McLaren's Future Plans Feature A Secret Model With Over Two Seats | Carscoops

      With new support and a promising collaborator, McLaren may enter the SUV market.

      The company is set to unveil a completely new model by the end of this year.

      Future vehicles are anticipated to feature advanced elements from Nio.

      CEO Nick Collins aims to position the company for the next 50 years.

      Earlier this year, CYVN Holdings, an investment group in Abu Dhabi that owns McLaren Group, announced that the revered automaker would merge with a little-known startup called Forseven. This company had been operating quietly and was planning to launch several luxury vehicles when CYVN deemed it beneficial to merge the two organizations.

      In the coming years, this collaboration is expected to redefine the McLaren brand. Now under Nick Collins' leadership, the company is set to introduce a range of new models, including one to be revealed later this year. Collins has also confirmed that a new McLaren will indeed feature more than two seats.

      Broadening the Approach

      “We have a clear plan – give or take 10 percent – for what we’ll accomplish through 2030, and we have a design model for everything,” Collins recently shared with Car Magazine. “There will be more of what we’ve always done, but improved, plus entry into some related segments. You can expect to see something with more than two seats, which still allows for a considerable range of possibilities. Even within the two-seat segment, we could explore much more diversity.”

      What this entails in reality remains uncertain. Collins did not specify whether the new model will be a sedan, an SUV, or something entirely different. Considering the widespread popularity of SUVs and the fact that main competitors like Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini have begun offering them as well, following their lead could be a wise choice for McLaren. If such a model gains significant sales, it could financially support the development of new sports cars and supercars.

      The partnership between McLaren and Forseven also involves Chinese automaker Nio, as CYVN holds a 20 percent stake in the latter. Consequently, future McLaren models are expected to include “Nio components...much sooner than anticipated at the component level,” according to Collins.

      Regardless of McLaren's future, the company has the investment needed to become a more significant player in the industry.

      “This isn't a short-term, two-to-three-year private equity arrangement,” Collins pointed out. “Nor is it a vanity project that will indefinitely fund losses. We aim to establish a business that can generate free cash flow and sustain its own future. Only by achieving that can we create the legacy we aspire to. I want employees, many years later, to be able to work at McLaren. We shouldn’t be focused on a 10-year vision; we should be building a company for 50 years ahead.”