the Aston Martin DBX. Thus, while McLaren takes its first step in this direction, its main rivals will have further refined their super crossovers, making them better in most aspects.
As far as the supercar class goes, Leiters sees three main (and obvious) pillars: ICE models, hybrids, and electric vehicles. The 720S replacement, which was christened the 750S, sits in the former, whereas the hybrid range comprises the Artura. But what about pure EVs? According to the brand's head honcho, they "don't want a car weighing 2,000 kg (4,400+ lbs) and with 2,000 bhp (2,029 ps/1,492 kW), as anyone can do that." Thus, if they're launching an electric supercar, they want it to be "comparable to a 750S weight-wise."
Michael Leiters has given an insight into what they have up their sleeves, confirming that they are "working on concepts and have really exciting ideas around that (EV)." And if they give it the green light for production, then "it (the EV supercar) has to outperform what we can do with ICE." According to Autocar, this statement refers to the emotional experience felt by those sitting behind the wheel and the overall driving credentials of the model.
For now, McLaren will keep focusing on the Artura. The hybrid supercar has yet to peak its production capacity, and this will cause some delays for customers. That includes the US launch. The 750S is getting ready to hit the assembly line, as the first deliveries are believed to kick off before the end of the year. The British automaker's ICE-powered supercar has been well received by its audience and is fully booked until the end of 2024. Therefore, if you want a brand-new McLaren 750S, you will have to wait over a year if you place a deposit now or scroll through the used car market for that perfect copy, which will come at a hefty premium.
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