Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
The P1 predates the Formula 1 hybrid V6 era by a few months, and McLaren soldiers on with this type of powertrain in the Speedtail. The premier member of the Ultimate Series will be joined in 2020 by a different breed of McLaren models, which will be underpinned by an all-new vehicle architecture that intertwines performance with efficiency.
“A plug-in hybrid first should hit the road late in 2020,” said The Detroit Free Press about this yet-to-be-named platform, and “McLaren does expect to make money on hybrids.” The first details of the all-new breed of electrified vehicles will be made public in March at the Geneva Motor Show, but we’ll have to wait until the summer to take a look at a new model.
“Technology doesn’t allow for a great EV sports car today, largely because of the weight of batteries,” said chief executive officer Mike Flewitt. A previous report on the hybrid vehicle architecture suggested that these models will be 65 pounds heavier than ICE-only models from the current generation, thanks in part to a twin-turbo V6 engine. An all-wheel-drive supercar is also planned, depending on who you’re asking, and the plug-in hybrid powertrain is quoted with a fully-electric driving range of 15 to 20 miles.
An SUV, however, “doesn’t fit the brand” according to Flewitt. Aston Martin is the latest low-volume automaker to reveal a luxurious yet sporty SUV, and Ferrari will soon follow suit with the Purosangue. It remains to be seen if McLaren will bite from the poisoned apple in the mid-term future, but frankly, an SUV would dilute the brand by a significant margin.
“We need to be renowned for excellence in the segments we’re in. We’d be just another brand doing SUVs,” concluded Flewitt about the potential and drawbacks that come with the launch of a utility vehicle.
Within three to four years, McLaren wants its entire lineup to be hybridized to a lesser or greater extent, from the Sports Series to the Super Series and Ultimate Series. A prototype of the 720S had been spied earlier this year testing a hybridized powertrain, but the MVY04-BP23 windshield decal suggests that car was nothing more than a test bed for the Speedtail hypercar.
“Technology doesn’t allow for a great EV sports car today, largely because of the weight of batteries,” said chief executive officer Mike Flewitt. A previous report on the hybrid vehicle architecture suggested that these models will be 65 pounds heavier than ICE-only models from the current generation, thanks in part to a twin-turbo V6 engine. An all-wheel-drive supercar is also planned, depending on who you’re asking, and the plug-in hybrid powertrain is quoted with a fully-electric driving range of 15 to 20 miles.
An SUV, however, “doesn’t fit the brand” according to Flewitt. Aston Martin is the latest low-volume automaker to reveal a luxurious yet sporty SUV, and Ferrari will soon follow suit with the Purosangue. It remains to be seen if McLaren will bite from the poisoned apple in the mid-term future, but frankly, an SUV would dilute the brand by a significant margin.
“We need to be renowned for excellence in the segments we’re in. We’d be just another brand doing SUVs,” concluded Flewitt about the potential and drawbacks that come with the launch of a utility vehicle.
Within three to four years, McLaren wants its entire lineup to be hybridized to a lesser or greater extent, from the Sports Series to the Super Series and Ultimate Series. A prototype of the 720S had been spied earlier this year testing a hybridized powertrain, but the MVY04-BP23 windshield decal suggests that car was nothing more than a test bed for the Speedtail hypercar.
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