- McLaren’s future electric vehicles may be limited to the Chinese market exclusively.
- The brand will continue producing its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine for future models.
- The automaker’s new Abu Dhabi owner is a significant investor in Chinese EV firm Nio.
Next year will see Ferrari step into new territory with the debut of its first fully electric model, currently known as the Elettrica. One might expect McLaren to mirror its Italian rival and fast-track an EV of its own, but according to newly appointed chief executive Nick Collins, that isn’t on the horizon.
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Collins became the new boss of McLaren earlier this year when Abu Dhabi-based investment group VYVN Holdings finalized its purchase of the British carmaker and merged it with a local start-up known as Forseven. Conveniently for McLaren, CYVN Holdings is a major stakeholder in EV brand Nio and even owns Gordon Murray Technologies.
Commitment To Combustion
However, while speaking with Car and Driver at Monterey Car Week, Collins noted that McLaren will continue to consider combustion engines and hybrid powertrains as its prominent options for a “very long period of time.”
The company has no intention of abandoning its long-serving 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 either, despite the Artura’s strong case for the newer 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6.
As a matter of fact, Collins noted that McLaren recently made its flagship V8 better than ever in the W1, increasing its per-liter output to 229.6 hp, a huge increase from the 185.3 hp/liter output of the 750S. According to the company’s CEO, there will be other uses for this engine moving forward, although he didn’t specify which future products could use this mill.
A Measured Approach To EVs
McLaren isn’t rushing into electrification, the door hasn’t been closed entirely. Collins acknowledged that if McLaren does launch an EV, it would likely be limited to a specific market, such as China. This would make sense as the People’s Republic is by far the largest single market for EVs.
Additionally, when CYVN announced McLaren’s merger with Forseven, it noted that the automaker “will benefit from [its] strategic investment in Nio, to deliver access to visionary technologies and electrifications”.
As for what comes next, Collins teased that the first products under this new chapter will arrive “sooner than you think.” Existing projects that were already in development before the merger are now set to receive a boost from increased investment, hinting at a busy and strategically focused future for the brand.
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