McLaren mulls 4-door segment

McLaren Automotive is looking toward transformation as the purveyor of two-door sports cars considers a bigger, more profitable market — four-door, utility-type vehicles.

In April, without revealing details, McLaren told retailers it would bring "another class of automobile" in the decade's second half. According to retailers, McLaren's director of product strategy, Jamie Corstorphine, said, "Stay tuned. It may have four doors and four seats."

McLaren is fashionably late to the mid-six-figure luxury utility vehicle club. Competitors Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce have successfully launched SUVs, while Ferrari's first utility vehicle deliveries begin this year.

McLaren plans to transition to a 100 percent electrified portfolio by 2026. But the automaker isn't ready to commit to battery-only power.

"McLaren doesn't feel EV technology is there," a retailer said. "It's an answer, but it's not the answer."

The British marque is also expanding its electrified model lineup. McLaren engineers are developing a lightweight hybrid system that will debut in a new Ultimate Series model in the decade's second half.

Elsewhere in the portfolio, McLaren introduced a new workhorse model, the 750S. The company said it is expected to account for about 35 percent of McLaren Americas' business next year, with the U.S. accounting for most global sales.

"It's a key model and allows us to be sustainable from a profitability perspective and also for the dealers," McLaren's Americas boss Nicolas Brown told Automotive News.

Four-door vehicle: McLaren is considering diversifying beyond its two-door lineup. The automaker is exploring the idea of a utility-type vehicle that could arrive as early as 2027. "How high-riding it is, whether it's a crossover ... that's to be decided," Corstorphine told Automotive News late last year.

McLaren will likely develop the vehicle and its platform in-house.

Ultimate Series hypercar: McLaren's next flagship — a Formula-1-inspired two-seat model — will debut a lightweight hybrid system. According to McLaren retailers briefed on the model, McLaren will pair the hybrid system with an in-house developed V-8 engine.
The Ultimate Series model will feature a newly developed carbon fiber monocoque with integrated seat backs. That setup improves rigidity and safety while cutting weight. It will feature a new dihedral door design, 3D-printed suspension parts and F1-style aero design concepts. The flagship is expected mid-decade.

Artura: McLaren's newest model, originally scheduled to launch in October 2020, suffered software and supply chain delays. But U.S. deliveries finally ramped up in early 2023. The Artura plug-in hybrid built on a lightweight architecture combines a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine — the first in a McLaren — with an electric motor and a 7.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack.

The powertrain delivers a combined output of 671 hp and can propel the sports car from 0 to 60 mph in three seconds. The Artura has a top speed of 205 mph and can travel up to 11 miles in EV-only mode.

The model lineup will expand next year with a Spider and potentially other variants.

Solus GT: In 2023, the track-only, single-seater brings to life a futuristic McLaren concept that was featured in the Gran Turismo Sport video game. A naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V-10 engine delivers 840 hp and up to 479 pound-feet of torque. Weighing less than 2,205 pounds, the Solus GT can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 2.5 seconds and hit a top speed of more than 200 mph.

The 25-unit production run is pre-sold.

750S: McLaren's latest supercar is a performance and styling evolution of the 720S, which it replaces, and is faster and lighter than its predecessor. The 2024 McLaren 750S carries over its predecessor's 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 engine with 710 hp, but it will have an additional 30 hp. The high-definition steering column- mounted instrument cluster is similar to the one in Artura and Elva.

The 750S will be available in both coupe and convertible variants at launch. There will be no long tail variant. Customer deliveries begin in October.

McLaren will replace the 750S with a new model in 2026. It will feature a new V-8 plug-in hybrid.

GT: The grand tourer features a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 that delivers 612 hp and a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.1 seconds. The GT will receive a minor update next year with upgraded engine performance and minor design tweaks. A redesign could arrive in 2025.