3 Apr 2019

• The McLaren of Grand Tourers reveals its sleek, elegant shape
• First announced by CEO, Mike Flewitt, during McLaren’s Geneva press conference
• Disguising camouflage to be removed in May
• The fourth McLaren to be revealed under the company’sTrack25 business plan
• Follow https://cars.mclaren.com/newrules

McLaren has removed the shape-changing, additional body panels previously used to hide the form of its imminent, rule-breaking ‘Grand Tourer’.  The car’s sleek and boldly elegant design can now be discerned although the lightweight body remains covered by a shrink-wrapped livery that suggests the number of established rules the McLaren of Grand Tourers will break.  The company is promising it will begin to peel off this disguise this May.

The application of the shrink-wrap will also enable the Development Team to enter the closing stages of the car’s extensive evaluation program, which has already encompassed thousands of miles in hot and cold climates across the globe.  The ‘Grand Tourer’ has proven its ability to cover long distances in supreme comfort, but always with extra shape-changing and noise-inducing panels applied.  Now that these have been removed, the Development Team will run further validation tests, including a 1,000 mile drive from McLaren’s development base near Barcelona, Spain, back to the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England. To be completed in one stint with two occupants and a full complement of luggage, this is one of many long-distance drives that will help the team to confirm the new model is both comfortable and refined over the long distances a grand tourer is expected to consume … one rule that McLaren won’t be breaking.

The McLaren of Grand Tourers was announced by McLaren Automotive CEO, Mike Flewitt, during last month’s press presentation at the 89^th International Geneva Motor Show.  He promised that the fourth car to be launched under the company’s Track25 Business Plan will combine competition levels of performance from a twin-turbo V8 engine with continent-crossing capability and a level of agility never experienced before in the luxury Grand Tourer segment.  He stated that the McLaren of Grand Tourers will be the most usable mid-engined car yet.  The McLaren of Grand Tourers will also be the only one to share its DNA with a Hyper-GT: McLaren’s Speedtail.  Mike went on to say that the car - a name is yet to be announced – won’t be part of any of the company’s existing model Series and will be a unique, tailored model.   Its interior will feel spacious, uncluttered and modern with only authentic, high quality materials employed.  

Ends

Notes to editors:

A selection of high resolution images accompanying this release is available to download from the McLaren Automotive media site – cars.mclaren.press

About McLaren Automotive:

McLaren Automotive is a creator of luxury, high-performance sportscars and supercars.

Every vehicle is hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, England.

Launched in 2010, the company is now the largest part of the McLaren Group.

The company has three defined product families: Sports Series, Super Series and Ultimate Series which are retailed through over 80 retailers in 30 markets around the world.

McLaren is a pioneer that continuously pushes the boundaries. In 1981, it introduced lightweight and strong carbon fibre chassis into Formula 1 with the McLaren MP4/1. Then in 1993  it designed and built the McLaren F1 road car - the company has not built a car without a carbon fibre chassis since. As part of the Ultimate Series, McLaren was the first to deliver a hybrid hypercar, the McLaren P1™.

Announced at Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2018, the company’s Track25 business plan will see it invest £1.2billion in research and development to deliver 18 new cars or derivatives by the end of 2025.

2017 saw the company launch further models including the second-generation Super Series, the 570S Spider and the McLaren Senna. In 2018, the company launched the 600LT and the first two cars of Track25, the McLaren Speedtail, the next Ultimate Series and McLaren’s first ever Hyper-GT, and 720S Spider.  In 2019 the 600LT Spider was confirmed as the third car of Track25, with a new GT car announced and the previously-confirmed track-only Senna GTR unveiled.

To support the development, engineering and manufacture of its range of innovative sportscars and supercars, McLaren Automotive partners with world leading companies to provide specialist expertise and technology. These include AkzoNobel, OnePlus, Pirelli and Richard Mille.

McLaren Group:
The McLaren Group is a global leader in luxury automotive and technology and comprises three businesses: Automotive, Racing and Applied Technologies.

Further information:

Roger Ormisher
Vice President, Communications & PR | McLaren North America
Phone: +1 714 501 8137
Email: roger.ormisher@mclaren.com

Laura Tilley
Public Relations Manager | McLaren North America
Phone: +1 765 517 2186
Email: laura.tilley@mclaren.com

Media website: cars.mclaren.press
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You Tube: www.youtube.com/mclarenautomotivetv