Is McLaren Finally ready to bite the bullet and build an SUV? The answer is yes, according to a new UK report.
Autocar The report said the British carmaker was preparing to back down from its claim that it would not build an SUV, and instead was preparing to launch an electric crossover in the second half of the 2020s.
The British publication states that the crossover range will be “relatively low, compact, dual- or tri-motor, four-wheel-drive design that offers a higher performance level matching the recently launched Aston Martin DBX 707”.
McLaren is one of the only sports car manufacturers to stand up to the world’s relentless pressure on SUVs.
Ferrari is preparing Purosangue, Lamborghini has Urus, and in 2021 the two best-selling Porches worldwide were Macan and Cayenne. Aston Martin’s best-selling cars are the DBX SUV and the 6
Even Lotus, which was built around the mantra “Simplify then add lightness”, is creating an electric crossover.
Autocar McLaren recently hired Michael Letters, the architect behind Porsche’s push into the SUV world, as its new CEO.
The current McLaren range consists of four supercars, excluding limited-powered Ultimate series vehicles such as the Speedtail.
The 720S and 765LT, along with the softer GT, are powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 engine, with the Artura Hall launching the brand’s first plug-in hybrid and a new V6 powertrain.
Rumors about McLaren’s future began to circulate in late 2021, following reports of a purchase from Audi. McLaren, however, quickly denied the reports.
The McLaren Applied Technologies division, responsible for the development of electrified powertrain technology, was sold to investors in April 2021 and was not included in any potential contracts.