McLaren is one of the world’s most renowned supercar manufacturers, championing racing technology and British engineering to create some of the most iconic performance machines currently on the market. Over the years, the brand has evolved from a sport-focused track racing car manufacturer to an exotic supercar maker with road-going sensibilities, however, during this evolution the brand has never watered down their products, or even considered building standard passenger cars. Other sports car manufacturers have entered the SUV game, or tried to cast a wider net and appeal to a wider audience. Not McLaren though. They’re sports performance car makers through and through.
Despite being a niche brand that only appeals to a very small group of buyers (the incredibly wealthy, McLaren has managed to post excellent sales results over the last few years. In 2017, the illustrious British marque sold a total of 3,340 vehicles worldwide, which was a record breaking year for the brand. That is, until they smashed that record again by selling a total of 4,806 units in 2018, destroying the previous record and surpassing it by giant 43.9%.
While the official data for 2019 hasn’t officially been released yet, it looks like McLaren is set on breaking a new record or at least falling in to the same ballpark as 2018’s figures. The continual growth is no mean feat for such a relatively small company, and it’s a positive sign for the industry as a whole. Especially since supercars certainly aren’t as popular as practical hatchbacks or family-moving SUVs.
Despite being an exotic nameplate, the vast majority of McLaren’s global sales are from the United States. The USA is easily the brand’s biggest market, usually accounting for around a third of the company’s total sales. That may be set to change in the future, as the Chinese market is starting to become more lucrative, showing an incredible 122.5% growth—however, the Chinese market only accounts for around 7% of the company’s sales overall.
Market growth and improved sales have also been recorded across Europe, with 2018’s sales swelling by a fantastic 44.2%, and domestic UK-based sales improving by 49.2% too. Things are looking good for the brand, and the future will certainly be brining bigger sales and profits for McLaren, but what will McLaren bring to the table for us drivers?
We know that the brand has ambitious plans to expand production with hopes of selling more than 6,000 cars a year by 2025, with talk of having full electrification by 2024, and all without selling-out and designing SUV tanks or mass-producing station wagons. So how will the brand meet these ambitious targets without compromising their integrity? By delivering high-quality vehicles that are engineered to perfection, with outstanding performance and a legacy of exclusivity.
We’ve already seen what 2020 is beginning to shape up like, so let’s zoom ahead and see what the 2021 McLaren line-up is likely to include. It’s too early to deliver solid information just yet, but we know a few definite models are on the cards, and we also have some interesting concepts and rumors to discuss too. So, let’s take a look at what the 2021 McLaren range might include.
What To Expect From The 2021 McLaren Line-Up
2021 McLaren 620R
First up, we have the upcoming 2021 McLaren 620R. This is the top of the range Sports Series model currently on offer from the legendary brand. In short, it’s a road-legal 570S GT4 but rather than being diluted down for the public roads, it actually gains more power since it’s no longer restricted by racing rules and limitations. If you’re looking for a vehicle that offers unparalleled performance underpinned by racing DNA, then the 2021 McLaren 620R is what you’re in need of.
Powered by McLaren’s fearsome 3.8 liter twin turbo V8 engine, the new 620R is capable of producing an impressive 610 horsepower and 457 lb-ft of peak torque. All in, that’s a total of 48 horsepower and 14 lb-ft more than the base 570S, making it the most powerful Sports Series McLaren in production. What’s more, the 620R can hit 60 mph from a standstill in 2.8 seconds, and hit a top speed of 200 mph.
Apart from the engine, what makes it an attractive buy? It’s an advanced supercar in every other respect too. Like the 570S, the 620R benefits from race-developed technology and top shelf parts. For example, the bodywork and styling of the car is nothing short of cutting edge, with aerodynamic shaping, curved winglets, a one piece splitter below the bumper, all resting under a carbon fiber hood. The front aerodynamics are complimented with advanced dive planes that improve downforce and boost racing performance.
The rear is even more stunning, with the only real differences separating it from the track-only 570S GT is the addition of a license plate. Well, there’s a little more to it than that, including the addition of a brake light on the rear wing. The big wing has also been updated for road driving too. While it’s the same aerodynamic unit from the 570S GT (with the addition of a brake light) it’s restricted to just one angle of attack, unlike the 570S GT’s adjustable three-way wing. In stock form, it’s angled at the least aggressive position to strike the best balance for front and rear control for road driving. However, there are two other settings that can be adjusted at any McLaren dealership.
At the moment, there aren’t any official interior pictures of this 2021 McLaren supercar. However, it will probably share an awful lot of features from the existing 570S but with a few more comforts than the stripped out racer has. It might not be designed solely for racing, but it will have some serious race-inspired details, such as carbon fiber seats, full Alcantara or leather upholstery, lightweight door panels and other weight saving features, and a full roll cage is likely to be installed as standard.
And how much does something like this cost? Well, it’s a McLaren so it won’t be cheap and it’s a limited-production model too, which makes it even more exclusive. Prices for the 2021 McLaren 620R are hovering at just under the $300,000 marker. It’s expensive, but only 350 of these bad boys are going to be made.
2021 McLaren Hybrid Sports
We’re expecting to see McLaren pull the covers off of a new hybrid supercar sometime in 2020, with the vehicle getting a proper release in 2021. Prototypes have been spied cruising around under heavy camouflage, with a striking resemblance to the 720S. Naturally, we expect the 720S bodywork to evolve into something a little different as full production deadlines draw nearer, but what might a new hybrid from McLaren be like?
This isn’t the first time that McLaren has toyed with hybrid technology. Back in 2013, the brand released the P1, a hybrid hypercar with impressive performance. Again, in 2019, the firm unveiled the Speedtail. This new hybrid platform is set to be a replacement for either the Super Series or Sports Series, depending on who you’ve been talking to. Whatever happens, you can be sure that the new hybrid layout isn’t going to be paving the way for an all-electric McLaren any time soon.
McLaren’s global marketing director, Jamie Corstorphine, recently stated that the brand wasn’t ready for an all-electric vehicle just yet, explaining to an interviewer that the technology hasn’t progressed far enough for it to be a viable propulsion method for McLaren. Corstorphine elaborated, explaining that a purely electric vehicle would be too heavy to practically power a McLaren supercar. The 100% electric dream might be on hold for now, but McLaren is throwing its weight behind hybrid technology to bridge the gap.
Mike Flewitt, McLaren’s CEO, has also formally announced that the brand would be launching a new platform in 2020 with the first models arriving in 2021, with hybrid technology being at the front and center of McLaren’s future plans. Flewitt continued, adding that the entire McLaren line-up would be powered by a hybrid powertrain within the next 3 to 4 years. Unfortunately, McLaren haven’t revealed too many details about this new and exciting powertrain yet though it’s likely to be based on the 2019 Speedtail setup.
What we do know is that the new powertrain will offer up to 20 miles of all-electric range, and that it will offer sensational performance. The supercar model in the line-up is slated to hit 60 mph from a standstill in only 2.3 seconds, making it three tenths of a second faster than the older P1 unit. As a hybrid, it will have an internal combustion engine powering the rear wheels, with electric motors driving the front that combine to create an all-wheel drive arrangement.
The actual engine is expected to either be a twin-turbo 4.0 liter V8 or a newly developed V6 that offers superior weight saving and better compatibility with the new McLaren hybrid system. Either way, the new hybrid arrangement won’t be slowing the new platform down. In an interview, Flewitt added that the new hybrid components aren’t actually that heavy, and only add around 65 pounds to the overall weight of the car when compared to other McLaren models. The added weight is also offset by the improved performance in the form of extra power and the additional boost that the low-end receives from the PHEV powertrain.
If it turns out to be a full replacement for the outgoing 570S, it could be quite affordable…in relative terms, of course. The 570S current starts at around $190,000, and if you factor in the added costs of a hybrid powertrain, that figure could easily be boosted to $200,000 as a starting price. Naturally, superior trim levels and performance packages will be added, which could see the prices rise up to $240,000 if you want all the trimmings. It’s expensive, but it is a McLaren.
2021 McLaren Elva Hypercar
On the surface the McLaren Elva appears to be nothing more than an exciting publicity stunt. It looks stunning, it boasts frightening performance stats, and it’s completely impractical. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Elva is a fantastic concept designed specifically for the purposes of filling desktop background space or magazine centrefolds. It’s great at both of those things, but it’s not just a wild design exercise. It’s a legitimate model that’s going on sale. This is the 2021 McLaren Elva: an 804 horsepower hypercar that defies convention. It’s a roof-less, window-less, limited production model that builds on top of McLaren’s original Elva M1A sports cars from the 1960s.
McLaren boss Mike Flewitt explained: “The McLaren-Elva M1A [Mk1] and its successors are in many ways the true spiritual forerunners of today’s McLarens—superlight, mid-engined cars with the highest levels of performance and dynamic excellence. It’s fitting that the new McLaren Ultimate Series roadster—a uniquely modern car that delivers the ultimate connection between driver, car, and the elements and with that new heights of driving pleasure on road or track—acknowledges our rich heritage with the Elva name.”
So what sort of technology does the new Elva bring to the table? At its heart, the McLaren Elva features a twin-turbo 4.0 liter V8 that produces and enormous 804 horsepower, 590 lb-ft of peak torque, with enough grunt to propel the Elva from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds, and a 0 to 124 mph acceleration time of 6.7 seconds. The powertrain takes inspiration directly from the McLaren Senna and Senna GTR models, but while the engines are quite similar it’s the weight differences that give the Elva a serious edge. McLaren claim that it’s the lightest modern vehicle that they’ve ever made, but unfortunately, they’re not ready to talk specifics in that department.
To keep the weight down, the new Elva is made almost exclusively from carbon fiber where possible. The chassis is carbon, the brake discs are carbon, and even the spoiler is carbon. The bodywork is made from a carbon fiber composite. Some bodywork components are as thing as 0.05 inches think! Other parts feature TPT carbon (thin-ply carbon) which might be more decorative than practical, but does the job nonetheless. Of course, some of the biggest weight savings can be gained from the fact that the McLaren Elva doesn’t have any windows or roof.
But with such fearsome acceleration, what stops the driver from being sandblasted into a mirror sheen when they’re at the controls? The secret is McLaren’s Active Air Management System (AAMS)—which isn’t a helmet. The AAMS technology relies on a series of air ducts, outlets, strategic vanes, and adjustable deflectors that move to shift air away from the driving cabin, forcing any air safely over the driver and passenger’s heads. It’s a clever system that reacts to the speed that you’re traveling at, initiating and adapting as necessary to provide the best driving comfort.
The aerodynamic capabilities feature more than a wind-shielding AAMS system. There’s a full-width wing at the rear that automatically adjusts its position and angle of attack to smoothen out the vehicle’s aerodynamics. An airbrake system installed too, to distribute and aerodynamic drag appropriately. However, what the exterior has in advanced technology, the interior sacrifices in luxury.
Inside, there’s not much in the way of driving comfort. There’s no audio system as standard. Anything that’s not entirely geared towards performance has been excluded. But it’s not all bad news. The carbon fiber seats are comfortable as well as light, weather-resistant leather upholstery is available as an add-on, and there’s a plethora of riding aids and onboard technology to make your ride as smooth as possible. Naturally, performance inspired gadgetry comes as standard, such as paddle shifters, smartphone integrated telemetry software, and touch screen displays.
In terms of safety, well it comes with the bare minimum. In fact, five states in the USA require a windshield—and McLaren will fit one for those that need it. But apart from that, it’s pretty austere in that department. But being an exclusive McLaren, there’s no doubt that you could ask them to install anything that you’d require to feel safer and happier, since it’s pretty much going to be a custom build car that conforms to a rough outline.
Only 399 of these will be made, and starting prices have been quoted at a whopping $1,690,000, excluding taxes and fees. And that’s only for starters. The final prices will depend on what options buyer’s choose and the level of personalization done. We did warn you: this is an exclusive car!
